1962 Triumph TR4 RUSToration Project, Carpet and Seat Installation

The 1962 Triumph TR4 Restoration Project is really starting to take shape. Elin created a great looking set of carpets in dark grey with black binding to really help to brighten up the interior. The seats (stolen from my TR250) look great and are quite comfy to sit in. The new steering wheel is installed as well. I think the interior looks awesome.
Be sure to check out the video of Elin hand making the carpets for this car on the Rusty Beauties Channel. You can find that video here....
• Let's Make Our Own Car...

[@robertcrowley6573]

More excellent workmanship by you both, but that's what we have come to expect !!! Wishing Elin a great vacation👍

[@kevinblume2976]

Nice progress, Chef! I really like the color of the carpet. Cheers

[@nicktomasi392]

Planning on seeing the car in person at 6-Pack show day and also meet Elin. Great video as usual!

[@cheftush]

That would be cool!

[@tjsand8814]

Man this guy is my car Hero- Hero when it comes to these cars- I learn all the time watching him work on all his cars . Great Work Amigo.

[@cheftush]

Too kind. Thank You.

[@tomhughes9107]

Loving this series! I re-apolstered my boot and used the same Gorilla adhesive. Here's hoping it sticks!

[@cheftush]

The gorilla stuff works pretty well I think. Elin seemed to like it as well.

[@homotorsports]

Turned into my favorite triumph

[@omphaloskeptic4989]

David, a very nice mix of new and old. With the work you and Elin have done on the cabin interior, you have TRans4med the LBC! lol

[@GO_OutDoors]

Great looking interior! I think I am going to do my own carpet on my Spitfire!

[@rickdaniel8478]

Looking nice Zoom zoom 😊

[@graemelliott3942]

David that TR I’d perfect the way it is! The patina looks so cool! I’d drive it that way and never “restore” it! Carpet color choose is spot on too. The white dash and piping on the seats, the white showing through the worn paint blend into the charcoal grey carpet like it was meant to be! What a fun ride!

[@cheftush]

Thanks! I have no intention of stripping and painting it so the patina look will live on. 😉

[@DavesTR4A]

I’ll say this again Chef, this video series is a great encouragement to British car owners who are years away from completing their restoration to do a rolling type restoration so they can enjoy their cars. Just my $0.02l Dave

[@cheftush]

Hi Dave! Absolutely, they don’t have to be mint to be enjoyed! I’ll go for reliably over looks any day.

[@DavesTR4A]

@@cheftush totally agree!!

[@corylwillrise]

the kittens look cute.

[@uweziegenbein3114]

Dear David, looks great, perfect job! I use the original snaps for the carpet for my 4A, a real fight! I think about to use the same like you use, in german it’s called Klettband,for my 3A when it’s time. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Germany Uwe

[@jackn4853]

Superb job on the interior. Lovely kittens. Please get Bella neutered(speyed) as there are far far too many unwanted cats.

[@BruceBoschek]

Seats and wheel are real winners! Going to be fun to drive, for sure!

[@jamcdona]

I love those wheels you restored more and more. Carpet looks fantastic! I would love that car as-is, although I might stress out about the cracks in the dash, but I'd probably end up leaving them. My 6 hood and fenders have lot's of 'patina' also, and I've come to the conclusion that I won't have the car painted, and I like that just fine.

[@cheftush]

Yeah, the dash cracks take some getting used to…but, it certainly has character and shows the history of the car…I think it’s the most badly cracked one I’ve seen 😉

[@indyme2]

Another great video and nice work by you two. Looking for more, lol.

[@cheftush]

I think you and Vern should double team the TR6 😉

[@indyme2]

@@cheftush That is an awesome idea! Unfortunately Vern doesn't share my love for Triumph's. I need someone like you or Elin in my neighborhood, lol.

[@cheftush]

@@indyme2 maybe if you slapped a 440 in it? 😉

[@indyme2]

That would probably work! Just not for me, lol.@@cheftush

[@RichardHeadGaming]

Carpet install looks great.

[@cheftush]

Thanks!

[@barry6274]

Everything looks great and the car does sound much better. After owning my TR 6 since 1996 and doing front bearings ,bal joints and some holes in the frame along with a bunch of electrical to get lights working it was certified and I drove it regularly until 2017 always doing things that improved its comfort and look. By that time the frame had further deteriorated to such a point it had to be reworked. In 2019 I decide to do it and then the frame upgrade turned into engine rebuild, and suspension was next. The patina now will stay as it is as it is part of me. I always thought a beauty like your TR -250 is what i wanted, but my opinion has changed and its a DAILY DRIVER I WANTED, AND I HAVE. You and Elin have helped me get there...THANK YOU.

