As you all know my car is ready for interior. my body shop gave me a number and the guy estimated me to be $4500 including parts (but not the little things like the ashtray and inside the glovebox things like that) is this number high because i though it was. i estimated the parts to be around 2500 for everyhting. Also i was wondering how hard it would be and how long for me myself to do the interior. almost everything but reapulstering the seats and doing the headliner? thanks guys,
Last edited by 19Firebirdrestorer68; 10/18/0705:12 PM.
I'd hire out recovering the seats and installing the headliner and sail panels. The rest is a pretty straight forward install. Deluxe or standard? Unless you're a glutten for torture I'd buy the complete door panels rather than recover.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
ITS REALLY EASY!!!! even to recover your seats. the headliner would be difficult if you've not done one before so i would hire that out but the rest is straight forward as the others have said! the seat are easy as well.
just toss the covers into the dryer for a few minutes to make them pliable and then slide them on over a plastic garbage bag if your afraid of them getting caught. you can pull the bag out after your done and then hog ring it in place. start with the middle of the seat and work it out and around to the other side. this will keep the cover fairly centered once you've gotten it set to begin with!
the only tool required for the carpet is a scratch all for the holes and maybe a box knife for the bigger holes. poke the scratch all through the hole in the floor underneath and come into the cabin area and cut an x into the carpet for the bolt. make sure the carpet is centered and straight and where you want it before doing this. also you may want to secure it with the sill plates. use the old ones so you don't ruin the new ones your replacing them with! the headlines is nothing i can explain on here. just done from knowing it.
overall this is an easy do-it-yourself project you can involve the kids in. they can help you with the bolts. placing the seats in and installing the carpet as well! hope this helps a bit!
Andy
due to budget cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been disconnected for non payment.
Thanks. im going to call classic tonight and see what they can do. i would involve the kids if i had any but im still in college haha. i think i may start this over thanksgiving. with guided help from all of you of course. would i have to drill any type of holes or anything of that nature? thanks again.
No holes. Mostly just following instructions. Cutting some hanger wire to length. Learning how to use hog rings. You will need some hand/finger strength to pull the upholstery. You will get some 'dings' in your fingers.
My wife and I did the interior on our car ourselves. The ONLY thing we did not do was the headliner only because it had already been done when we bought the car in 2000.
We recovered the seats and they came out fine. I would try to do it yourself and save yourself some cash...
There is a real skill involved in doing this work, even with the reproduction covers. It's different than spinning bolts or sanding rust. I dripped sweat over the work crimping hog rings using the better of the Ames pliars. It was finally partly installed with some error front to back, so it all had to come back off for a start over. This is one job where dropping it off by an experienced shop might be worthwhile for nice results. Mine is still sitting there all taken apart. I can't part with the money without another try with the fight. Something about my make up says this can be done at home in my garage. But it will go there when the car get's closer to finished. Quote was $500 out the door. Have it done is my hunch. Value you time. I don't see you getting by with under six or eight hours on each seat for a first try. Spend your time at what you're best at. Maybe some OT where you work will get it done.
the only tool required for the carpet is a scratch all for the holes and maybe a box knife for the bigger holes. poke the scratch all through the hole in the floor underneath and come into the cabin area and cut an x into the carpet for the bolt. make sure the carpet is centered and straight and where you want it before doing this. also you may want to secure it with the sill plates. use the old ones so you don't ruin the new ones your replacing them with!
An easier way is to install the bolt in the holes then cut an X on top of them and push the carpet down around them
you can do this project in a weekend provided you have everything there to do it. seats in a day and the rest is screwing the panels into place. how determined are you to get it done is how fast it will go. quality should be first but you can do it on the weekend. you can start on friday night removing everything from the car and sweeping out the interior. then when you get up saturday morning you can begin the carpet and other panels. save the seats till last because they are the last thing to go in. you could have everything into the car by mid afternoon if your working consistently at it and have started the seats by the time you quit for the night. be driving it by sunday evening.
Andy
due to budget cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been disconnected for non payment.
I tried the headliner and gave up before I ruined it, then I hired an experience guy to do it. It took him about 2 1/2-3 hours give or take, but not a wrinkle in it. No way could I have done that, especially being my first one. Found out the repop sail panel clips are not always in the right spot either, his little trick was to remove them and the attachment board from the sail board, put them in the holes, then re-glue the sail to it. Perfect alignment. I'd have never thought of that.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
The trick to the headliner is to follow a 'step by step' strickly. I find it less tedious then putting a model car together. I know a hobbiest can do it if he decides he really wants to. But everybody draws the line somewhere. Just wanted the reader to know that it's definitely possible to do the headliner yourself too.
You're right, a hobbiest can do stuff when they decide to. The one bad thing about restoring my car is I've gotten so far from the original plan, it's gotten very, very detailed, is now I've actually hired stuff out that I wanted to do, mainly not wanting to screw it up, like the headliner, and yep, I drew the line there. The Seats I was going to do until I ended up in a cast and then the headliner guy offered.
Now I have to decide on installing the windshield myself or not? That's about the last, haven't done before I have to decide on.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
You're right, a hobbiest can do stuff when they decide to. The one bad thing about restoring my car is I've gotten so far from the original plan, it's gotten very, very detailed, is now I've actually hired stuff out that I wanted to do, mainly not wanting to screw it up, like the headliner, and yep, I drew the line there. The Seats I was going to do until I ended up in a cast and then the headliner guy offered.
