Interior Redesign on Project Dangerboat ('72 Cutlass)

After completing a frame-off restoration of the 1972 Cutlass in earlier posts, its finally time to give the interior some attention.

This car is remarkably original in the interior, however is generally dated, rusty, broken, and worn in some areas. One thing noted while doing the frame-off resto was some rust and pinholes in the front floorboards, so this will need to be addressed. Also, the 1970’s woodgrain vinyl is certainly dated, and desperately in need of something new if originality isn’t of concern. The center console door is broken and doesn’t latch well, and there are cigarette burns in the center console wood grain. The radio is broken, gauges are hazy, carpet doesn’t lay down well, some interior lights and switches are broken, the radio is missing and a big hole is left in its place, sun fading. You get the idea.

Scope

Here is the starting point. It looks OK from a distance, but not up close.

Let’s do the following:

Fix the rusty front floor pans *correctly!*
Treat and seal all rusty areas.
Install a radio and speakers.
Refresh the wood-grain vinyl with something more modern.
Adjust and trim the carpet so it lays down well, without wrinkles.
Install sound deadening/anti-rattle to affected areas.
Fix both door panels, especially the handles.
Replace hydraulic top cylinders (convenient, since it’s apart).
Fix the center console door and hinge.
Add some subtle effect lighting (LED).
Clean up or replace the gauges.
Generally, make the car nice to ride in!

We’ve all seen amazing $50k cars at shows and cruises, but those types of custom interiors are often out of reach of enthusiasts. The idea with this article is to repair, redesign or replace all of the areas above while spending less than $500 TOTAL. $250 of this is stereo and speakers, so if you already have a working one, everything else costs less than $250, and a-lot of time.

Floor Pans

This is easily the hardest part of this phase, and really should be a post on it’s own. Let’s just say this, I’ve wanted to get into welding for a while, so this is my excuse. Most welders will recommend Mig welding for thin sheet metal work, however I want to learn TIG welding for other reasons, so I purchased a decent TIG welding setup and got to work.

Read the Floor Pan Install Post HERE

Rust Areas

After fixing the floor pans, I wire brushed the entire floor area. My preferred choice here was Eastwood Rust Encapsulator, with the option to follow by a topcoat of Eastwood Chassis Black. I purchased both 1 qt of paint for brushing, and a couple cans of spray for hard to reach areas. For the rusty metal primer, rust won’t matter as much, however grease or oil will prevent adhesion, so clean any spills really well. This is a problem area for power convertibles under the hydraulic cylinders.

Radio and Speakers

Decide your goals for your install carefully before purchasing.

What I wanted:

Play audio from smartphones, over Aux wire and bluetooth.
Cell Phone charging (USB)
Possibility for future HD radio and satellite radio.
Bright easy to read screen since this is a convertible in direct sunlight.
Clean look, with as little gaudy techno-plastic look as possible. This is VERY difficult with aftermarket units, and I’m not even sure if I succeeded.
Single DIN.

I was very tempted to install a double DIN mounting location where the factory 8-track player would go. However, I would have had to find a way to cover the hacked up hole left from the previous owner.

Check this guy out (user W70442) who makes custom single and double din mounting locations where the factory 8 track player mounts. He can match factory finishes, or just use textured black. He can also integrate gauge pod mounts with single or double din, or even a cigarette lighter.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/parts-sale/19191-gauge-stereo-housings.html

In the end, I decided I wanted the stereo higher up, and went with the stock mounting location, which would require cutting the factory dash cover. Since mine was previously hacked up by a previous owner and my stereo was not original, I didn’t worry about this too much.

I went with the following equipment:

Head unit: Kenwood KDC-BT772HD head unit
Rear speakers: Infinity REF-9623ix 300W Max 6″ x 9″ 3-Way Car Audio Speaker with Edge-Driven, Textile Tweeters
Front Speakers: Infinity REF-6522EX Shallow-Mount 6-1/2 Inch Coaxial Car Speakers
Front Kick Panels: Custom Autosound® COM-KCHV-68/2A – Kick Panels more details on – https://www.carid.com/custom-autosound/kick-panels-for-6-5-speakers-mpn-com-kchv-68-2a.html
- There are alot of kick panel options out there. I preferred to buy some with no speakers installed since none of the pre-installed speakers provide enough details on what speaker is included, or their ohms, and generally overcharged for the speakers anyway. The infinity speakers above came with mounting kits and instructions and took about 1 hour to mount them to the panel with some screws.

