Upgrades
Interior
Interior Upgrades
When modernizing a vintage vehicle, gauges are a huge improvement. You can choose to keep them similar to OE, change the color of the face or go completely digital.
Many original gauge clusters used warning lights instead of actual gauges for things like oil pressure, temperature and amps. By upgrading your gauge cluster, you can retain the original look and also get the information you need without adding under dash gauges. In addition, you can add many new features such as a clock, compass, quarter mile times, transmission temperature and many more. At Bratt Brothers, we like Dakota Digital as our preferred gauge package.
Seat Belts
Seat belts were not mandatory until 1968. Many cars and trucks before that did not have them. Lap belts can be added to any vehicle and come in a variety of colors to match your interior. Even cars that came with belts can be upgraded to retractable to keep them out of the way.
Shoulder belts are a little trickier. If the vehicle has a “B” pillar to mount the harness, it’s simple. Many cars of the 60’s and 70’s were hardtops with no pillar separating the door glass from the quarter glass. This makes for a more difficult installation. You can also do a 5-point harness, similar to what a race car would have.
Sound Deadening
Deadening material such as Dynamat, Hushmat or other similar products act as a sound barrier and provide insulation. It can be installed on the floor, firewall, roof, inside the doors, bottom side of the hood and anywhere else that you want to quiet down, reduce rattles and reduce heat. For anyone running a custom sound system, this is a must.
