Interior Decoration

I installed the complete interior this weekend.  It looks fantastic.

I started with some sound deadening / heat shield underlayment...

 

Then I test fit the carpet, and glued in the pieces over the rail and the transmission tunnel.

  

From there, I fit the carpet over the wheel arches and the rear "seat".  These are glued down as well.  I spent a lot of time test-fitting since you only get one shot with the glue.  The carpet under the seats isn't glued or snapped in; the seats will hold it in place.

Then, I installed the snaps for the transmission tunnel cover and the footwell carpet.  In each footwell, there are four snaps: two at the crossmember and two on the firewall.  The transmission tunnel cover has six: three each side, where one is at the firewall, one on the back side of the crossmember, and and at the back end along the tunnel.

Once I had all the carpet in place, it was panel time!  I started with the doors.  They were a real fun job.

First, I installed some plastic as a seal.  

After that, in went the insert.  That's the original vinyl from 1965.

Finally, in went the door card, the pull handle, and the winder.

 

Then, I did the other one.  This one was harder; the panel didn't want to fit under the trim rail on the top of the door, so some gentle persuasion made things better.  Then, when I closed the door it stuck out over 1/8".  The door seal is sealing against the panel, which isn't right... but some quick work with a Big Hammer set things to rights.  Now, it shuts perfectly.

Next, I installed the rest of the cockpit surround and the vinyl that covers the door jambs.

From there, I started on panels. I put in the trim panels for the footwells and along the door.  That involved finding and mostly drilling lots of little holes.  I messed up on one panel, but it's the passenger's side by the seat and not too noticeable (I hope).

Once the panels were in place, in went the seats!  They fold down and everything.  They slide back and forth, too.  They are very comfortable and I sit at a good height.  I will say--it's much smaller in there than I remember. 😀

 

 

 

Once all of that was done, I went for a quick spin around the block.  Side streets only--I don't need to get in too much trouble!  So far, so good--I got up to temperature with no weird noises (well, once that sounds like a tire rubbing, but I can't see it).  Unfortunately, Speedostein (my cobbled together speedometer for the diff I installed) is a bust.  It showed me doing 50 when I couldn't have been doing more then 30.  So, back to the lab...

But doesn't she look great?

I got through over half of my punch list this weekend.  I think I might actually get there by the end of next weekend... or at least, close enough to drive!  Next up is the bumpers, cut and buff and install all the chrome trim, install the radio, and fit the bonnet with its heat shield.

I might actually finish this.