Restoration 1984 Pininfarina - Beginner

[rob1962]

I've just started with my 1984 Project. My little white car was imorted from California in 2000. Used for the fist 7 years summers only and garaged. For the last four years its been standing on the drive, open to all to wonderful english weather, suprisingly even though the carpets and the insulation (sound proofing) beneath were wet through; the floor pan and body panels have only minor bits of rust. Mechanically appears to be fine.
I need to recover the seats and carpets, wondering what to do about the (sound proofing). As i say I've only just started, first snag though how to remove the center consul it appares that the dashboard has to come out first.

Beginner - any advice were to get parts would be most welcome.

[seabeelt]

Check soem of the other posts on the site using the search feature. There are multiple posts regarding the sound insulation question. Good Luck with your project!

[rob1962]

Many thanks - some of the posts are very helpful
Rob

[TulsaSpider]

Welcome Rob! Post pics! Unless the 84 is different than the rest the center console is two pieces the piece that is under the dash and has the knobs and stereo in it comes out by a couple of screws in the back. This is a wonderful forum. Do your research and if you still have questions please feel free to post!

[wikkid]

The Pininfarina center console is different than the typical, older Fiat console, and you will need to be very, very careful when removing it. I am not there yet on mine, and I think I might have either/or JB Weld or a fiberglass repair kit, since I am not optimistic that the small cracks around the edges of the console parts will remain small when it's time to remove. You may, however, have better access to replacement parts for the Pininfarina and Euromax interior parts than we have with the US vendors - if I mess up my console, I will have to repair it, touch it up and re-paint it.

As to the floor insulation, you have 3 considerations: sound, heat and water. Our largely USA-based recommendations for products may or may not be of use to you if you are sourcing products in the UK, since environmental reg's often differ. Having said that, most restorers will paint on a POR-15 type of rust protection first. Some go to a spray or paint-on truck bed liner material, while many others use a thin, insulating, foil-faced sheet material (Dyna-mat, or equivalent). One must take care not to build up too much thickness, so your carpet material will fit back in similar to the original.

I also read here of a paint-on heat-reflective/insulating material, but I can't remember the product name.

Photos posted up on the site would help others to give advice as to the seat covers. You can restore originals (Leatherique or Colorplus type products), get replacement seats from another vehicle (with or without adapting the rail system, depending), get slip-on seat covers over the originals, or replacement seat covers to replace the originals (while you are in there, you could think of fabbing up some heated seat wiring, repairing/replacing seat cushion foam, and maybe even reinforcing the backrest steel frame).

Are your seat covers like mine: vinyl sides and back, with leather contact surfaces?

Good luck! Welcome, and post pictures early and often. Uploading them to a photobucket type of site and then linking them into the post seems to work very well.

[wikkid]

This is a bad angle, but it shows the different style of the Pininfarina center console on my '84:

[ORFORD2004]

I got a guy in LA who cover all my interior from tan to black for $1300