The interior of the car was pretty much original. The rear seat was original and in overall good condition. There were no rips in the seat at all. The problem with the rear seat was basically age. The fabric along the bottom of the seat was deteriorating and the cotton batting smelled like mice!
The front buckets also seemed original but the driver's seat sat wrong. It was too high and shaped wrong. The springs were not correct for the year.
I replaced all seat coverings and foam.

This photo shows the big square bump on the top of the driver's seat from the incorrect spring frame. Also around the seat release button, the vinyl was beginning to rip.

Tear out of interior. Seats removed for recovering. Next out was the old carpeting.

 

Door panels removed. The rear panels had water damage. The front panels were in pretty good shape, until I caught the seat frame on the left side and made a rip in it! Didn't matter, I had the new one's to replace them anyway!

Carpet out, dash out, down to bare metal. Didn't find any rust in the floor pans (all original). I pealed off the old "tarpaper", cleaned the floors and repainted with POR 15.

After trying to recover the bucket seats I finally determined that it would be easier to leave it to the professionals! Stretching the fabric and installing the hogrings wasn't as easy as it looked. The back seat was easy, but I took the front seats and the new covers to an Amish upholstery shop in Shipshewana and they did a great job for a very reasonable price. Here they are back from the shop, ready to reinstall.

Everything back together! New chrome dash bezels, new seat covers, new carpet. An original AM radio replacing the tape deck that was in it. New side panels, sail panels, & rear window shelf. The headliner was fine and didn't need to be replaced. The kick panels had been cut for speakers so I was able to find replacements on ebay. Interior ordered from OPG. I've taken 2 local trophies for "Best Interior" so I guess the effort was worth it.

All tucked in for a long Winter's nap, waiting for Spring and for cruise-ins to begin!

Is it Spring yet?!

I haven't updated this page since last Winter.  It's Fall again and the summer has flown by!  It was a great summer for cruise ins, met alot of nice folks, saw alot of great cars.  Best of all I didn't have to do anything all summer to the Chevelle except drive it and enjoy it.  This past week I started to experience some problems with the starter so I ordered a replacement which I will put on this week.  One last cruise in at the Essenhaus and then it's time to pack the Chevelle away for the winter.  I don't have any plans or projects for this car this winter.  In the Spring I have a couple of little details to attend to.  Mostly I'll be prepping the GP for it's big coming out in the Spring.

   May 2009.  The Cruise Ins have begun! I drive the

Chevelle and my son drives the Grand Prix.  It's nice to have him along, and I like to see the two cars sitting side by side.