Interior refurbishment incl. seat belts and redye of panels

More recently, I have done much research to changing the color of an interior and started to redye my panels. Some of them have sun rot and have to be replaced including the kick panels in the front, the sail panels, and the rear armrest quarter panels. I have already taken off most of them and painted them. I plan on ordering an interior kit from firebird central and getting it installed this year. I will do as much as I can, but will definitely have someone help. I plan on going to Furner's in Chico for help with the seat upholstery and maybe the carpet as well. I replaced the seat belts, but those darn ratchets are not in the best of shape. The passenger one works fine, but the drivers one I wrapped electrical tape around it pulled out so it won't retract haha I've used SEM 15463 Gloss Cabernet to paint everything and it's all turned out really well. I sprayed a darker blue piece that I got for under the steering column and it turned out darker than my faded light blue pieces and I have some black pieces as well.

For the black ones, I did a base coat in white spray paint (not fully coated, more just a dusting) but I'm worried that the unevenness of the base coat will affect the final look. For the armrest rear quarter panels I will try to do a more even base coat. But I think overall it will look pretty good. I plan on taking the center tunnel out to spray it, after I get the interior kit, since it has to come out anyways. I also might tape off all the instrument clusters and the radio and attempt to paint the dash without taking it out because it would certainly look weird if everything was red except the dash.

Also, I scrubbed years of brake dust off the rims and got a chrome spray paint for them (above). Ended up being more of a sparkly silver. I will one day get them blasted and powdered hopefully. I am missing one of the big silver rings that goes around the rim.

scrub down and steering wheel

The week I got it, I spent an entire day cleaning the car. Washed the outside, cacuumed every carpet and seat, wiped down every surface. The steering wheel was filthy and sticky and rather unpleasant however and would not come fully clean. We ended up getting a Grant steering wheel.

It took awhile to install because I didnt have a puller and had to go ask a local car shop to borrow theirs. There's a round gray piece in the steering wheel that operates the horn and turn signal cancellation, however it just refused to fit with the new wheel! I tried many different positions but it ended up breaking and I have to cancel turn signals by hand and have no horn. Someday I will get that small detail fixed.

note: spray paint is not for cars and fades really fast I decided to freshen it up haha

cover the ugly

While my dad, the mechanical expert, worried about manifolds and carbs, I was more concerned with torn up seats and degrading carpets. One of the first things I did was put on cheap seat covers in the front seats, however the back ones were in really good shape.

Manifolds, carbs, and idle... that don't work.

The batmobile idled a little funky. The carburetor was rebuilt but just couldn't get the right idle. We took it into a shop in Salinas CA and discussed our options. In the end my dad decided to purchase an Edlebrock manifold and 4 barrel carb to just modernize it, and improve performance and gas mileage.

The original 4barrel carb off the 350 engine
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The original manifold, an immensely heavy piece of cast iron
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Now, the guy doing the work seemed knowledgeable but turned out to be far from it. Living in California there are strict smog laws, and Edlebrock makes a manifold that fits the requirements, but the guy ordered the same model, legal in every state EXCEPT ours, and installed it with the Edelbrock 1400 carb. A week later there was smoke pouring out from under the hood; the valve covers were leaking after his installation. My dad and I replaced the valve covers and gaskets, but knew we faced much bigger problems when it came time to smog the car.

The salinas guy installed this Edelbrock Performer 2101, which fits just fine, just isn't legal in CA because it has no EGR valve and won't pass smog.

This Edelbrock 1400 carb with 600cfm and electric choke will be staying. It comes with a paper stating that it is CA smog legal haha

In the beginning

My name is Jonathon Vanderhorst, I am 19, from Monterey CA and live in Chico CA. I am one year into my first restoration project. This is the tale/documentary of my struggles to bring my Batmobile back to glory.

I got a 1978 Firebird Esprit in the summer of 2012 after my senior year in highschool. Well, technically my dad and I both got it, but I've wanted a firebird since I was little. Not to mention, this one had a rattlecan spraypaint job into a bat mobile! I was sold.

It was in phenomenal shape for this era of car! All original and numbers matching, already with most of the work done, including transmission and a rebuilt carburetor. It guzzled gas, was loud, and I love it. It even played a huge part in my senior pictures.

I watch all sorts of car shows: Top Gear, Fast N Loud, Counting Cars, Street Outlaws. I knew I wouldn't be satisfied leaving it the way it was. And with my dad in on it, he brought mechanical expertise, help with research, and money. And so it began.