Part 3
Over the last two issues, we've gutted our resident '90 Fox-body Mustang coupe, insulated the interior cabin with sound-deadening material from Thermo-Tec, and begun reassembling the interior space with new and reconditioned components. It's been an arduous journey, but in the end, we were rewarded with a luscious, semi-custom black interior that's clean, comfortable, and quite inviting-one that really makes us want to drive our coupe.
For this installment, we went to Latemodel Restoration Supply (LRS) for the majority of components. It specializes in Mustang restoration and knows the platforms extremely well-we don't know of anyone else that offers such a comprehensive line of restoration parts for the Fox-body Mustang. LRS's multi-piece bolt and screw kit is a must for anyone considering a full-tilt restoration like we just did. It'll save you time, not to mention that the screw and bolt heads all have a new appearance to them. Believe us, rusty old ones will show up, especially in a black interior.
When we were pulling the dash...
When we were pulling the dash apart, the ignition switch plug crumbled in our hands. While the switch itself is available, the plug is not, so we called up AMP Performance and asked for a used one from its salvage yard. In addition to selling hundreds of new parts, AMP also has a full Mustang salvage yard for those hard-to-find or out-of-production parts.
As extensive as LRS's product line is, though, there are some items that it just doesn't have yet. When it comes to that point, you have to use what you have in the car already, or maybe a slightly better used version from another car. We found on several occasions that we had broken or completely missing parts that we needed. To that end, we relied on AMP Performance in Phoenix, Arizona, to provide us with fine used examples from the company's salvage yard.re.
While AMP has a huge inventory of new performance parts for your pony, it also keeps a salvage yard full of late-model Mustangs for times like this. According to AMP's Tom Thompson, approximately 50 percent of those in need of salvage parts are Fox owners, and the '94-'98 and '99-'04 owners make up the rest of inquiries. AMP sent us a number of parts that we would have otherwise been in bad shape without.
This month, we reassemble the coupe's interior, adding new carpet, a package tray, and a headliner, as well as new door panels and power switch gear. We also bolted in the new Corbeau GTSII front seats and the recovered rear seat.
One of the most noticeable...
One of the most noticeable improvements we made to the interior was this new gauge lens from Latemodel. We had cleaned the stock one and it was still messed up a bit, but you don't realize how much until you look through a new one.
The black suede leather really turns up the luxury factor in our otherwise inexpensive Fox coupe. Corbeau worked tirelessly with LRS to get a product line of rear seat covers for most late-model Mustangs, whether you have the factory upholstery or aftermarket threads like the Corbeau seating that we have. While we opted for the black microsuede, Corbeau and LRS also offer polished leather, and even two-tone leather in a couple combinations.
Other key components that have turned this Mustang into a proper ride include the LRS leather-wrapped factory steering wheel, the crystal clear gauge lens, and a new car scent. The end result turned out way better than we expected. It has a factory look, but it's more modern and more luxurious.
If you're not lucky enough to have purchased a clean, low-mileage late-model Mustang, you can get the same feeling or better by restoring the interior yourself-with help from Latemodel Restoration Supply, Corbeau, and AMP Performance, of course. If you're unsure of how to do it yourself, just follow along as we cover the entire restoration in depth.
The light dimmer switch often...
The light dimmer switch often fails in Fox-body Mustangs, so we ordered a new one from Latemodel. Another problem area is the multi-function switch or turn-signal lever. Ours was on its way out, but Latemodel offers a new replacement.
Now that we've had the interior apart, it occurred to us that the sound system is lacking quite a bit. Sounds like its time for an upgrade.
Assembling the new economy...
Assembling the new economy door panels took quite a bit of time, but spending the extra minutes to stretch and pull the material to get the wrinkles out is well worth it in the end. We need to harvest the metal upper panel from the stock door panels so start by removing the staples that secure the inner doorbelt weatherstrip. Don't try and cut the staples. Just twist them out.
Now peel back the vinyl from...
Now peel back the vinyl from the factory door panel to expose the metal pan. You will also need to remove the door-lock bezel at this point. We'll reuse those since they seem to be in good shape.
Gently pry the metal pan from...
Gently pry the metal pan from the cardboard. Once you have it free, grab a Scotch-Brite pad or steel wool, along with some lacquer thinner or brake cleaner and give it a good scrubbing to remove any rust and/or glue residue.
Position the pan on the new...
Position the pan on the new door panel. Starting on the side closest to the door handle opening, make a mark in the last hole, then skip two holes and make another mark. Do this until you reach the open area for the armrest, and then move to the other end of the panel, and repeat these steps working back towards the center. There should be ten holes marked. Use the giant pop rivets and rivet gun to secure the metal pan to the door panel.
You can pull the material...
You can pull the material over the top of the panel, secure the inner doorbelt weatherstrip and then glue the sides, or do this in reverse order. We prefer to glue the sides first, and then pull the vinyl and screw in the doorbelt strip. It helps greatly to have some clamps like the one pictured to clamp the parts you need to glue. A good spray adhesive will hold it in place, but it's better to glue it, clamp it, and let it set up to be sure it doesn't move.
Cut the hole for the door...
Cut the hole for the door lock knob from the backside, pop the bezel through, and bend the tabs over to secure it. This is a bit of a tricky area, as you have to make sure the bezel doesn't distort the vinyl along the top.
From the backside, cut out...
From the backside, cut out the areas for the door armrest.
We ordered new speaker grills...
We ordered new speaker grills from LRS as ours were trashed. The back of the door panel is marked, but you'll need to cut the vinyl.
The speaker grills are secured...
The speaker grills are secured using these flat clips. We found it easiest to place a small deep well socket over the clip and tap it down to set it.