[@spellacy29]

Love the grey carpet! That interior is looking terrific ❤

[@cheftush]

Thanks!

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

Dark grey loop carpet was original to this car (and other early TR4s). By the time most owners got around to replacing the carpet, most owners figured the old carpet was faded black, so the black carpet supplied by the various vendors was no big surprise. Several years ago TRF sold a dark grey carpet set for the TR4, but I am not sure they still carry that. Of course with their in-house Magic Carpet Company, they could still make them.

[@wtbm123]

Cool

[@GregsGarage]

Tbe trim is looking NICE!

[@philtucker1224]

Those carpets look absolutely wonderful.

[@cheftush]

Elin did a great job!

[@jimconklin8040]

She is looking awesome (for her age) ! I love how the carpet and seats look together. It is a shame you will not be repairing the saggy wheel arch vinyl as well. I guess if you have the right kind of speakers, they will hide that sag. Keep the great work going!

[@cheftush]

Well, if I replace the saggy wheel arch vinyl, I’d have to replace the wheel arch panels and the back panel and the dash pad etc…I’m trying to not go down that slippery slope…we have already done way more than we anticipated to do 😉

[@jimconklin8040]

David, I think it was just the camera angle as they were front and center when showing the carpet underlayment install. The cracked dash pad was not in the light, but I know it is there. Your dash, the door panels, the carpet, the seats look great. Now, just because Elin is away, don't stop working on the TR4 !@@cheftush

[@jerryhouck2708]

Looking good Dave. Great series as it reminds me kinda of what I went through with my TR6. After getting a teenager (not me) through high school and sitting in the back corner of a garage in Seattle for 34 years, it came into my ownership with the original Sierra Brown paint, scratches, dents and dings. Everyone wanted to know what color I was going to paint it and if I was going to do the bodywork myself etc. My first priorities were getting all the mechanicals sorted out and the I would worry about the "curb appeal" and "bling" later. After several years I have given it a lot of thought and have decided to keep the Sierra Brown color as the paint itself is in really fantastic shape as the car has never been parked outside since blowing a head gasquet back in '84. And as for the paint chips (too numerous to count), the scratches (lots and lots), dents (a couple of minor ones), and dings (several plus) and all the other scars and skin rashes, these will be kept as is because this old Triumph has earned its war paint and it can wear it proudly as a visual sign that it is still standing and still on the road and having a ball. Rock on Dave and Elin, Rock on! ....... Jerry 😎👍

[@cheftush]

Thanks Jerry.

[@charliezammit40]

It’s your car Dave ,but if it was e I definitely fix the dash.I really enjoy your show.

[@r1lark]

How to tune your TR carbs by Dr. Carburetor -- that would be a great video (HINT, HINT 🙂) Car is looking great. The only thing I would have done different is keep the stock chrome rocker cover, but you can't see it with the hood shut anyway. What's Rusty going to think when he gets back from vacation and finds out the cats have taken over the Rusty Beauties Garage?!?😮

[@cheftush]

lol I was thinking about rusty! He’s not going to like that much. He used to chase the mother around…I’m sure the kittens will be terrified!

[@TR4Ajim]

Dave, those carpets look great! Elin really is an artist with that stuff. I made a vinyl convertible top cover for my TR4A on my wife’s sewing machine, and even with the soft/pliable vinyl, it was a real challenge. BTW - on a previous video you mentioned that the passenger side mirror had questionable functionality. I felt the same about the one on my car. However I recently found a glass 3 inch round convex stick-on mirror on Amazon. It fit perfectly on the flat mirror, and really improved visibility on that side.👍

[@cheftush]

Hi Jim Thanks! Yes, quite a few guys run the little convex stick on glass and love them.

[@TR4Ajim]

@@cheftush yeah the real small ones are hard to use too, but the 3 inch one is almost the same size as the stock glass.

[@alanm.4298]

When I install mrrors, I always install the passenger side first, making sure it's on the most useful location. Matching then dictates where the driver side mirror is fitted. Unlike the passenger side, there's a lot more latitude where it can be located and still serve its purpose.

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

Canadian Tire has a good selection of variously-sized convex stick-on mirrors as well.

[@craigwiest772]

Sitting on its wheels with an interior and you didn’t finish with a short drive. Looking really sharp.

[@cheftush]

Love to, but it’s not insured or plated for the road as of yet….needs to be safetied and certified first.

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

Starting to look whole again.

[@cheftush]

I think it looking pretty good Keith!

