I went out to the shed tonight to do some work since I havent spent any time out there in the last 10 days. Walked in, looked around and thought to myself, how many things can you have going at one time! Heres where I am at with the interior and was wondering what order would you attack these. First I have the top dash pad in place and the drivers dash and passenger dash pads are in as well. I didnt start the center console area or the center radio bezel area yet. I think I need to install carpet before that? I have to install the the handles, latches and cables/rods on the underside of the convertible top deck and thought maybe I should do that before carpet. Before I can do that I have to decide if I should paint the latches and levers before installation. If so what color should they be? Car color, black or maybe a silver? Anyone have any pics of theirs as they came from the factory? Then once the carpet has been installed I guess the rear compartment components such as lids latches liners. I figured I would leave the door panels for last because I still need to put the glass back in them as well as install the chrome trims on the window opening. If I ever get the interior put back together I guess I will head to the windshield and trims along with the wiper door and vent to follow. Oh yea, and every piece of weatherstripping on the car needs done. I wonder what I may be missing that I havent even considered getting into! Well, Its one thing at a time. So many things to do I wonder how long its going to take!
Rodney


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Wow, you do have a lot going on.   With a project like that you have to treat it like you were eating an elephant..... one bite at a time.  Hang in there you will get it done and just think of the pride of driving your baby when its all finished and being able to say you did it yourself.

It's a daunting task, Rodney...btdt. Carpeting first, then rear area, then front area reassembly. I'm not sure on the deck hardware...I thought it was all "natural"? May have been painted tho...I may have some pics somewhere, if no-one else can say.
When I got the '74 back from paint, it was in the same shape...re-assembling everything was indeed frustrating, as I wasn't sure where to start either. Just gotta jump in and grab a-hold. Once you get started, it will seem to flow together, with a minor bump in the road here and there, but nothing devastating. Finding the time to do it was the thing for me.....well, that, and the issue of me being lazy...
You've done a good job on it so far....it'll get there!


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Just like raising children!!  One step at a time !!!  My "child" is now 34 !!

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Chip, thats a good one! My neighbor said the same thing last night when he came down to see what was happening. I ask him, who eats elephants? Anyway, tonight I hope to go and start putting the linkage on the rear deck lid since Joel thinks it is a natural. I was hoping that was the answer. I plan on buffing them down with steel wool then using chrome polisher on all the parts to coat them so they dont rust over time. They are all stripped already. Then hopefully I can start in on the carpet. Since the carpet was pretty much gone when I got the car do I need to do the front or back first. I havent taken it out of the box yet and was hoping that maybe tomorrow I could sit in in the yard for the sun to hit it for a while and maybe soften it up. Supposed to be in the low 60's with sun tomorrow. My real concern is the windshield area with the trim since I didnt take that apart. But I'll tackle that in a few weeks. I was really hoping to drive it this spring but I dont see that as a realistic thought now,  so I have to set my mind to just be patient! I'm not very good at that!
Anyway thanks guys for your encouragement! Thats the reason this is the greatest place to hang out in!
Rodney


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It's been a few years since I did my carpet and I dont remember for sure whether I did my front or back carpet first; but believe it was front first. Others with more recent experience or better memories will chime in I'm sure.

Went out tonite and decided I would tackle one thing at a time. So I assembled the guide pins, put on the latches, cables and handles. Of course that was after I polish them all and coated them with chrome cleaner. I put them on unpainted since I didnt know for sure if they were natural finish or another color from the factory. They look good natural I think. My bolts I had already painted black which actually looks good as well. I adjusted all latches and pins and now I can mark that of the list of things too do! I sent my map pocket back to CA today so I should get the replacement sometime next week which will allow me to start completing the dash. Guess I head to the door jamb switches next week along with the alarm switches. Once thats completed on to the carpet. Its one bite at a time!
Rodney


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If you're anything like me( that's a really scary thought!), it'll go together quicker the more you do. That kinda sounds like a "DUH?!", but, what I mean is, I'll go out and stare at the particular project for an hour, trying to figure out where to start. Once I get started, it usually takes less time to do it than I spent staring at it. I'm just a slow starter, I s'pose....and lazy...did I mention that?

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Havent done a thing to the car in weeks. I am here tonight trying to get motivated to do my month end closing for the shop. If I ever get my butt in gear I will have every night this week to work on cleaning the shed so I can get in there and assemble the lift that I bought. I decided to put the interior on hold and try to get the engine out so I can put the new motor in then follow that with the trans. This way once I start the interior I can just finish it all up. I have given up on having it done sometime this spring. I am now shooting for September. Good thing is there are no real deadlines I have to meet!
Rodney


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Do the back carpet first Rodney, that way you are not crawling/kneeling/standing (a little tough todo) all over the new front carpet while doing the rear. Taking T-tops off makes it a lot easier too. Be careful when cutting carpet for the front under the dash, easy to cut too short....learned that the hard way...

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DanT

Rodney, I have a 72 coupe almost in the same condition as yours - the interior is entirely out.  I have refurbished everything - instrument cluster, center console, etc. but like you I look at the car and don't know where to start, I find myself like Adams Apple I stare at the car more than I work on it! So I like the eating an elephant advice.  I want to drive this thing before the summer is over.  I don't know about you but I have a bad habit of saying, "well while the instrument cluster is out let me drop the steering column and change the steering coupling" - one thing leads to another and before I knew it, the car was totally disassembled!  Another thing... I keep reading about putting it back together vs actually doing it.  Regarding advice on reassembly order - (I knew there was an answer in here somewhere)..I find the tech articles on the Zip and Corvette Enthusiast web sites very helpful, there's a couple on carpet replacement, interior restoration, center console, etc.  Long way of saying  I think what you are experiencing is common and I for one take comfort in the fact I am not the only one feeling this way.  Hope this helps you the way your post helped me!

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Mario

Another weekend almost gone and no work got done on the vette. This week I have plans to work on it though. I talked to the painter and ask him to stop by one evening so we can take the hood off. The motor has to come out this week. Then I plan on spraying the trans tunnel and firewall with Lizard skin then detail the engine bay. Hopefully I can get most of this done by the weekend and maybe get the motor sitting in place by the end of the weekend. Its time to get off my butt and get to work.
Rodney


(sig check)
Adams' Apple2011-05-08 09:59:31

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You'll get there, Rodney! I want to see it at Carlisle! Lets get crackin'!

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"Down on the Boardwalk...

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