What a difference an afternoon...
What a difference an afternoon in the garage made in the interior of this '68. The two-tone look worked well with our TMI carbon-fiber insert upholstery, black carpet, dash, and door shells, with red door panels, dashpad, and headliner. Note also the rear package-tray speaker grilles were painted to match, and we used new seat pivot trim covers in black plastic for even more detail.
With time and use, the vinyl interiors found in our classic Fords succumb to wear, split seams, and sun fading. Thankfully, for many years now the most popular models have had reproduction seat upholstery, door panels, and carpet to renew their interiors. If you drive a Mustang, Falcon, Cougar, Torino, or Fairlane, there's a good chance you can locate everything you need to make your interior look like new once again. And having a nice-looking interior is definitely tops on everyone's list. Let's face it, no matter how faded the paint or how plain the wheels, you notice the interior most when driving your classic Ford down the street. Having a nice, fresh interior with a few upgrades will make the drive to work or cruise night that much more enjoyable.
Last year, TMI Upholstery introduced its line of carbon-fiber-looking accent upholstery for early Mustangs. These upholstery kits install just like a stock, single-color kit, but feature a custom carbon-fiber-look insert. Available in several accent colors, you can make a killer-looking custom interior for your ride for only a little more coin. TMI has expanded its Mustang program to include matching vinyl-covered package trays, carbon-fiber headliners and sun visors, carbon-fiber and brushed-aluminum insert door panels, Tu-Tone door panels (for the Pony interior look without the extra cost), and even its own center consoles, one dubbed the Tunnel Tote (for non-console cars) and the other the Console Caddy (for cars with a factory console).
With a recent paint job ("Color Us Impressed," May '06 Mustang & Fords) Russ Aljoe's '68 hardtop was looking a little tired inside. In addition, the red interior was a solid color (as was the case with most classic cars). We talked Aljoe into trying the TMI upholstery, which we ordered from Mustangs Plus, for a nice, black-and-red, two-tone contrast. While we had the seats out, we also replaced the carpet, headliner, and dashpad.
Check out the final look of the interior, and if you want a similar look of carbon fiber or brushed aluminum for your Mustang, you know what to do--pick up that phone and order your TMI upholstery kit. There are still a few events left this year to show it off!
First things first--remove...
First things first--remove the upholstery kit from the box and set it in the sun. Lay it in the driveway or across some lawn furniture or folding card tables. The sun will soften the vinyl and make it more pliable for installation, which will also give you a better fit and end result.
The front seats on a '68 Mustang...
The front seats on a '68 Mustang unbolt from under the car. Once we had the front seats removed, all seat tracks, trim covers, and so on needed to be removed. Be careful of the seat track spring; it has a kick to it. Take digital pictures or notes as to how everything goes together for later.
Remove the seat pivot side...
Remove the seat pivot side covers to access the seatback pivot retaining pins. Remove the pins with a hook tool or needle-nose pliers, and then carefully pry the pivot off the stud to separate the seatback from the seat base. Now you have two separate seat sections (per seat) to work with.
Starting with the seat base,...
Starting with the seat base, flip it over to find the retaining rings that are holding the old seat material to the frame. Use the tool that works best for you. We work the quickest here with a pair of wire cutters by grabbing the retaining rings in the middle and with a twist-and-pull motion, removing them from the frame. Remove all of the rings until the seat upholstery is free from the bottom of the frame.
Flip the seat base over and...
Flip the seat base over and pull the upholstery inside out as shown (it will sit on top of the seat foam, sort of like a crown). The remaining rings secure the upholstery to the frame through the trenches found in the foam. A helper can spread the foam open for you to see the retaining rings and remove them. Once the upholstery is free, set the frame and seat foam aside, make repairs to the frame, or replace the foam as needed. Ours was in very good condition.
As does much of the upholstery,...
As does much of the upholstery, the seat base has listing wires that need to be removed. The listing wires are what the retaining rings are crimped around and secured to the seat frame. This gives the seat its shape. Usually with years of use, moisture, and wear the listing wires are rusted to the inside of the listing. A single-edge razor blade or a pair of scissors easily extricates them for use in the new upholstery.