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Is there any important things I should do to my car before reinstalling all of the interior?

1111 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Dave_Cod
I've been slowly but surely restoring my 82 celica supra, and it wouldn't be without all of the helpful advice and input ive read and received from you guys on here! I really appreciate it. Now that I'm almost done with fixing most of the small things and getting ready to install all of the interior from my parts car, I'm wondering if there are any precautionary measures or other things I should (or could) do before I install the interior to help preserve the car and increase it's longevity? Any other helpful/ useful modifications, etc.?

I think I'm gong to have to reseal the sunroof compartment, and that is what made me think to write this post. Should I have any reason to be concerned with trying to seal anything else (e.g. the rear windows)?

Is there anything that can be done to help soundproof it from the road noise?

Any wiring or vulnerable areas that need to be checked and/or reinforced?

Any and all ideas and input is appreciated! Please let me know what you guys think. When I am done I will make sure to post some pictures showing you guys what I end up doing.
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Sound deadening can make a huge difference in updating the car to feel more modern and enhance stereo enjoyment, but it also adds considerable weight so it depends on your driving style and ambitions. Others can give you better advice on how to/where. I just know that I've been in mk2s with sound deadening and it can make a big improvement.

Your sunroof tray is probably fine, but you should clean out or probably even replace the drain tubes. Its only when those clog up or kink that it leaks from basically filling with water till it overflows.

I'd pull all the window tracks, clean the ancient hardened goo out of them and re-lube and replace any worn components. You'd be surprised how much faster you can make the windows operate like new.

I'd also be inclined to install new speakers. I'd also inspect the seatbelt retractors and try to make sure those operate smoothly. Make sure the gas door and hatch release cables are good and operate smoothly.

And search for some posts by Suprafiend regarding body seam sealer and rust repair. He pretty well documented all the places the water gets inside from sloppy workmanship and design flaws and gave some tips how to fix it.

That's all that I can think of off the top that's maybe not "obvious".
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Oh, and clean the lint out of the little temperature sensing tube in the center console and check the little fan motor. I forget what they call that thing.

And replace all the little light bulbs in the instrument cluster and dash, etc.
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Even a layer of thin sound deadening from the front edge of the rear seats back, plus over the bottom half of the firewall including the backs of the front wheel wells makes an enormous difference.
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Yeah, just 20-lbs of butyl-rubber sheets under seats, side-panels and doors makes huge difference in comfort of car.

Also thin layer between panels and bodywork really keeps rattles down. I used old cut-up bike inner-tubes. A lot of those clips don't fit well anymore and lets panels rattle against body. Having little rubber shim helps keep tension on clip and dampens vibration as well.
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Wow thanks a lot for all of the information you guys! I appreciate all of the input, I'm going to make a list to go through by the time I'm done repairing the dashboard, and I think I should have something decent to show you guys at the end..

pdupler- when I pull the window tracks to clean everything, how easy would it be to remove the windows and switch them with the tinted ones on my parts car? ...or do I have to take the windows out to pull the tracks anyway? and what is the little fan motor you are talking about for? for the a/c? or something else?

dannoxyz- do you know of anywhere I can find those butyl rubber sheets locally? hopefully for a decent price lol? and also how did you attach those bike tube pieces to the car? you attach them to the bodywork so they end up between the body and the clips right? I really like the idea, thanks for sharing it!
Funkycheeze- thanks for letting me know all the important areas to put the sound deadening.. Would it be worth it to put any between the headliner and the roof? And is there any room to put any between the door panels and the frame of the door? I'm going to have to switch the door panels with the ones on my parts car as well, so if it makes enough of a difference then i'll probably try to add some there as well..
Only some small pieces needed on those areas to reduce rattles. Fully covering the floor makes the biggest difference.
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Don't know who carries butyl sound-deadening material in your area. Stereo installation places usually have them. Maybe check mail-order like Crutchfield or Amazon?

I used contact cement to hold inner-tube pieces to body after using hole-punch to make hole in centre.
Other people can weigh in on this... but "Roof Patch" (or Rubberised Asphalt Coating) for houses... can be painted on the entire Floor pan from above & below.... Obviously it/s designed to take a beating from all kinds of exposure to the Elements... so IMHO... is a lot better & Cheaper... than finding Butyl rubber sheets... & having to cut them to size/fit them...

Just (Literally) "Paint".. the whole Floor & you can put as many Coats as you want... just give final coat a could of days to dry & harden....

Cheers,
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