Jason Coupe DeVille Resto: Interior Pieces Out for Some Upholstery Work and Painting

[Jason Edge]

Two interior issues being addressed on my 64 CDV:

While I was off work this week I removed the bench seat to have new fabric sewn on the back bottom of seat, and to fix a missing button and add some new padding.  Along with the seat, I also took the arm rests that need to be redyed and some cracking on my left driver side arm rest. I also might see about dying that gear shift lever cap sandalwood.

For the paint shop, I removed all the items that unbolt from the dash including lower dash cover and left ash tray, over the column cover, steering column itself, glove box door, right side ash tray door, and top front door panel metal plates and took all to local paint ship for painting. Looking closely at the dash 95% of the scratching was on the removable panels and not on the small % of core exposed dash once everything is removed.  If paint will match up close enough to dash it will save me from removing the entire dash....but will be ready to take that step if I need to. 

I also ordered and have on hand a new rear package shelf and think I can install that myself.  I will post some more pictures of the rear package tray as it goes in.

Here is a panoramic of my interior with the interior items removed and some earlier pictures before everything was removed.

CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE:

 

  

 

[Jason Edge]

I continued my work on the interior today by jumping past the doors to the dash and installing parts I had painted including the right side ash tray, over the column dash piece, and steering column.   It is really nice to see the ignition switch area not scratched up, and the column mating the dash color again.   I have to say the steering column going back in is much slower than coming out LOL. Of course the goal is to make sure nothing gets scratched up and so far so good. I have loaded more pictures to the photo album and will post a few pictures here below:

 

Over the column piece installed below. You can see how close the removal pieces I had painted match the original dash which I did not remove.

 

Right side ash tray installed.  I actually spend quite a bit of time lining it up and using the glove box door to make sure it will line up when it is installed:

 

 

Had to install the external tilt switch and neutral safety switch to the column:

 

 

I actually ended up taking the steering coupler off the bottom of column and installing onto steering gear and then installing column into top end when installing the column. Seems easier to line up:

 

Steering Column Installed!

 

[Jason Edge]

I knocked out the rear interior of the 64 CDV today  by removing the left rear regulator and motor and cleaning and regreasing everything, and installing the rear side qtr panels and rear seats. Everything was cleaned well while it was out.

I have posted about 20 pictures on my Interior project album located at this link:
http://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/albums/jason-coupe-1964-deville-...

 

To note a couple of pictures.... below are the sash cam channel and rear guide with the old caked in grease and a picture below of the channels cleaned and coated with white lithium grease:

 

Below are the tools of the trade including the old standbys WD 40 and 0000 Steel Wool, spray and cup white lithium grease, and Rustoleum Leak Seal Rubber Spray Coating which I used to seal the rear qtr inspection pans and bolt heads:

 

 

Here's a picture of the left rear qtr completed with the inspection qtr sealed:

 

Right Rear Qtr Installed

 

left rear qtr installed:

 

rear seats and seat belts installed:

 

Package tray area 100% better than before!

[Jason Edge]

Here is some video testing the right rear qtr window in my 1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille after the motor and regulator, tracks, cams and guides were removed, cleaned and greased and reinstalled.

[Jason Edge]

PIcked up the long coupe DeVille armrests today from Auto Interiors downtown Raleigh and they look fantastic. I had painted them Wimbledon white many years back to give some semblance of blending in with the rest of the interior and to cover the scratches in plastic and cracks in the leather. While the leather was not falling apart there were some very ugly cracks on my 162K mile Coupe DeVille on the driver arm rest.

They matched the color using the color from the back side where the leather lipped over and the back of the plastic and did a wonderful job. The price was $125 per arm rest..and believe it was well worth it!! That's the main thing that stood out as needing some work when you swung my door open...that and the rear package tray and both have been addressed now.

I'm off 3 days and need to make some solid progress getting those motors and regulators in and to start piecing the dash panels back which I received a couple days ago!

Here's a quick picture of those armrests:

 

[Jason Edge]

Wires through left/front left door almost always have to be repaired or replaced over time.  These are heavy gauge wires and swinging the driver door open and shut thousands of times over 50 years causes them to simply wear out and break.

[Jason Edge]

here's a bit of video testing the right rear qtr window and motor after regreasing the gear:

[Jason Edge]

Gerald, I'll be good with Very Nice...or Very Good. I've yet to do anything "perfect" on the Caddy but do push myself to make gradual upgrades. For everything I've done in the last year or so including the engine rebuild, I would say all has been "good" to "very good" quality. Once I bring the entire car to very good overall condition (probably several years away) I will push a bit further but still may never have anything what I consider perfect.

[Jason Edge]

I guess you could say I am going from the rear forward on my interior work. With rear package tray installed yesterday I switched out the Fleetwood 60 Special rear courtesy lights with some new original style courtesy lights for the Devilles.  I was not pleased with the new semi-transparent lenses I bought from OPGI and have sourced more on ebay for less (the OPGI ones will be returned). 

Next up I will take advantage of the fact I have the side interior panels out of the car, and remove the inspection covers on the rear qtrs to replace the tired rear window motors with some strong tested motors that have been cleaned and regreased.  I will also do the same on the fronts. All of my windows go up and down, however right rear is sluggish and have some really strong ones stashed away.I will also clean and lube the tracks, cams and regulator mechanism and rollers to make sure everything is nice and smooth.  I hope to at least make a start on the rear regulators this evening after work.

I am on a tight schedule to complete everything by Nov 16 when I have a car show as posted on the chat last night. There are items such as addressing sluggish window motors, that I want to knock out once and for all regardless if I make the show or not, but am using it as a goal to push myself each day.  Once I hit the dash area I know I will want to address vacuum lines, and maybe even the AC system before I put the dash panels back on.....but know it probably is unrealistic to try and address all of that by Nov 16!! LOL

 

[Jason Edge]

Thanks Tony and Gérald.  It is much appreciated!  Working on the package shelf has been a pretty easy project with a lot of reward for me as this was an eyesore inside the car.  Other than the cost of the package shelf, and a bit of glue I already had, this was very inexpensive in terms of getting the bang for the buck!  I'll be out of town Friday and Saturday and will be itching to get back to my car and make some more progress. I'm trying to get as much done before my interior and paint shop calls and says bring money and come pick up everything! LOL. I can pick at the small items for now and make progress.

I do encourage everyone to share their restoration projects, maintenance tips, and other experiences here on the website as we all learn from each other.   There are no rules here on the site and each of you can start a blog and document your projects, and include pictures, embedded videos, etc.

[Jason Edge]

I installed the new rear package tray this evening and am quite pleased.  I had to trim it down a bit to fit and glue that front vinyl and foam piece down.  The trick is to spray both sides and let it tack a bit then put together. I did go ahead and hang the rear upper seat to press against it some over night but really didn't have to as it the 3M 90 stuff bonds pretty fast.

I think next up will be replaced the Fleetwood 60S rear courtesy lights with the correct DeVille light fixtures.

Here are a couple of pictures: