Cuda Interior Work
#2706630
10/14/19 09:30 AM
10/14/19 09:30 AM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 144 PA
dixie2bird
OP
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OP
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 144
PA
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I'm looking to get some interior restoration work done on my 72 Cuda. It's getting really bad, I'm having trouble with my seats, dash pad is cracked bad etc etc. So I think I'm going to bite the bullet and start getting some resto work done to it. Anyone have any experiencing with doing or having interior work done? Any suggestions on stuff you can do yourself and stuff you should definitely not do yourself? What type of questions to ask shops and things to look out for? I have little to no experience with interior work.
Thanks.
1972 Cuda 340 4-speed 2015 Challenger SRT 392 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willy's
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: dixie2bird]
#2706781
10/14/19 06:30 PM
10/14/19 06:30 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,059 NW/Indiana - Chi town
ricomondo
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,059
NW/Indiana - Chi town
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Well you listed a couple of items but didn't go into real detail? Is it just the seats and dash pad? Or door panels, headliners, etc?
Dash pad will take a few hours and is not as bad as it seems. There's about 11 speed nuts that have to come off the underside, along with two in each windshield dash vent. Or you could just unbolt the entire dash/ dash frame and pull it out as well. If you remove your dash pad for replacing, remember to cut the rivets that hold the dash VIN tag from the BACKSIDE only. Don't try and drill the rivets from the top side, they will spin and eat into the dash VIN plate. Also if you send the dash pad out to be restored, take the VIN plate off and keep it in a safe place until it comes back, places like JUST DASHES cannot return the plate to you if you accidentally send it in. ECS sells a dry transfer Chrysler logo to replace on the VIN tag and they sell the rivets as well.
Seats can be done yourself, You Tube is a great resource. You'll need a hog ring puller. Watch the videos and if you think it's over your head, farm it out. Carpet is easy as well.
Good luck!
Last edited by ricomondo; 10/14/19 06:31 PM.
GY3 71 Demon 340
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: ricomondo]
#2706915
10/15/19 07:22 AM
10/15/19 07:22 AM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 144 PA
dixie2bird
OP
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OP
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 144
PA
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Well you listed a couple of items but didn't go into real detail? Is it just the seats and dash pad? Or door panels, headliners, etc? Well it's just about everything in the interior. The carpet was replaced at one point, so that's in pretty decent shape. Thanks for the reply.
1972 Cuda 340 4-speed 2015 Challenger SRT 392 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willy's
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: dixie2bird]
#2707351
10/16/19 07:07 PM
10/16/19 07:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,785 Utah and Alaska
astjp2
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,785
Utah and Alaska
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I need to do the same thing with my 68 Charger, it is just a gutted shell with an engine sitting in it.
1941 Taylorcraft 1968 Charger 1994 Wrangler 1998 Wrangler 2008 Kia Rio 2017 Jetta
I didn't do 4 years and 9 months of Graduate School to be called Mister!
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: dixie2bird]
#2707936
10/18/19 08:45 AM
10/18/19 08:45 AM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,408 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,408
Central Pa
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Had great luck with Legendary. As stated before, let the seat covers sit in the sun for a few hours. If the foam is wrecked under the seat covers, acquire new or better used. Baby powder rubbed over the foam also GREATLY aids the installation process. You do not need specialty tools to disassemble and recover the seats, but you can buy hog ring pliers at harbor freight for $5 and a bag of rings for $2. The hog ring pliers will save you a lot of time and cut effort down to nothing when reattaching the covers.
Buy and do the dash pad yourself.
If new panels are out of your budget, they do make a really nice interior paint system that works decent. Prep is absolutely critical here
If your carpet is only a few years old and the car is rarely driven, pull it and steam clean it, then let it in the sun for a day.
Headliners require patience, if you dont have any, call interior shops for a quote for install.
You can do this
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: dixie2bird]
#2707943
10/18/19 09:10 AM
10/18/19 09:10 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 892 MA
steve70
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 892
MA
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That's super pretty!!! Exactly what I want mine to look like Anybody try putting new Challenger seats in an ebody? I like the original ebody seats, but I'm short and I could never quite see the right side of my car. Right now I have what I believe are older Cordoba seats in my Cuda and I like them. I sit higher and they are pretty comfy. They are getting pretty beat up so I'd want to replace them also. I was down at Maple Grove Mopar Madness last weekend and there was a '70 Cuda there that had an updated "new" interior. I looked pretty good. It did kind of lose the original look though. I should have taken a pic Buy the seat covers and new foams from Legendary and don't forget to get their install kit. It has the burlap, thick felt and hog rings needed, it also has the muslin material to keep the foams secured to the frames during installation. Legendary has a bunch of You Tube videos explaining the process, Here's one showing the new foams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8aNMJEwLa4. Once you get everything done you will sit a lot higher in the car.
1970 Challenger T/A 4 speed
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: dixie2bird]
#2708011
10/18/19 11:06 AM
10/18/19 11:06 AM
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 350 Mequon, WI
gzig5
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 350
Mequon, WI
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That's super pretty!!! Exactly what I want mine to look like Anybody try putting new Challenger seats in an ebody? I like the original ebody seats, but I'm short and I could never quite see the right side of my car. Right now I have what I believe are older Cordoba seats in my Cuda and I like them. I sit higher and they are pretty comfy. They are getting pretty beat up so I'd want to replace them also. I was down at Maple Grove Mopar Madness last weekend and there was a '70 Cuda there that had an updated "new" interior. I looked pretty good. It did kind of lose the original look though. I should have taken a pic I've heard the new challenger seats are too tall in the seat pad and your head ends up on the ceiling. Also read about dropping the floor pan to work with them. There are better alternatives in the aftermarket or from the junkyard. Saw a guy put in leather seats from a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon and they looked and fit great and cost about $100. I've got a set of cheap seats from Jeg's in mine until I figure it out. I like the originals but they have no lateral support.
Last edited by gzig5; 10/18/19 11:07 AM.
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Re: Cuda Interior Work
[Re: gzig5]
#2708253
10/19/19 07:17 AM
10/19/19 07:17 AM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,267 Connecticut
1972CudaV21
master
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master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,267
Connecticut
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Just get some original seats, reskin and raise the driver’s seat.
China is the enemy.
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