I cut the dash with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel. Be VERY careful not to slip. I was re-covering mine anyway, but still. I used the new head unit as a template to trace before cutting. Some people put the head unit in the glove box or trunk. However you do it, find a place to put the head unit and mount it.

For wiring, I used the factory hot and switched ignition wires for the factory AC control panel or blower motor. Since I previously installed a Vintage Air kit, these wires were unused. I installed an oem style 2-prong Packard connector so the hot and ignition wires can’ t be reversed. Don’t tap into your switched ignition wire for the distributor. The speaker wires will be copper 16 gauge. I wouldn’t recommend aluminum wire for automotive service, due to moisture and vibration (aluminum is brittle and corrodes easier). Most cheap speaker wire is aluminum, or “copper cladded”, so look carefully.

The factory center dash mono speaker will be deleted. Speakers can also be installed in the doors, however I didn’t want to cut my doors or door panels for mounting, and thought custom front kick panels was a cleaner install. Since this is a convertible, making the head unit a bit easier to steal, I will also install a metal mounting bracket on the rear of the head unit to secure it into place.

Wood Grain Refresh

I really dislike the 70’s woodgrain panelboard look. I am a fan of certain wood grains like burl grain on my BMW, but this is far from that. I had a hard time deciding which route to go for update, but decided on a dark brushed metal.

Behind the wood grain insert on the dash is a textured black backing that actually would look OK all on it’s own. I Decided to re-cover the antiquated wood with new brushed metal vinyl wrap from 3M or VVIVID, and I’m pretty darn happy with the results.

BEFORE

AFTER

Dash and Gauge Bezel:

The raised areas around the wood grain inserts were soap screened silver from the factory. The plastic that comprises the gauge bezel was also a chromed/silver look. Originally, this was probably nice, however, the years have scratched the silver and many areas were completely removed.

I used Acetone to remove what was left of the soap screen silver on the raised dash areas around the wood grain. What was left was fairly glossy black plastic that looks nice and clean in my opinion. I have thought about pin striping an accent color here, or even applying silver again, however for now a clean black looks great.

The hole in the original dash cover near the stereo was repaired with epoxy and some flat donor material, and then cut to fit the new radio.

For the gauge bezel, I applied semi-gloss black plastic paint by Duplicolor over the raised edges and gauge holes. The woodgrain section was covered with the new vinyl for the glove box, dash, and gauge bezel, all to match.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Door Panel Disassembly:

Remove: armrest, window crank, mirror adjuster, door handle.

Use a pic with a 90 degree bend to pull the C clip out of the door handle and window crank. The armrest is removed with phillips screws.

Vinyl Procedure:

Note: You can buy new wood grain inserts for the dash that have new vinyl already installed in various designs. They run about 100-300 dollars it seems like. They don’t offer this for the center console or door panels however, which is why I opted to do my own install.

Clean all areas very well. Ensure there is NO dust or wind. Every spec of dust will end up looking like an air bubble that causes the new vinyl to be raised. Cut the vinyl to fit, plus a few extra inches on every side which will be trimmed later.

For the door panels, it works best to start in the center of the wood grain area. Using a credit card, apply the vinyl from the center working outward in all directions, up, down, left and right. Work the vinyl into the cracks and lowered sections as you move outward. DON’T lay the vinyl over the lowered sections, and then try to stretch the vinyl into them. It will likely bubble up later from the stress this way. I found it best to work from the inside out.

Once applied, use a new razor blade to trim the edges, using the chrome strips or whatever you’d like as a guide. This is the most difficult part of the install and requires patience and a steady hand. If you screw it up, you’ll need to cut a new section of vinyl and start over. Any decorative chrome on the door panel is likely covered plastic, so don’t cut the finish.

On the dash, the gap between the wood grain insert and the plastic dash itself works as a great knife edge.

A heat gun on low works extremely well to increase flexibility of the vinyl in curves and tight areas.

Center Console:

My center console was TOAST. It had melted sections from cigarette burns that couldn’t simply be painted over. The center divide between the shift indicator and shifter was also cracked and split. I decided to do a major overhaul.

Since my center console insert was toast anyway, I customized it. I decided I wanted a sleeker look, without the “designer” raised trim area’s around the perimeter. By flipping the center insert over, I saw the bottom was nice and flat and smooth, with the exception of the area around the shifter holes. I cut out the entire area around the shifter and flipped it over, making the bottom of the insert the new top. I used Epoxy to hold it into place. I then taped the holes for the indicator and shifter level to act as “molds” for expoxy, and filled all the low areas and voids with epoxy to create a nice smooth surface after sanding.

After the epoxy cured for 24 hours, I sanded and cleaned the piece and covered in vinyl to match the rest of the interior.

