Restoring interior trims

[Niki Abbott]

So I just picked up a 79 Camaro. I got alot of parts with the car. I got most, if not all the interior pieces. I've been checking websites and I found one way to restore it. But it was showing interior that hasn't been sitting since 99 outside in the weather. I personally don't want to go out and buy new if I can clean them up and reuse it. Any and all ideas are welcome since this would be my first restoration.

 

[Jodi]

Nothing like an OEM parts...faded ones can be easily brought back to looking like new with a rattle can paint.
VHT makes good plastic and vinyl dye paint. You can use Windex to degrease/clean the parts before painting them.
Also a coat of adhesion promotion paint wouldn't hurt either. Good luck!

 

[Twisted_Metal]

Interior pieces can be scrubbed clean and re-colored with SEM products.
If the plastic panels are breaking down and getting chalky, it is best to replace them.

The dash pad can be covered with a cap or replaced.

Make sure the floors, trunk and frame rails are solid before you dig into the rest of the body or interior restoration process.

Make a plan and set a budget for each phase of the work.
Any car can be "restored" but the time, effort, parts and tools required is sometimes cost prohibitive if you need to replace too much sheet metal or don't have the work space and tools to do it yourself.

 

[73Z L92]

I would clean all the plastic parts with Dawn dish soap at least 2-3 times changing the wash water after each scrubbing. Then wipe all parts down with body shop level wax and grease remover a couple of times to get all the Armour All off. If you don't you will have no end of fish eye's in the new paint.

 

[xten]

SEM also makes a spray can texture coating that can replace the "pebble" finish. It's sprayed on before dye or paint. Can be sanded to get the desired finish.

 

[Bills69]

prep is most important
SEM products worked great for me , door panels, all dash pieces and headliner trim ,sail panels

 

[Jon Reese]

Mothers VLR with a magic eraser worked wonders on my interior trim pieces. I'll post a before and after picture. Most of my pieces were chalky and faded.

 

[Snowman59]

I also used SEM products to finish the interior on my '79 and was very pleased with the results. SEM used to have a really good set of instructions on their website in a .pdf format but could no longer find a link to it. I attached the two most pertinent pages of the instructions to this post.

 

[chuck13]

FWIW I've found that "Blechewhite" tire cleaner makes an excellent pre wash agent for interior trim parts,Just spray it on,let it set 30 minutes or so and scrub off.I usually follow that with a another wash using Dawn dish soap.Then rinse and let dry.Badda bing you're ready for paint.And I've also had very good luck with DupliColor interior vinyl and fabric paint.

 

[hubedobeedo]

So I just picked up a 79 Camaro. I got alot of parts with the car. I got most, if not all the interior pieces. I've been checking websites and I found one way to restore it. But it was showing interior that hasn't been sitting since 99 outside in the weather. I personally don't want to go out and buy new if I can clean them up and reuse it. Any and all ideas are welcome since this would be my first restoration.

with the great info posted after you finish parts are you ready to install ?if not you might want to wait so they don't get messed up laying around. they will be some of the last things installed usually during a build . good luck on your build great site for info !