TR2/3/3A New Interior Trim Re-Use

To All,

I’m seriously considering the purchase of a 1958 TR3A. It’s a daily driver, one owner for 30 or so years. No rust, body is solid, paint is OK, but interior is poor. As I plan to restore the car in about 12-18 months but drive it in the meantime, I’m wondering whether it would be reasonable to go ahead and install a new interior, the one I’d put in normally at time of restoration? The planned trim color, Skinner’s “Light Tan/Biscuit,” is compatible with the current red body color (and preferred to the black interior that exists), my thinking is that it’d “spif it up” now (and be enjoyed while driving), but be re-useable when restored. The only glued parts are the rear arches and the rear slope surface carpet (all of the cockpit coaming and dash are of course, glued to their underlying pieces but removable), I could get an extra set of arch covers and used double stick tape for the carpet. Everything else is snapped or screwed on and easily removed. The interior would have to be removed, of course, for the restoration.

Any downside, other than dirt or wear for the intervening time? Thoughts and/or comments?

Light tan biscuit...that's what I just installed from Skinner!



Your plan should work fine. You can even remove the wheel arch material using a heat gun and re-use that if you wanted to. Jonathon provides snaps, and if you use them in strategic locations you don't need much glue at all. The original interior was made to be removed to "dry out" after those occasional rains with the hood at home.

Thanks, John! After following your restoration threads I thought it "doable." What about any stretching of the arch material? Would it show when re-gluing?

The arches didn't need any stretching. The only parts requiring stretching would be the dash and cappings (dash and dash cap, door caps, quarter caps and 3 rear surround cappings). If you clean them well before stretching the covers, you wouldn't need to remove the covers later if you restore the car.

Before you buy, pull up the carpet and look over the floors on both sides. The front carpet is only held by snaps, if anything.
The owner will likely pull it up for you if you ask. Pull the seat cushions forward and then up to remove them and check the seat pans. Those 2 area will tell you more than anything how well the car was treated. If they are rust free, or only light surface rust, then the car will likely be minimal rust throughout. Of, course, if the floors and pans are rusted through, then look more closely at the under side of the sills, wings, frame and such.

John,
Did I miss the disclaimer where you say " unless the previous owner changed the way it was from original"? That would include previous owners gluing down carpet and such things.
Charley

Plus one to what John recommends.
Marv

Thanks to all for your comments. It's help me to decide going forward!