Thanks for all the encouraging noises so far
.
The interior:
When I got the car home I found it was fitted with seat covers, not one set but 3 sets each put on top of the other!!
My hope was that underneath them they original coverings (which are very hard to come by in good nick) would be in good condition and been protected all these years from the harmful Isle of Wight sunshine.
How wrong I was....
So, the search began.
Later that year I purchased a 1981 1850HL. This car was sold for breaking only, I bought the whole car for £75 The
GIT who sold it to me was a Jaguar enthusiast, he agreed that for the £75 he would let me break the car there on his premises (a farm building) and he also agreed to cut the front off of the car (included in the price).
However, after visiting the car most weekends it became apparent that he couldn't be bothered to do anything to help me (as it seemed to got his money and did give a damn after that) in fact, he hampered my progress by putting more of his rusting Jaguars around the Dolomite making access nearly impossible.
Anyway, I digress... This car gave up it's interior (Chestnut) and whilst my car was fitted with a New Tan interior, Chestnut was acceptable as it was an alternative interior colour for a Honeysuckle car at the time. The carpets were excellent condition and still in my car today.
Finally my patience ran out I hired the biggest, nastiest angle grinder I could find, returned to the red car and cut it's front off;
..and stored in the garden shed...
I then spent many, many hours drilling out the many, many spot-welds which held the front panel to the inner panel. It was then shot blasted and prepped it ready for fitting.
I returned to to the red car as it had a really nice boot lid and very presentable bonnet and roof over-hang. Only to find that the car had been lifted and scrapped (without my permission.) I wasn't happy, still not.
Anyway, back to that interior. It was okay but still worn, also being from a late car it had many of the features that I didn't have or want on my '75 car. So when funds allowed I located yet another interior this time from a '72 car which was correct for the age of my car.
I had the covers removed and sent through the post. I then fitted these to my seat frames:
The back seat was faded so I repainted it with fabric paint (a long, tedious and very dull job).
Have to say the interior now looks fab!
Then I stained and re-varnished the door capping's, which was a very satisfying job.