Interior Restoration - Tech, Guide -1970 Chevy Chevelle

The best way to enjoy a musclecar is to drive it. That's right--plant your butt in the driver's seat, twist the ignition key to bring life to the healthy street/strip engine, and then drive to your cruise spot in style. But if your butt is resting on a torn-up seat with springs poking out, then the journey to the local cruise-in will be less than enjoyable. Moreover, a musclecar with a shabby-looking headliner and filthy carpet will do nothing to impress fellow gearheads as they check out your car.

Cheap Street Chevelle was shabby from the day CC purchased it in 1994. But over the last few years, it's been fitted with a new engine, transmission, and suspension. Outside, the car received the full make-over, including some new body panels and a fresh paint job. Yet the Chevelle still had a ratty interior, complete with torn-up seats, no headliner, and trashed-out door panels. We wanted to make the interior look as good as the exterior, but we didn't want to install a custom-stitched interior. Moreover, we were working on a budget, so the interior redo needed to be as low-buck as possible. Thus, we turned to Original Parts Group, which offers presewn interior kits for a variety of GM cars, including Chevelles, El Caminos, Monte Carlos, GTOs, Tempests, and LeMans. The OPG kits (ours was the basic Stage I kit that costs about $470) can be custom-tailored to fit the needs of your musclecar. Whether you only need a new carpet set and door panels or an entire interior kit, OPG is your one-stop shop for the goods you need to restore your musclecar's interior. Follow along as Mike Ambrose Custom Interiors installs the new OPG interior kit for Project Cheap Street Chevelle.

Project Cheap Street Chevelle's interior was totally trashed, so we ordered a complete, new interior kit (PN IK02BK) from Original Parts Group. Our OPG kit included new presewn seat covers for the Chevelle's front and rear bench seats, new front and rear door panels, new carpet, a headliner, and a rear package tray. All of the OPG interior parts match the original specs exactly, so they look great and fit perfectly. Although we opted for black, the interior items can be ordered in a variety of colors and styles (such as for bucket seats) to fit almost any demand.
Project Cheap Street Chevelle's interior was totally trashed, so we ordered a complete, ne
Begin your interior restoration by removing the torn-up seats, the old door panels, the ratty carpet, and the faded rear package tray. Because our Chevelle had a six-point rollbar, we needed to remove the seatbacks from the front seats first to be able to remove the bench seat from the car.
Begin your interior restoration by removing the torn-up seats, the old door panels, the ra
The seat cover is held in place with dozens of small hog-ring clips. From the underside of the seat, pry off the hog rings using a pair of needle-nose pliers. Afterward, the seat cover can be pulled off. Our old seat cover was so tattered that it came off in pieces.
The seat cover is held in place with dozens of small hog-ring clips. From the underside of

The original seat-cushion material was in decent shape overall, but it was tattered on the top and side edges. Thus, a new layer of foam padding was added to the top of the seat cushion to restore the cushy feel to the seat. Position the padding, trim it to size, and then stick it to the top side of the old seat cushion using spray-on adhesive.
The original seat-cushion material was in decent shape overall, but it was tattered on the
Position the new seat cover on the seat, making sure it is properly aligned with the outer edges of the seat. Once aligned, stretch the edges of the cover over the edges of the seat. The new material will be a tight fit as compared to the stretched and tattered seat cover that was removed.
Position the new seat cover on the seat, making sure it is properly aligned with the outer
After the new seat cover is on and properly aligned, flip the seat over and begin installing the hog-ring retaining clips. Along the outer edges of the seat track are dozens of oval tangs to which the hog rings fasten. Poke one end of the hog ring through the outer edge of the seat-cover material, and position the other end of the hog ring at the outer edge of the tang. Use a pair of pliers to crimp the ring together. With the dozens of hog rings in place, the new seat cover will be securely held to the seat frame.
After the new seat cover is on and properly aligned, flip the seat over and begin installi

The seatbacks for the front bench seat (as well as the upper and lower parts of the rear seat) are installed just like the front-seat bottom. Simply remove the old cover(s), slip on the new seat cover(s), and fasten the material in place with the crimp-on hog rings.
The seatbacks for the front bench seat (as well as the upper and lower parts of the rear s
The carpet kit from OPG is super easy to install, thanks to it being molded to fit the floorboard of your musclecar. Align the carpet so that the molded portions fit over the driveshaft tunnel in the center of the car. Notice that the OPG carpet has new padding added to its backside, which not only adds cushion but quells road noise and exhaust heat as well.
The carpet kit from OPG is super easy to install, thanks to it being molded to fit the flo
In some instances, the outer edges of the carpet kit need to be slightly trimmed for a perfect fit. In our case, we needed to trim the carpet so that it fit around the tubing ends of the six-point rollbar.
In some instances, the outer edges of the carpet kit need to be slightly trimmed for a per