[@billgoin4004]

You still need a new top for the dash, everything else looks Great

[@cheftush]

Sorry Bill, Dash top is staying put.

[@nicktomasi392]

Oh Noooooo!@@cheftush

[@cheftush]

@@nicktomasi392 it has a lot of “ character” 😉

[@nicktomasi392]

@@cheftush 'Lots!!"

[@jimshaver898]

As always, the project inspires!! I think the grey carpet is a great detail, gives it a clean look. Lots of fun things to look for as you both check off the boxes. Quick question, rubber fuel lines, what size (diameters etc) are you using and specific spec? Last one, are there Right side and Left side specific seats for the car, not sure about mine in my TR250, Thanks

[@cheftush]

Hi Jim , for the fuel lines it’s 5/16” up to the fuel pump. After the fuel pump to the carbs is 1/4”. The seats are handed based on where the release mechanism is for the seat tilt ( towards the door). Cheers, Tush

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

looking really good. Where did you get that Nigel Mansell-sized steering wheel ? But I am with Bill on the dash. Have you given thought to filling the cracks ? As it sits, it is a bit out of character with the rest of the car. And I can't wait for Dr SUe to figure out those carbs. John in Manitoba.

[@cheftush]

The wheel was an eBay purchase made by Springalex. Sorry to disappoint, but the dash stays as is. No cracks will be filled.

[@alanm.4298]

Hi David. Carpet and interior look great! Question: Didn't all TR4 come with grey carpet, regardless the interior trim color? My '62 didn't have the original when I got it in the 1970s. I installed a cheap kit that was black (JC Whitney? Triumph spares were harder to find before the Internet.) BTW, Elin's video about making the carpet is already up. I watched earlier (and left the same question for him.) Highly recommended viewing! He is a multi- talented guy. P.S. i have a "center console/arm rest" between the seats on my TR4, too. I have no idea where it came from (brain fart) but it is nice to leann on and has a locking, lidded compartment to provide a bit mor storage space.

[@cheftush]

Hi There, yes, Elins link to his video is in my description. I watched him make about 4 of the carpets before it was time to go home. Very interesting. I think if we’d of had some extra carpet, I would have had a go. About the carpet, yes, it’s my understanding that the early 4s all had dark grey carpet. I’m not sure when they changed to having colour options. Yes, I’ve got a center console/armrest in my TR6 and love it.

[@kge420]

Could it have been an addco accessory? I know they made ash trays that fit over the trans humps.

[@cheftush]

@@kge420 the addco consoles are very nice. I think there is a guy that’s doing reproductions of them…not cheap as I recall.

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

@@kge420 Close, back in the day AMCO made an aftermarket centre armrest that also held a speaker enclosure.

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

@@cheftush The current repro is made by Clark & Clark. I have one in my TR4, TR4A, and TR6.

[@philtucker1224]

Dave, you and Elin aren’t situated near any of those forest fires I hope? 🤔

[@cheftush]

No not really close although the smoke and air quality is supposed to be bad here throughout the weekend.

[@paulresca6681]

Looks great. Are the speakers going in factory locations or something else? Thanks again

[@cheftush]

I believe they are just going to be some small box speakers on the rear shelf that can be easily moved in and out of the car if required.

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

"Factory location" on this car was a single, cardboard-backed, metal enclosure in the passenger footwell; angled between the top of the scuttle panel and the firewall.

[@DonDavisGVL]

Tush, were you pleased with the Gorilla spray adhesive?

[@cheftush]

Hi Don, yes, it seemed to do the job just fine.

[@johnmckenna8989]

...Did you prepare the carpeting to accommodate access to the jacking hole,...or is the TR4 different from the way the TR3 is jacked up ? .....I'm going by the large rubber plugs on the floor, which on the TR3 cover the jack access hole to the frame....The battery posts on my TR3 are to the rear, so you can always get another battery with that orientation , if I convert to negative ground I'll replace the battery accordingly to keep the posts rearward.........John (west coast, Can.)

[@cheftush]

Hi John, The TR4 is different. As an FYI, all the way up to the TR6, they had the same holes and plugs in the floors.

