Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Topic: Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts (Read 559 times) previous topic - next topic

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

May 03, 2016, 07:52:29 PM

My '83 Heritage with Walnut brown interior is missing the plastic cover from the seat belt should mount point on the driver side B-pillar. It was there one day, and then it just wasn't, and then didn't turn up during a thorough search of the interior. I believe the part is identical for the left and right side.

Also wanted, a walnut brown driver side seat belt buckle with an unbroken plastic cover that keeps the belt pointed up. I dont know if the buckles are side specific, but if not, then my best hope will be a less often used passenger side buckle.

Finally, a set of Ford walnut brown floor mats would also be great, and somehow I have one front mat in good condition that I found randomly laying on the ground in the salvage yard one day, but still need the three other mats. These are the heavy, thick, rubber backed carpeted mats with the metal bar molded in to them.

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Reply #1 – May 06, 2016, 09:03:37 AM

One JY run I came across a Bird with a perfect walnut brown interior. Was tempted to pull it all but didn't need it and didn't know where I was going to store it. I guess I thought the cars would be in the JY forever. ???

Sounds like the parts you are looking for could be any color and you might be able to dye them. Just a thought to help your search.

The mats don't sound original, I don't recall any metal bar molded in them.

Have you posted any pictures of your car here? If not, you should!

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Reply #2 – May 06, 2016, 01:49:57 PM

Funny thing is, I found a crack-free brown dash a while back, but at that point in time my seatbelt shoulder point cover wasn't missing, and both seatbelts in that donor car had gone floppy from the plastic stiffening sleeve that jeeps the buckle ends upright from tearing. I guess I should start ding parts, but the problem is, I already d stuff for my 39 year old Mercedes and my 89,000 mile, 16 year old domestic convertible due to parts scarcity. Where does the madness end? I need a warehouse. Heh.

Now bear with me, because this is going to sound pessimistic, but it's all based on personal experience building and restoring cars for myself and others all of my life, and I swear I'm not just being "that guy."

The seatbelt shoulder point cover I could respray reasonably well, as it is not a high wear item. However, my preference when spraying interior panels is to shoot over the same colour, or black, either of which still look reasonable presentable if surface wear or damage occurs, so a brown cover would make me very happy. I'm mostly being particular when I say I want a brown one. (Also, have you ever dragged out the spray gun and mixed up paint just for a part that tiny? It's a pain!

Now, the seatbelt stiffening cover (that becomes more of a mouthful every time I write it) would never work well for a colour change since the waxy plastic it is made from is what they call a problem plastic in the refinishing industry. Anything I sprayed on it would come off in short order due to abrasion and flexing. I have some really good paints and the best spray guns in the world at my disposal, but there is only so much they can really be expected from paint applied to a chunk of plastic continually being bent and rubbed on my hip.

As for the pictures of the car, I am pretty sure there are a couple of it on here. The interior is a 9/10, even though it is brown. The exterior? Well, lets just say it could win the ugliest original paint job on an aerobird award by a landslide. It's a two-tone tan monstrosity.

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Reply #3 – May 06, 2016, 02:38:33 PM

If you need - you can boil in RIT to change the actual color of the plastic.

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/how-to-dye-plastic-parts-with-rit/

Works well for mismatched interior parts

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Reply #4 – May 07, 2016, 09:13:37 AM

Good info on the plastic and I know about RIT but never thought about it for plastic. Might be a fun experiment some day the wife is gone and I have use of the kitchen. :hick:

Yes I think I do remember your car. It was a great save from sitting outside an covered in mold I think. ??? Neat car!!

Good luck with your parts hunt, if I come across any I'll be glad to add to your warehouse. :-)

Wanted: '83 walnut brown interior parts

Reply #5 – May 07, 2016, 03:21:33 PM

Oh yes, saved from a carport by the sea. There is a little surface rust from being right next to the ocean, but nothing too awful. I took the car in trade for the labour on swapping a motor in to a 90's Honda Accord. I wasn't shopping for a Tbird at all, and just planned to offload it for $400 or $500 when I brought it home. I drove three hours in it to get home, and decided that I kinda liked it, at least from the inside. Now I have about $2k sunk in it, and it is still butt-ugly, but I am strangely very happy with the walnut interior.

Yes, by all means let me know about any walnut interiored cars. As I recall it was an option only in '83, but some of the walnut brown pieces made it in to '84 models as part of a lighter brown package.