It all started out innocently enough - I was bored today and decided to fix the headlights to dad's 4-wheeler. Ten minutes later I was done (modified the housings to accept common H3 bulbs instead of the proprietary Yamaha that were in it). I then decided to vacuum out the T-Bird, and that's where things got out of hand. While vacuuming out the standard, non-Sport seats I decided I would swap the TC seats in. Problem is, they're blue. I had a porno red interior. So I decided to swap all of the plastic panels and door panels. What started as an innocent interior vacuum ended up a full-on interior swap. I've got everything swapped except the carpet, headliner, dash and door panels (I actually started to swap the door panels but discovered, much to my chagrin, that the TC panels do not share the same mounting holes as the base panels, and the hardware to mount the TC panels was still attached to the TC doors, over at the cottage). I will need a new (or recovered) headliner because the one in the TC had a sunroof hole cut in it, and I'll also need new carpet because the TC's carpet was . The TC's dash is cracked, too, but it had a complete uncracked blue dash in the back seat when I bought it, so at least I've got that covered. It'd sure be nice to find a junkyard T-Bird with blue interior to get that headliner and carpet out of, though...
I did discover (and decide) a few things during the swap:
1) A decision: Power seats are out of the question. I could not BELIEVE the weight of those power seat tracks! I would bet that two power seat tracks weigh close to 100 pounds. I swapped the manual tracks from the base seats onto the TC seats. This swap led to:
2) A discovery: The power seat tracks have a different bolt spacing than the manual tracks. Luckily Ford left blank holes in the seat frame, so a bit of work with the tap set cured that problem
3) A decision: I like the blue interior. I was gonna dye everything black, but now it's in the car I like it. I'll re-dye the seats to get rid of fade, but it's staying blue.
4) A discovery: The 87 A-piller covers are different than the '88. Not a big difference, just a few fewer screw holes in the 87 piece, but different. After mounting the 87 panels I can see why Ford made the change - they don't stay on as nice as the 88 panels
5) A discovery: TC/Uplevel door panels are a PITA. Holy those things are complicated! All those individual parts, eleven billion screws, trying to make sure everything is there (when I bought the car the door panels had been removed/disassembled so the seller could remove her speakers - she knew I was junking the car so she didn't bother reinstalling them)... I am almost tempted to find a set of base blue panels and call it done. Nahhh..
6) A revelation: TC seats are light years ahead of base seats. I can't believe the difference in comfort between the TC seats and those lawn chairs Ford passed off as base seats. I shoulda done this years ago, and to every 'Bird/Coug I've ever owned!
All in all, I'm very pleased with the Bird's new look. It was also very nice to be able to do some work to it, even if I do still have a whole pile of chassis/suspension parts in the corner of the garage waiting to go in...
See what happens when you try to do one thing:D . That's how my engine got detailed. I decided I'd paint the upper and lower intakes, which then lead to painting the engine driven accesories, which than lead to painting the headers, which lead to painting the heads, which then lead to painting the engine bay. I can't just leave things alone.
:ttiwwp:
nuff said
We wanna see!
LOL! I dread messing with those door panels. Well, as you found out, changing out the speaker is very easy. Also, if you remove the speaker then you get reach in and connect/disconnect the power window motor if you need to, without removing the whole panel. And from an aesthetic and customizing point of view, they are the best looking and most flexible door panel to own. However, I find myself collecting those plastic door pull strap covers like there's no tomorrow. There were so many things about those panels that were just horribly designed. But I still like the looks and have found ways to fix just about everything that's been broken. Nothing a drill and some clips can't solve. ;)
I agree with the door panels. Both my '86 and '88 had the base panels on them, and I knew them inside and out.
This '86 was my first experience with the Turbo door panels, and I absolutely hate them. They look cool, sure. I'm amazed at how complicated they are to install. They seem to be VERY fragile, too.
You want pics? We got pics!
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Wow...red, white and blue...if I didn't know any better I'd swear you're turning American. :flip:
So if the stock interior is Porno Red...then what coloUr is the overhead console? Virgin Red? ;)
As I said, I've still gotta get some parts out of the TC - the door panel hardware for one, but also the seat belts (I coulda swore I had brought them home).
Ya know, call me crazy (and I'm sure most of you will), but I'm kinda digging the two-tone look. Almost reminds me of some of the GTO's interior packages. It'll look even better once the door panels are in, of course, but I just may not hurry changing the dash, headliner and carpet. I will eventually (cracked red dash has gotta go) but I think it has just shifted down on the priority list...
Believe it or not, to look at it with the eye that red is almost a perfect match to the interior. The camera seems to brighten it up for some reason. Still, if I had to call it a color, I dunno... maybe "Whouse Red"? :hick:
I'm surprised you didn't mention my sunvisors :D I um... modified them during a temper tantrum when driving into the sun after the console was installed and I realized they would no longer flip up and down properly. I've been casually looking for some Mustang visors with vanity lights ever since...
Hey Thunder Chicken, Looks good.
I have a set of blue base door panels in the shed that came off the old cougar I parted. If you want them they are yours. Only thing is you'll have to reglue the carpet to the bottom and find something to cover up the holes from the window cranks. :)
It looks really nice.
It looks awsome so far. Good luck with the rest of it
Is that the rare and ever so desireable dr. jekyl and mr. hyde interior package? :p
Thanks, Thundergrowl - I'll keep that in mind if I lose patience with the TC ones and stuff 'em into the woodstove :flame:
Do you have the complete panels (arm rests, little plastic plugs over the pull strap screw holes, etc)?
BTW, I haven't forgotten about that blue console I promised you, it's just that I... um... forgot :hick: It's still yours, though - I'll end up painting the one in the car because I prefer the full length one. The one I promised you is a "shortie"
I'm pretty sure I do. It's all in the shed in a box.
ABSOLUTELY!! Nice job by the way.
LOL
No that would be the harlequin edition interior... Similar to the Harlequin Golf that VW produced. :crazy:
(http://www.doppel-wobber.de/pix/g3_harl.jpg)
^ I think I passed one of those on the road yesterday. I couldn't imagine the guy putting different colored body panels on it. Didn't know it was a special package.
See dark blue is the best interior color for white cars ;)
the bloe realy looks much better than the red. i hate the red anyway though. i was going to go with the turbo coupe door pannels but after installing them discovered that they hit my knee more and were less comfortable. they look much better than the basies though. way more complicated than they had to be. after being used to those i took the mustangs apart for new speakers and it was litterly laughable how much easier it was. the turbo coupe/sport seats blow the base ones out of the watter. in fact, they are much much more comfortable than the mustangs.
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/Tcj429/90c71c85.png)
nice
I remember seeing those on the road. Can you imagine actually buying something like that? Or better yet, trying to sell it and explaining that it was a factory option? Funny thing is, I think the option is coming back. Have you seen the commercial where the city progressively gets full of Rabbits (the new Golf is gonna be called Rabbit again)? There are several cars in that commercial with the different coloured body panels...
you mean to tell me...:giggle: that some sorry mothers' son bought one of those?? :rollin:
There ain't enough drugs OR money in the world to make me own one...let alone drive the thing :yuck:
Yeah, Ive got a buddy that is a VW freak and he had to go change his pants after I told him about the commercial. Yeah, the first Golf was originally called a Rabbit in the US back in 75, it was also called the Caribe. ;)
Anybody seen the new VW Rabbit commercials? Look for the Harlequin type Rabbit floating around. It pops it's head up at least twice.
People bought those things? It looks so 90's ish and ,uh, stupid:yuck:
Anyone ever heard how they made those? They took groups of four Golf's, one of each different color, then shuffled the body panels.