[@johnmckenna8989]

@@cheftush...So, only the pre TR4 cars use the jack through the floor to an attachment point on the frame ? ...I've never given it much thought, always joked that it wasn't right for the passenger to stay dry while jacking up the car, but the driver gets wet changing a wheel in the rain...lol.....It's a unique system that works very well, for sure.....Funny thing is, I've met a few TR3 owners over the years, and not one knew about the jacking system, let alone have the proper jack/ratchet....I'm getting old, haha

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

@@cheftush but th.e TR4 is different from the TR4A. While the TR4A and later cars used a scissors jack, the TR4 used a screw jack that was put in place by unsnapping the carpet just in front of the seat bottom and folding it forward, removing the rubber plug, dropping the jack through the hole and hooking it on the bracket welded to the frame, and using the ratchet in the supplied toolkit to raise the frame/body from the surface. Of course the first time you need it and the car is not over a solid surface, you will likely unscrew the lifting portion from the base 🙂

[@charliezammit40]

What about the cracked dash panel,nothing is said about this!

[@cheftush]

Oh, quite a bit has been said about it! It’s not being changed out. It’s got “ character”.

[@kge420]

Dave, when and where is the show?

[@cheftush]

Hi Keith, Are you talking about the 6-PACK TRials that we are going to?

[@kge420]

@@cheftush Yes.

[@cheftush]

@@kge420 we leave on Wednesday september 20th. Event is from the 21st-24th. It is in Indiana Pennsylvania

[@gumbytheonetheonly9089]

Cheftush ... did you make a video showing how the soft pad on dash attaches TRA are there clamps or bolts nearest to driver / furthest from windshield ??? Can u help ??? I am stuck

[@cheftush]

Are you talking about the pad on top of the dash?

[@gumbytheonetheonly9089]

Yes .... I neglected to take picture during removal of the top soft pad

[@cheftush]

@@gumbytheonetheonly9089 for the pad to be installed, the windscreen frame needs to be removed from the car. On the pad, there will be two large holes for the legs of the windscreen to drop down through. There are three holes at the leading edge of the pad that pick up the three clamp locations at the base of the windscreen. The dash pad then wraps around the edge of the dash…there should be five holes in the flap that wraps around. These holes should line up with the bolt locations that hold the top of the metal dash in. Does that help?

[@gumbytheonetheonly9089]

Yes it does so the the winshiled is out ...... The 5 holes are what I am talking about ... So do those bolts or fasteners just pinch the vinyl.... there are not studs like the left and right lower sift pads .... is that correct

[@gumbytheonetheonly9089]

*soft ... so vinyl is sandwiched between body and metal removable dash with those 5 bolts .... thank u so much for you guidance and patience with me

[@philtucker1224]

David the rear part of the trunk (boot) looks far too smart against the rest of the patina. I wonder who is to blame for that? 🤔

[@cheftush]

Hi Phil, I left it as it was. It wasn’t faded out there by the sun so I just left it.

[@philtucker1224]

@@cheftush oh that’s fair, it’s unusually good..

[@philtucker1224]

Dave does the transmission tunnel have a rubber seal under it to prevent the water coming up?

[@cheftush]

Hi Phil, yes it does.

[@KeithStewart-tv5ud]

The washer set for holding down the transmission tunnel was not one of those wavy rectangles, but a large flat washer type so that the washer area does not extend past the tunnel flange at the rear.

[@cheftush]

@@KeithStewart-tv5ud yes, there were a couple areas where the wavy ones should have fit so we had a couple of spares. I just put it there as I had the extra.

[@dannyplanck6498]

Does alin(sp?) Know that there's some kind of hairy creature attacking his head?

[@cheftush]

I think it’s a tarantula…..

[@huwdavies6650]

You need to be on friendly terms with your passenger given the position of the Handbrake. 😂

[@cheftush]

Might work out well in some instances….” Sorry, was just reaching for the brake “ 😉

[@huwdavies6650]

@@cheftush 🤣

[@indyme2]

@@cheftush Lol!

[@philtucker1224]

Actually those wheels are starting to grow on me…

[@cheftush]

Lol, time to switch back to the hubcaps then 😉

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

@@cheftushYes… they look good but aren’t realistically quite right for that car… maybe the clearance problem can be solved since it apparently worked on a TR3A. I suppose the issue with the nice original steel wheels is that they are too narrow for 185/70 tyres ? The correct 165/80 tyres would probably be too expensive to justify for the style of car unless it was driven a lot.

[@cheftush]

@@johnmoruzzi7236 clearance issue has been resolved with some 3 mm spacers. They work on the TR3A as the upper control arm and ball joint arrangement is quite different from the TR4. Yes, if I was going with steel wheels, I’d have to go with the 165 tires.

[@pda49184]

Great work David.. Those TR-250 seats really look the business and I like the new steering wheel. It's getting very close to completion now and I have to say I'm going to mis this joint series from yourself and Elin. As a former red 1962 TR-4 owner it's been very nostalgic.

[@cheftush]

Thanks 👍