Interior fiddling, pitfalls?

[2gins]

I'm planning to get cracking on an interior refresh on my Chimaera around easter, I expect with the time I have available it will take me 4-6 weeks. I'm wondering what pitfalls and problems might await me, forewarned = forearmed and all that.

Job list

1. Clean and re-colour carpets (turquoise-pinky to dark blue)

2. Re-finish and re-colour seats/dash/centre tunnel/door cards (two-tone Portland to light Portland grey all over). Probably the Bespoke Leathering or Furniture Clinic kit

3. Strip cracked/peeling dash veneer and refinish, this will probably be filler/smooth/prime/piano black for now and see ow it looks. Veneer is beyond salvation so it's this or a new dash fascia.

4. Replace LEDs on heater controls (red/blue for the warm/nuclear switch, ice white for the up/down)

5. Upper wishbones need a strip/clean and paint and wheels are lined up for a colour change.

Vague plan is to jack the car up, remove battery and get it on a conditioner, wheels to the reburbers at some point; seats out, dash top and centre tunnel out, door cards out; try to free off the seat belt bolts, if they come, then seat belts loosened. Re-colour carpets in situ, re-colour everything else off the car, sort the wishbones and any chassis parts that need attention, then a bit of solder around the LEDs and refit the lot.

What can possibly go wrong?

[2gins]

Yeah I know about the dash panels, I've been looking at TVR Mads site. I figure it's beyond salvation as it is, so provided getting it out isn't too much grief I've got nothing to lose in trying to tart it up first. £10 rattle can plays £200 for a new panel. A new dash will have to work with the overall colour scheme I go for in the end, this is just the first stage to obtain a blank canvas if you like.

[2gins]

Looks good but If I go CF I'll spend a little more and skin it properly. I've dabbled in the past.

[2gins]

It's around £50-70 for enough dye to do a good job on the whole car, I gather new carpets are ~£400-500. And I still have the seatbelt bolt issue to contend with, an essential for new carpets but not a biggie for a re-colour.

[2gins]

Had a good look at the carpets today. Driver's is going threadbare in places and both the floor mats are full of dust, 15 minutes solid beating and it was still coming out. New carpets looks like a better plan.

How do these seat belt bolts come off then? I've read a few sources... is it just LOTS of plusgas and take it steady?

[2gins]

The previous owner had the outriggers done in 2012, the invoice states body off, which must have been at least a partial lift; cut away outriggers and 'other areas', weld in fresh and refit. Hopefully the seat belt bolts came out then and new ones went in. Fingers crossed. She goes up tomorrow.

[2gins]

The old ones were cleaned and put back in. Oh well. A few more days of plus gas snd we'll see.

What's the score with the shoulder bolts, mine seemto be embedded in some sort of plastic casing.

[2gins]

The ones holding the shoulder bracket on

Another issue, struggling to separate the seat base/back. I think I've identified the 4 allen bolts I need to get at but they're very stiff and the top ones are under the fabric...

ETA belt bolts all moving without too much grief, except the inner front ones. Main issue is not being able to get a spanner on because they're slightly recessed into the carpet.

Edited by 2gins on Saturday 1st April 21:14

[2gins]

Right they're all out no issues, dash in bits, clocks out, door cards next then I can clean at all up and start the refit. New carpets from D&C trim, carbon fibre dash, recoloured leather.

Next question: What are the names of the various blue options for the leather, as I need to order a colour kit. Most of it is staying Portland Grey but I want the gaiters etc, door pockets, top of the door trims dark blue. But what is it called?