Interior restoration is where a lot of builds fall apart — literally. People spend enormous effort and money on the engine and bodywork, then slap in a $300 seat cover kit and call it done. The interior is what you live in every time you drive the car.

For my 1968 Camaro, I sourced correct-grain vinyl from a trim supplier, had the door panels redone by a local upholstery shop that specializes in classics, and rebuilt the dash pad rather than replacing it with a repo piece. The difference is visible.

The carpet is cut from the correct material with the correct binding. The headliner is original material glued to the original board. These things matter if you care about the finished product.