After the carpet has been aligned and trimmed as needed, pull back the outer edges, and apply a coating of spray-on adhesive.
After the carpet has been aligned and trimmed as needed, pull back the outer edges, and ap
Cheap Street Chevelle's door panels were tattered and faded, so they were replaced. To remove the panels, remove the window regulator cranks, the armrest pads, and a series of small screws at the base of the door panel. In addition, use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry out the small push-in retaining clips located at the front and rear door-panel edges (arrows).
Cheap Street Chevelle's door panels were tattered and faded, so they were replaced. To rem
Cheap Street Chevelle's door panels were tattered and faded, so they were replaced. To remove the panels, remove the window regulator cranks, the armrest pads, and a series of small screws at the base of the door panel. In addition, use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry out the small push-in retaining clips located at the front and rear door-panel edges (arrows).
Cheap Street Chevelle's door panels were tattered and faded, so they were replaced. To rem

After the upper retaining panel is held in place with a few rivets (arrow), the door panel's padding was glued into place using some spray-on adhesive.
After the upper retaining panel is held in place with a few rivets (arrow), the door panel
After the padding is glued in place, use a razor to trim off the extra padding material that hangs over the edge of the metal mounting bracket.
After the padding is glued in place, use a razor to trim off the extra padding material th
Apply some spray-on adhesive to the backside of the actual door-panel material. Then, position it over the edge of the metal strip so that it sits flush and has no wrinkles.
Apply some spray-on adhesive to the backside of the actual door-panel material. Then, posi

The inside of the new door panels have small openings in the outer edges of the cardboard panels, which are used to mount the push-in retaining clips. Wedge the clips onto the door panel making sure not to poke through the door-panel material.
The inside of the new door panels have small openings in the outer edges of the cardboard
Position the new door-panel assembly on the door the same way as the original unit fit. The outer door panel clips push into small holes (arrows) in the door itself.
Position the new door-panel assembly on the door the same way as the original unit fit. Th
The OPG rear door panels are complete and ready to install--no assembly is required. Simply align the panel with the contours of the inner body, and then affix the panel with the retaining screws. Because our Chevelle had a rollbar, installing the rear door panel was tight but not impossible.
The OPG rear door panels are complete and ready to install--no assembly is required. Simpl

In the rear, besides the upper door panel, our '70 Chevelle used a lower panel constructed of plastic. The original plastic panels were completely destroyed and unusable. Making a new panel would be difficult, but thanks to the great reproductions offered by OPG, we had our Chevelle looking new in no time.
In the rear, besides the upper door panel, our '70 Chevelle used a lower panel constructed

Headliner And Package Tray

Installing a new rear package tray is easy. Simply align it so that it sits flat, and its edges align with the outer contours of the inner body panels. Because our Chevelle had a rollbar that went through the package tray, we needed to trim the front edge of the new package tray so that it cleared the rollbar tubing.
Installing a new rear package tray is easy. Simply align it so that it sits flat, and its
Our original headliner was not only trashed out, but it was nearly nonexistent. A few ladies' hair clips were used to hold up parts of the stock headliner so that it wouldn't fall down and block the windshield--definitely bogus!
Our original headliner was not only trashed out, but it was nearly nonexistent. A few ladi
The remnants of the stock headliner were removed, and then the headliner mounting rods were taken out. Then, the mounting rods were slipped into the sewn-in passages in the new headliner. Starting at the rear, the headliner was properly positioned, and then the rods were clipped into the mounting holes in the roof.
The remnants of the stock headliner were removed, and then the headliner mounting rods wer

The headliner mounting rods slip into small holes in the roof. Getting the rods into the mounting holes is a tight fit, but once in position, they hold the center of the headliner in place and prevent it from falling down.
The headliner mounting rods slip into small holes in the roof. Getting the rods into the m
The side edges of the headliner are held in position with stock push-on plastic trim pieces. However, the front and rear portions of the headliner need to be glued in position with spray-on adhesive. Afterward, press-on plastic trim pieces cover the front and rear edges of the headliner.
The side edges of the headliner are held in position with stock push-on plastic trim piece
The rear sail panels cover the inner roof structure where the roof meets the package tray. New headliner material is glued onto the old cardboard panel, and then the sail panel is installed.
The rear sail panels cover the inner roof structure where the roof meets the package tray.

After the carpet, the headliner, and the rear package tray are installed, reinstall the upper and lower portions of the rear seat. Be careful not to scratch up or tear the new interior pieces with the sharp metal mounting brackets on the underside of the seats. Because our Chevelle had a rollbar, seat installation was tricky, which meant we needed to work slowly.
After the carpet, the headliner, and the rear package tray are installed, reinstall the up
The front-seat bottom mounts to the floor with a few bolts threaded through holes at each corner of the seat track. Use a pair of scissors to cut small holes in the carpet (arrow), which will allow the bolts to pass through the carpet and thread into the floorboard.
The front-seat bottom mounts to the floor with a few bolts threaded through holes at each
After our new Original Parts Group interior was installed, we fitted a new Kidde fire extinguisher that used a no-drill mounting bracket. The extinguisher will be at arms reach in the event of a fire. The Kidde extinguisher features a special dry chemical that extinguishes A-, B-, and C-type fire conditions--perfect for use with a street machine.
After our new Original Parts Group interior was installed, we fitted a new Kidde fire exti