How to Restore & Customize Auto Interiors
Restoring and customizing a car's interior is a great way to make it feel like an entirely new car again and is a very satisfying project to perform. And with a little ingenuity, you can not only make it look like new, but you can easily make it stand out from a sea of similar-looking vehicles.
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Things You'll Need
- Assorted screwdrivers
- Socket set and ratchet
- Chisel or paint scraper
- Scissors
- Sound deadening
- Spray-on adhesive
- Carpet kit
- Vinyl, leather or ultrasuede
- New steering wheel, shift knob and aluminum pedals
Instructions
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Begin by stripping the interior. Remove the front and rear seats from the interior. These are usually held on with bolts at the front and back portion of the seats. You will use a variety of tools for this, from screwdrivers to socket sets.
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Remove the carpeting from the vehicle. There are usually trim pieces bordering portions of the carpeting that need to be removed with a screwdriver or other tools. The carpet is then generally glued on. To remove it, simply pull it up and out. Remove the factory sound deadening from the car's floor in the same way. Scrape away the glue that is on the floor with a chisel or paint scraper.
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Remove the door panels (usually held on with screws or clips that pull off) window handles (or power-window switches) and door handles. Disconnect the battery before doing any electrical work.
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After the interior is stripped, begin the reassembly process by gluing down new sound deadening material, available at all auto parts stores or online at companies like Dynomat. Use a carpet/headliner spray adhesive to glue the sound deadening down and use scissors and/or a utility knife to cut individual pieces as you go to fit in the shape of the floor. The glue dries securely within an hour. Once it's dry, install the carpet.
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Choose a new carpet kit, or if the factory carpet is in good shape, have it steam cleaned before reinstallation. You can also dye the carpet for a new look.
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If you are using a new carpet kit, have a custom one made up from a color that wasn't offered by the manufacturer of the car when it was new. Order contrasting edging on the carpet kit.
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To install the carpet, use spray adhesive on the back of the carpet and the surface it touches. Carefully install the carpeting, pulling and stretching it to get it to fit properly. Allow the carpet to dry for an hour or so before proceeding.
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Install new seats, which can come from a variety of sources, including local auto parts stores, eBay and online companies like Summit Racing. Custom cars look great with a nice set of aftermarket bucket seats. You can also have the existing seats re-upholstered in a different color and material for a unique look. Seats can usually be installed with a ratchet set and a set of adapters available from the seat maker.
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For custom door panels, remove the existing upholstery and re-cover the panels with new leather, vinyl or even ultrasuede for a really custom look.
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If the door handles are metal, polish or paint them. If they're plastic, paint them a different color, perhaps one that matches the exterior.
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Recover the dash with a dash cap if it is cracked. You can find a dash cap on eBay, companies that specialize in your make of car or from www.dashcaps.com. To install the dash cover, use carpet spray adhesive sprayed onto the surface of the dash and then carefully position the dash cap. Usually, the cap only take a few minutes to install and does not require the removal of any parts. You can also reupholster the dash with leather or ultrasuede.
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Replace the stock, plain looking gauges with aftermarket gauges from a company like Auto Meter.
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Round out the interior changes by installing an aftermarket steering wheel, shift knob and aluminum pedals, which will stand out nicely against the new carpeting.
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