Now I have to decide on installing the windshield myself or not? That's about the last, haven't done before I have to decide on.
I drew the line at the convertible top cover. I started doing it and felt 'over my head'. $750 later I was a happy camper! I don't think I would even attempt it again.
Now a windshield, that's a 'no brainer' for me. If I did my very best I could only come close to what a pro can do. And at $150 installed....well, you know.
One trick I found with the windshield is get an online quote and take that in to the local shop. They will usually match it.
Just looked at their website. they didnt seem to have prices though. what is the advantage to using them?
also i just would like everybody to know....this is going to have to be done step by step with the help of all of you over thanksgiving and december break. just letting you guys know what your in for
Windshield is not hard...even I did that...(with the help of a friend , 4 hands better than 2 doing that!)
I'm sure you didn't beat my $150 price,(?) so it boils down to what kind of glass your 4 hands will be on. Round(bottle) or flat(windshield).
I bought w/s locally $140, installed self ,but paid $18 for the "caulk"...
$158 OK I'm already a six pack up on you before you started! LOL
I know....they would have done it installed for $145, but I /we just wanted to make sure no leaks....so I didnt have to go back....so it cost me $13 MORE to do it myself vs them ...but I saved on gas ,not going back....and I did NOT stay at Holiday Inn! lol
not had any issues with the w/s....but it still leaks abv it ...lol
Just looked at their website. they didnt seem to have prices though. what is the advantage to using them?
also i just would like everybody to know....this is going to have to be done step by step with the help of all of you over thanksgiving and december break. just letting you guys know what your in for
Classic sells PUI, they are the distributor. Make sure you ask the rep when you order. The advantage to using PUI is that they fit the best. Believe me, you want them to fit perfect.
As for wear and tear on hands, I guess it all depends on whose hands are on the tools and speaks volumes for real not armchair mechanical ability.
As for winsheild prices, when I did glass in Dallas, lots of yankee glassmen, some from the up in the motor city way said that the glass business up there was the chits. If you can negoiate prices, they knew what they were talking about. When we had people want to negoiate, we'd tell them have a nice day.
As for the seat covers, I found it rather an easy process, but skill, aptiude, hand strenght might be a factor I am overlooking when I rate the difficulty of a repair.
By the way, the shop saw you comming. See what you can do to present yourself as not someone overflowing with money; otherwise, the industry will see you as a milk-tit. That's the way it goes in the automotive repair industry.
As for wear and tear on hands, I guess it all depends on whose hands are on the tools and speaks volumes for real not armchair mechanical ability.
OOOOO This smells like a personal cut down. How many seats you recovered stinky? There are lots of things to catch your fingers on when doing upholstery. I bet you wear mittens when you do it, Mr. Armchair Real Man. And upholstery is mechanical??
When we had people want to negoiate, we'd tell them have a nice day.
By the way, the shop saw you comming. See what you can do to present yourself as not someone overflowing with money; otherwise, the industry will see you as a milk-tit. That's the way it goes in the automotive repair industry.
Merv, These to statements side by side are very interesting. It would almost appear as a direct contradiction if you dig into them.
Oh and I forgot to add, that the auto indusrty are notorious gougers of the innocent!!! Always negotiate,,, there are a dozen other guys to go to if they tell you have a nice day.
I once worked in a factory making upholstery for Detroit Auto Show cars...all GM. Heavy leathers and vinyls and fabrics, indstrial sergers and sewing machines...followed by foam and fabric installation. The pneumatic tool could do 80% of the fasteners (extra were specified for a tightly tailored appearance) and the remainder were done by hand. Even after a summer of doing the same job, the hand installed rings were still the most miserable part of that sweatshop job.
If you don't install covers every day and don't typically use linesman's pliers or similar tools, you'll feel it.
The plier is also maybe just a bit spread-handled for a comfortable grip for me. I'm sure that factors into it, but I do have good grip strength.
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
Another thing you could do instead of the hog rings is use zip ties. I had my seats done in about 4 hours. I've done 6 sets of seats this way and they turn out great. Another great thing about zip ties is you can get 4 or 5 started and then tighten them all up instead of doing one hog ring at a time.
Zip ties have a limited lifespan. After about 3 or 4 years they start to get brittle and snap. I'd rather not have my seat covers flopping around after just a couple of years, though they can be used to assist in cover placement during permanent installation.
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
The plier is also maybe just a bit spread-handled for a comfortable grip for me. I'm sure that factors into it, but I do have good grip strength.
I found that to be a big problem with the ring pliars I bought. You need to be able to apply significant force on the pliars with the handles nearly wide open. It also seems like they require the most grip when the pliars are open. That is the same time you need your free hand to guide where the ring goes. There's probably a good reason shops use powered tools.
Quote:
Zip ties have a limited lifespan. After about 3 or 4 years they start to get brittle and snap.
Zip ties would be handy as an installation aid to pull the listing against the anchor wire when you're working without any help. You can set ties up a little loose so you can check fit side to side and front to back. Then tie it in with the rings. A agree, zip ties are not adequate for a permanant job.
My hands would be sore, of course. 
