So around March, I decided I needed a new interior in my Fairlane. I hired the right guy to do it as it is still unfinished. The guy does really good work but at 69, I'm not sure I'll live long enough to see the finished interior. I wanted some custom touches done so I bought seats from a 2002 Sebring convertible so I could have shoulder harnesses. I ran fiber optics to the front and rear blinkers so I could see if my lights work. I also added a console from a 64 Galaxy, don't have the lid or shifter cover on yet (I got the idea from 50Fraud). So far, the seats are done and installed and the carpet and console are installed. Still have the door panels, headliner and trunk to do. Here are a few pictures, I don't have pictures with the seats installed but will add them later. The seats cover the gaps in the carpet. He covered the area under the back seat too, looks really good. Here's a video of the fiber optics, the outside two are the brake lights and the inside two are the front blinkers, the brake lights look more red in person.
I too like the fiber optics idea. Could you post up how you went about it and the parts required to do it? Thanks Dave
The fiber optics I used are 2mm wires, these are big enough to see and small enough to be flexible, check eBay for fiber optic. I bought them about two years ago(I like to plan ahead), I think I used 15 feet per side for the tail lights and 13 feet for the front lights. I drilled holes in the light housings and used these bolts to run the fiber optics through. I screwed them together and drilled a 2mm hole through the center of both halves to run the optics through. The bolts were too long so I used a rubber washer to keep them snug. I also toyed with using a rubber plug instead of the bolts but decided on the bolts. After I pulled the optics through the light housing, I pulled them about an inch into the light housing, put crazy glue around the sides and pulled them back out so the glue was inside the bolt and the optic wouldn't fall out, just to be sure, I put a small zip tie on the end. Fiber optics carry the color of light at it's base so if you have a red tail light bulb, the other end will glow red. I took a red and a yellow pen, took the cartridge out and dipped the end of the optic into the ink. I put the inked ends in the light housing so the ends in the car glow red and yellow. I have found that just the sunlight coming through the light lenses will cause the optics to glow a little.
Stock Sebring seats are not really made for our cars, kinda ugly, OK, really ugly. I had my upholstery guy make them look a little better, can't wait for the rest to get done. I also had bear claw latches installed. If this was a Chevy, I could have used the outside door handles but since it's a cool car, the handles had to go.
Thanks Stig, definite inclusion on mine.. Car looks great and like you I'm 68 and hoping to get my 55 back together before I croak.. Mine is still on the rotisserie and for some reason my enthusiasm just cant get fired up, I'm doing it all by myself..
Your interior man did a great job on those seats! I would love to see build photos and find out how the seat belt was integrated into the seat itself, without the headrest, etc. I am wondering how much of the seat back frame was modified, how many inches did you lose in height, and all of that. It really does look good.
Nice, I'm keeping my bench seat and will have them done over, probably next year. My 3-point belts attach to the B-pillar.
I talked with my interior guy today, he's working on the headliner now. He didn't take any build pictures, he had the local radiator shop do the cutting and welding on the seat-belt reel. It was originally vertical and is now horizontal. The seats are stock height with the headrest and reel removed. Thanks, no B-pillar in a hard-top.
Stig, I was my impression that on the Sebring seats of your year required a computer to release the belts, did you overcome this or is my info incorrect.
Not sure what you mean by release the belts. They work fine, just like the belts in my wife's Durango. So far no problems.
I dug out my notes prior to buying my Sebring seats and it is the seats from before 2001 that had the dual electric modules required to make the belts function. If I understand correctly the earlier ones required input from the computer to hold the p***enger in place. I was confused about the years I guess because I find the 2006 and later most attractive for my eyes.
When I said my interior guy was slow, I meant slooooooooooooow. He finally finished up the back seat area. He has to do the door panels and the interior will be finished. The headliner is faux suede.
I like it alot. It was worth the wait.......excelent job, straight seams.& ribbing. Good color choice. From the pic of the back of the p***enger front seat, looks like he's still working on the front. This will make you feel better as far as the wait.....A '57 forum guy started talking to an upholsterer 5 years ago. He was told it would be close to a year before he could get to it. A year and a half later the guy finally told him to bring it in. 3 1/2 years later, it's still not done, he won't give a bill for the work that is in it so far, if it's gone beyond the downpayment, and won't let him pick up the car unfinished even though he's gotten sick and had to close the shop. Unfortunatly a lawyer is getting involved.
My son is an interior guy. I've watched him when I visit. He's a perfectionist. Headliners can cause cussing. He's done interiors for show cars, cigarette boats etc. Even I don't try to rush him.
Finally, it's all done except the trunk and my guy isn't going to do that. I took it out to a park today and took some photos. The Victoria emblem is the same one that is on the outside of the door. The center console is out of a 64 Galaxie. Ignore my fingers at the end of the video.
I agree. I think some painters should be included also. Great looking car. I guess the wait was worth it.
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