The result is a sleek center insert with a subtle modern touch, that required very little co$t.

This shows the original cutouts from the shifter and indicator areas flipped over and epoxied back into place. The entire center section can now be flipped over in the center console.

Note how flat and smooth the bottom is. Any depressions were filled with epoxy and sanded smooth.

These tabs must be cut off and glued back on so they remain on the bottom of the insert. They slide under the center console door area to hold this piece in place.

I wanted a completely flat look, so even the slight recessions around the shifter were filled to bring them up in level. This makes vinyl covering easier as well. Painters tape was used as a mold to keep epoxy from running into the center, which saved alot of difficult sanding later, especially in the corners.

excess was trimmed with a razor while the epoxy was still semi-soft.

Finished center insert. Total cost, maybe $5

Note epoxy repairs near hinge mounts where the original material was broken away. This isn’t noticeable once the lid and hinge are installed.

To repair the center console door, I dissembled it and epoxied nuts into the areas where the factory mounting points were broken off. I used tape on either side to act as a mold, and filled the areas where entire sections of the console were broken off with epoxy. The nuts were used so I could later attach the aluminum trim ring and door hinge with short bolts. I don’t think any of this was the “correct” way to do this, but without a donor console it seemed like a decent solution. The aluminum trim ring around/below the console door was damaged and scratched from years of abuse, so I used cast-coat aluminum engine enamel to re-coat it.

TIP: If you use this approach, roll up some tape and slide it into the center of the nuts to keep epoxy from hardening inside the nuts. The tape is easier to dig out later than hardened epoxy would be, but it’s still tedious.

After the hinges and mounting points were aligned and repaired, I covered the inside of the console lid with the same bushed metal vinyl (it was rust). I could have easily painted it as well, dealer’s choice. I also covered the inside plastic of the center console with upholstery of your choosing. leather, vinyl, or anything else would work well, but make sure it’s fairly durable since people tend to throw junk in there. I used headliner spray adhesive to mount.

Door Panels:

My door panels were in fairly rough shape. The armrest mounts were broken, and the entire panel would move when you tried to pull the door closed. It also didn’t seem to be flat on the door.

I discovered that many of the screw holes were stripped out, and the metal plates that the door panel handle mounted to were bent due to screws that were too long. The armrest back plastic piece also suffered from missing silver finish, and sun damage on the plastic armrest itself.

First, I bent the mounting plates back into shape, and then sorted out the screw issue (either get shorter screws or drill a hole behind the metal plate so it won’t interfere with the long screw). I’m guessing these must be aftermarket screws that got used somehow over the years. I decided to paint the plastic back piece behind the armrest in the same cast-coat aluminum for a nice metallic look to match the rest of the theme. I could have painted them any color, or wrapped them in vinyl, you choose. The armrest itself I painted black to help hide the pits, stains, cracks, and sun damage from over the years. They could easily have been replaced, but paint will do for now since they are easily accessible.

I wrapped the wood-grain section in the new material as described above. The last touch was adding some race-themed fender stripes on the door panel in the same color as the exterior paint. With all the black and white in this car, I felt the accent color was needed.”One thick stripe, or two skinny ones?” These are the questions that kept me up at night.

Pics above.

Sound Deadening

I wanted to reduce rattles, but also block heat on the floorboards from the headers and engine.

I went with Roadkill brand butyl based sound deadener, although I have no brand loyalty specifically. I previously bought a sound deadening kit from one of the OEM suppliers, and it was more or less roofing shingles cut to shape of the floor boards, which I wasn’t very enthused about, so I’ll create my own solution.I also want to do the trunk and door areas.

More-or less, after painting metal, this butyl with foil backing sound deadener is basically stick down and cut. Not much to it. I plan to do the floor pan areas, firewall, and interior metal areas of the door panels. 100% coverage is not needed, and actually adds weight to the car, so just do the areas that make sense.

Tip: Use a square of sound deadener behind where the front kick panel speakers will mount. This helps reflect and improve the sound from the speakers.

Gauges

My gauges all worked, except a few bulbs and dingy hazy lenses. I used polycarbonate plastic polish to clean up the lenses, and I’m shocked how good they look now. I was ready to replace them. The polish was 3 step: course (Scratch removal), fine, and polish

I also worked the connectors and bulbs in the back a bit to ensure no corrosion and a good connection. I still need to get a tach one of these days, but it looks like I’ll be keeping the stock gauges for now.

The rear sail panels had separated from years of neglect and water damage, and evidently a prior duct tape repair. I repaired them with headliner adhesive and clamps.