Hi All,
Most of us do not have the skill set to create an interior but assembling and installing interior panels is well within the skill set of most. When I was addressing the interior for my Healey, the internet was not yet prominent and, although one of the few with an international email account for business, I was left on my own. Since the front panels on the front and rear seats along with the rear fold-down seat back pads and unique waffled side covers were in very good condition, I decided to try my hand with my wife's sewing machine. I starter my search for an exact grain match for the black vinyl and for over a year, searched fabric and vinyl providers during my frequent nation-wide business trips. Finally I found that exact match at LaBaron Bonney Co. Antique Auto Restoration Fabrics in Amesbury, MA... not far from the headquarters of the company I worked for.
Equipped with the proper vinyl, my first target was the rear side panels that had lower damage due wet rugs over years. Since the waffle patterned vinyl was still in good condition, I recreated the wood/metal backing and sewed new forward vinyl sections to the original waffled portion and applied the new cover on padding to the new backing. The results were perfectly restored back side panels.
Now that I had good back panels, I noticed that these rich black back panels had made the door panels look shallow and washed out (sun damage). Additionally, my habit of leaning my knee against the door when driving left a large indentation in the door panel. Examining the original door panels, I realized that the complexity of its construction was no greater then the already-creation rear panels and I decided to reproduce them on a much more ridged backing of porcelain-like tempered Masonite used back then for shower and bath enclosures. After the successful reproduction and installation of the door panels, the dash cover and console were next with the kick panels to follow.
Looking at the seats, I found their backs to be in the same vinyl and condition as were the original side panels and, as a result, I carefully replaced each with new sections while retaining their original seat faces. Additionally, padding was also added to bolster the support in the common areas as well as at the lower lumbar to improve driving comfort. Over the years, I created a vertical dash, console, and speaker side panels to accommodate a modern sound system (original console with radio incase I decide to go back).
Although many may not be incline to address making their own panels or borrowing their wife's sewing machine (very infrequently used prior), I would suggest that for some it is an alternative and area they should not dismiss off-hand. Although the pictures below present the interior after the installation of a real sound system more then 10 years after initially performed, a closer more immediate view of when the interior was initially completed can be found on pages 94 and 95 of John Heilig's Austin-Healey 100-3000 published in 1995.
Sorry for the long dissertation,
Ray (64BJ8P1)