C3 Interior Restoration - Inside Job

Even small items like the shifter boot...

...and door-lock knobs can make a big difference in the appearance of your car's interior. An ugly item next to all of these new parts can stand out and detract from the rest of the car, so we recommend replacing any parts that are questionable.

Knowing aftermarket seats were the best option for a performance car, we ordered a pair of Summit Racing's new Sport model buckets. These seats fit properly, and the simulated leather covering actually matches the stitched look of the rest of the cockpit. More importantly, these seats will be safer, with extra bolstering and provisions for a four-point safety harness.

Aftermarket safety harnesses are generally a requirement if you plan to race your Corvette at sanctioned events, and they're certainly safer than the OEM seatbelts. Summit Racing has a wide variety of harnesses with multiple colors, mounting, and release options, so finding the right set for your car is easy.

After marking the location of the seat- and harness-mounting holes, we use a soldering iron to melt holes in the carpet at the appropriate points. This method avoids the hazard of sharp blades and singes the carpet around the hole so it won't unravel later.

The seat tracks on the Summit Sport seats utilized spacers...

...which we removed to get the seat to sit lower in the cockpit. These seats are comfortable, provide great support for aggressive driving, and are economically priced.

To ensure our new parts don't succumb to the same fate as our old ones, we'll use Mother's Interior Protectant. This product enhances the luster of vinyl and plastic interior trim, and protects the interior from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

We accomplished a lot on our project car this month, gutting the interior and installing new parts from Corvette Central and Summit Racing. The cockpit is beginning to take shape, and we can't wait to drive it. Be sure to watch future issues of VETTE, as we completely rebuild the dash and add aftermarket gauges, then overhaul the T-tops to complete C3 Triple-Ex's interior modifications.