Q.
I have a 1973 Chevy El Camino and want to completely refurbish the interior and would like some advice and instruction on how to do so. Looking for information on taking care of the rust/old paint and cleaning up the inside of the car to prep it for a new interior. Thank you
A.
I suppose the really good news, is your car is so popular and shares many of the same interior components as Chevelle’s, that you have a ton of options for interior parts at reasonable prices.
Of course not all parts need to be replaced. If plastic parts are in good shape they can be re-dyed to freshen them up. There is still a fair amount of painted steel in the inside of a ’73 El Camino, check out the numerous videos on the site in the body and paint section.
If the metal is rusty beneath your carpet, you can have it blasted and re-prime and paint, but another good solution is to use a wire wheel disk on a drill, cleanup the loose rust scale and apply a good coat of POR15. It will stabilize the rust and give you a good surface to work from.
If holes are present beneath the carpet, they will need to be repaired. Craig Hopkins has covered that topic in many video posts on the site, also in the paint and body area. Check them out as he really knows his way around fabricating metal.
Finally, Any good restoration is a mix of: good original parts, restored parts, and new or reproduction parts. Make a plan that incorporates some of each of these taking your budget into consideration, and build a schedule to get things done! As long as you continue to make progress on your ride, you’ll soon discover “it’s done” and you’ll be able to enjoy that other important aspect of classic cars… driving them.
Wrench Safe,
Mark
I've been restoring a '79 El Camino for the past decade. Made lots of mistakes. For interior, make sure you fix the floor before anything. G-Bodies seem susceptible to rust out. Another tip is to get a dash cover to fix that cracked plastic dash. Makes the interior look brand new. Decide on seats. I covered the standard bench in vinyl. I've never been a fan of velvet seats in a work truck. Replacing the steering wheel will upgrade the looks at the expense of the 1970's authenticity. Most instruments are available at OPGI, but I had a devil of a time replacing the windshield wiper switch. its very specific and they don't make 'em anymore. I think I got the last working one in the universe. I suggest swapping out the old dash lights for brighter LED's. Personally, I don't care for the Choo-Choo - its too 80's for me. The 60's is Muscle to me. That's why I chose the G-Body - its kind of a throwback (when you remove those chrome fender flares). Not everyone agrees. I get a lot of admirers - but it doesn't seem too popular. Its the most beloved car that nobody wants.
Just purchased a 1987 El Camino Chattanooga choo choo and seems interior is on back order till November 2021. Any help appreciated.
I'm working on a 1974 Camino also, so common interest. Running gear done with body, paint and interior next. 10 years just means I'm slow. Too many other projects.