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The 82-92 Camaro/Firebird line has long been a popular performance car. But, they were rarely optioned with leather and nice plush carpet.  Their "sister" the Corvette got all of that attention.  Plus they squeak and rattle like crazy! 

Read along as we give a 3rd Generation Camaro Z28 a facelift!

We're gonna turn this-

Into this-

The customer supplied his own carpet, trim, and seats.  For those of you who are interested, here's the parts list:

Step#1.  Tear the GUTS out!!!

*** You may want to disconnect the negative battery cable so you don't run down your battery during this process.

The front seats are easy, just slide the seat back and forth to expose the bolts. 

Power seat owners: Disconnect the power.  Move your seat to the full upright position... It makes it easier to unplug the connector.  

The rear seats are held in place with a single screw under the thigh bolster.

Next, you'll need to remove the entire center console/armrest/shifter plate.  Start with the shifter knob. This model has an automatic transmission.  It's held in place by a "U" shaped clip, located on the front of the knob (facing the radio), at the base.  Remove it by prying forward with a small screwdriver.  Pull up and the knob comes off!  If you have an 86 or earlier, 8 Ball Style, just pull up on the button and remove the C-clip retainer. Snap ring pliers work best.  Be careful not to let it fly! GM sells 'em in packs of 10 only.

 Use special care when removing the trim bolts.  Label them or jot down the location.  A magnetic dish helps when collecting the screws.  Just work a section at a time.  Keep removing, collecting, and labeling. If you encounter resistance, STOP and check for a missed retainer of some sort.

You'll have a couple pesky bolts to deal with, like the front driver's and passengers kick panel.  The screws for these are located in the center of the panel, in the carpet!  These can be easily overlooked. 

The seat belt retainers on a 16 year old car are a real treat!  You will need to remove the plastic cover (it does twist off, with a slight "pop".), to reveal the bolt.  The bolt is a large Torx Style like a T-50 or T-54.  To assist with the removal of these bolts you may need a hammer and some penetrating oil.  If there is corrosion, spray some penetrating oil (I like Break-Away or PB Blaster), and set up a vibration with a few light taps of the hammer.  Wait for the chemicals to work.  

If you find yourself "slipping off" the Torx bolt... Just insert the Torx bit into the bolt and give it a few "raps" with the hammer.  This will drive the bit deeper into the head of the bolt.

Do NOT remove the shifter assembly, parking brake lever, or climate controls.  

Step#2.  Carpet and Trim Panels

By now, you should have found all of your LOST change and pens.  Put that stuff in your pocket and let's move on.  

Remove the sill panels and surrounding interior trim panels.  Don't round off the screws on the sill panels, use the hammer trick from above to assist you.  

Take a good look at the carpet under the sills... You'll need to use this as a reference. Because, believe it or not, in the very immediate future, you'll be trimming that brand new carpet.

If you plan on throwing away your carpet, use a box knife to cut away the area around the transmission "hump" & pull it out.  If you plan on cleaning and saving... Get ready to wrestle some carpet over the shifter and e-brake handle!

Step #3.  Maintenance

Your interior should look like the one pictured above.  All of the speaker wires and cables will be exposed.  Now is the time to combat corrosion or add creature comforts like sound deadening or speaker wires for your fancy stereo!

This customer wanted a nice quiet rattle free interior, so he opted for Dynamat Spray & Tsunami sheets.

The spray on product is matte black and the Tsunami peel & stick is Silver.   Notice the special attention paid to speaker enclosures and passenger compartment.

Step #4.  Put It Back Together!

The carpet should be rolled out, and placed in the sun for a few minutes to soften it up.  

Check out the design and make sure it's not damaged.  There's usually a single hole for the shifter only.  The best way to get the carpet into the passenger compartment is to fold the carpet once, lengthwise, and insert it through the open hatch.  Aim for a foot well.  Flip the fold over the shifter until the hole lines up. Center the carpet the best you can.  There should be plenty of overlap at the door sills.

Now, break out the utility knife, and tailor the rug around your center console.  Make sure the drivers side heel protectors are square and in line with the pedals.  Follow up by test fitting and trimming.

Cut the holes for your seat stud mounts and seatbelts.

Hint: Screw the seatbelt torx bolts into the floorpan.  Feel for the bulge, cut a small slit and pop 'em through.

Re-assemble the components. 

Step #5.  New Seats

It's true... 4th Gen seats will fit in a 3rd Gen without drilling and swearing.  

But here's a few tips:

That's it they're DONE!  The car rides very quiet, like a Caddy.  And the seats are much more supportive!