Interior finally apart

[DJ]

I finally got the point of removing the rear interior trim panel in Lucia as part of my work to mount the new Megasquirt FI system.

I had forgotten how much I really hate working on the interior trim in this car.

[John O]

I finally got the point of removing the rear interior trim panel ... I had forgotten how much I really hate working on the interior trim in this car.

I feel your pain. Gutting my interior before taking the car to the shop was mysery. I'm not looking forward to the refit either.

John O.

[Will]

I gave up on that craptastic fiberboard package shelf bit and cut the bottom off it, wrapped a new (scrap mahogany) bar that goes the width of the car, and built my own new package shelf above it.

My original was a wavy POS that never looked right. I'm not certain it even looked right when the car was new, all the ones I've seen seem to suffer from varying degrees of crappiness.

[davidb]

Yup replacing interiors are the worst, compared to [most] mechanical
tasks: BORING. I had my LBZ's interior detailed but the bodyshop
didn't cover/seal the interior properly during the re-paint. Most of
is has come back out & being re-detailed to get rid of the primer
mist, sanding dust & in some places a fine haze of Rosso Corsa
red paint [e.g. on the dash & seats]. Laquer thinner hell. Great time
to do it: Winter. Enclosed, heated garage full of fumes. AHHHHHH !!!!

[John O]

I gave up on that craptastic fiberboard package shelf bit ...all the ones I've seen seem to suffer from varying degrees of crappiness.

I guess I wasn't all that surprised at how, as you note, craptastic it was. Typical Fiat interior junk. Worse, it seems to be made specifically to absorb and hold water. I kept it as a pattern but that's it. Yuk.

DJ posted a while ago about a new fiberglass card he got from TMH which looks pretty good. I figured I'd just build my own "base card" from shop scraps, but the water resistance of fiberglass is appealing ...though I really ought not to be getting any more water leakage when I'm done resealing the rear windows.

John O.

[JULIAN_BLK348]

DJ, coolio.... I was wondering whem you were going to get to ripping out the interior ;) ;) ;)

Let me know the outcome as my interior looks lonely without the rear side pieces :)

[DJ]

I'll NOT be able to remove and re-use the original vinyl as I had hoped. Just too dried out and brittle.
I'll definitely NOT be covering the new TMH pieces myself. I'm going to let a professional shop find a matching covering and do the install. Any money spent will save me multiples in frustration and aggravation.

[DJ]

I gave up on that craptastic fiberboard package shelf bit and cut the bottom off it, wrapped a new (scrap mahogany) bar that goes the width of the car, and built my own new package shelf above it.

My original was a wavy POS that never looked right. I'm not certain it even looked right when the car was new, all the ones I've seen seem to suffer from varying degrees of crappiness.

When new, these trim panels looked good and were nice and straight. Once they get the slightest bit wet though, all bets are off.

There was a short period in Lucia's life where she stayed outside under a carport in Arizona instead of in a garage. As is typical, the rear windows had become loose over time and there was enough water infiltration to totally hose up the rear trim panel.

Another good reason to replace this trim piece: I expect to lose at 30 pounds once the new trim is installed. Wish my personal weight loss was that quick and easy.

[DJ]

I guess I wasn't all that surprised at how, as you note, craptastic it was. Typical Fiat interior junk. Worse, it seems to be made specifically to absorb and hold water. I kept it as a pattern but that's it. Yuk.

DJ posted a while ago about a new fiberglass card he got from TMH which looks pretty good. I figured I'd just build my own "base card" from shop scraps, but the water resistance of fiberglass is appealing ...though I really ought not to be getting any more water leakage when I'm done resealing the rear windows.

John O.

I initially thought I'd make my own, too. However, there is a good bit of "forming" down in the corners of the main panel that I decided I didn't want to do without, as well as a rather large "formed" bump in the center of each side piece.

I'll just stick with a stock look instead of trying to re-engineer it myself. Maybe I just don't trust my sense of aesthetics. :rolleyes: