Interior remodel
 

Well, I finally decided to do something with the little bit of money I had to play with (or some of it at least) and also to do something more focused on me and my driving experience with the truck rather than try to find something on the exterior to mess with.

One of my favorite things to do on this truck is to try and fix the issues with Dodge's design, like leaving the tailgate handle and antenna base in textured black plastic. In a similar fashion, I like changing things about the truck that I think Dodge missed the mark on, like lighting and the sound system (which I still haven't done.)

Anyway, a ton of people have painted their interior plastics to match or even done some really cool stuff with hydrodipping. Mine are painted to match, and I like that. Hell, I even had custom door inserts cut out and I painted them to match as well to pull the truck's color to the doors as well.

One of my biggest issues with the interior is the fact that everything from the pillars up are tan despite the fact that the rest of the interior is black. My first thought was to paint the plastics and have the headliner recovered. However, everything I've been told and read online about interior paints left me worried about durability over time. I then talked to an upholstery shop about wrapping my pillars in fabric. The problem there is that the grab handles would have to be stitched. Most wouldn't touch it and those that said they would "try" priced it like they were working on a Lamborghini.

This got me thinking and spitballing an idea with a few people...so I pulled the A and B pillars out of the truck:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...psad3bbfdd.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps1c762936.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s82a121cc.jpeg

And sent them off to have the handles and bolt holes shaved. I know what you are thinking about the bolt holes, but after some trial and error, I figure that the bolts were only because the pillars had grab handles. Now the pillars will be held in place with the clips, as they were originally, and I may place some small pieces of double sided tape behind them as well, if I think its necessary. Here they are, as I received them today. Handles cut off, those holes and the bolt holes fiberglassed over, and then some bondo and primer. They aren't shaped exactly as I hoped, but I found that my way was virtually impossible without totally rebuilding them with glass and bondo.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s0c1215f0.jpeg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s82a121cc.jpeg

Now the plan is to order both foam backed black ultrasuede and non-foam backed black ultrasuede. I'll be covering the headliner, visors, and all A, B, and C pillars. The very small remaining pieces will be painted/dyed black.

Can't wait to see some more progress! I too don't understand why the roof and pillars are tan...

Hell yeah. I hate the tan crap they put in them. My Dakota is the same way and I'm wanting to get it changed to black somehow.

I'm excited about this one dude! Going to look amazing!

Very unique David...(whispers) and you know how I dig unique mods...:)

That's a really cool idea to remove the grab handles. Clean up the pillars and make the covering easier. Very nice.

Not much progress on this during the week due to school and work. I should be ordering my microsuede, glue, and paint tonight.

Hey Dave, how hard is it to get all the center dash pieces apart to paint? I need some cheap time killer and your work has inspired me! :)

Nothing crazy.

1. Take out the two screws under the little sunglasses holder (top of center stack, lift the rubber insert out)
2. Pry off the cover around the AC outlet and take out one screw.
3. Take out the two screws under the large pocket area (under the center stack, forward of your console shifter). It's also under the little rubber insert.
4. Carefully pry out the chrome trim ring around the shifter. Use a small flat head to work out the tabs.
5. Pull the main vertical center stack straight out.
6. Pull the lower piece around the shift straight up.

Material is officially ordered.

Sweet can't wait to see the finished product

X2!

Hell YES!

The material came in yesterday and I'm ashamed to say that between mowing and homework...I haven't even taken it out of the packaging to see if I like it or not. Hopefully I can invest a little time in it tonight after class.

Looking forward to it buddy.

UPDATE: All of the materials are now here. I have all of the fabric I ordered, the SEM paint and other necessary plastic painting products, and the adhesive for bonding the fabric to my pillars and headliner.

Now for the bad. I went to pull my headliner tonight and after an hour and a half of pulling all the seats and my subs and box....I figured out that the intended way for the headliner to come out of a crew cab is through the windshield opening.

After debating the options, I've decided to push forward. The windshield will be pulled Wednesday.

Re: Interior remodel
 

Damn that sucks dude. I think pulling the windshield sounds worse than it really is though. I think you made the right call.

ditto

just curious, what are you paying for a pull / install windshield?

$100. Friend of a friend. It probably helps that the Grand Caravan my dad uses for work needed a windshield and I convinced him to use this guy on the same day and even bring it to my house so the guy didn't have to go to two different places.

oh well thats not bad at all.

Its only a good price if nothing goes wrong, which, given my track record....here goes nothing.

Worst case, a new windshield is only a couple hundred more.

UPDATE: And a good one this time. Today my wife and I worked on wrapping the pillars after I got home from work. It wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. We got both A pillars, one B pillar, and both of the rear door trim pieces done in about an hour and a half or so.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps4d7074a2.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...psffc735f8.jpg

Badass. Looks good

That looks freakin sweet

i'm pretty sure you can pull the seats out well atleast the front ones and angle the headliner out the passenger front door you have to slightly bend a couple of the edges but as long as you don't go too far and do it quickly nothing creases

SO bad ass!

Matt, every service manual I have checked since I found out about this issue says the only way to get it pulled is through the windshield opening because of the large dimensions of the headliner. The rear doors look big enough but trust me, they are not.

However, I did read today that someone's dealership decided to pull it through the rear window opening instead of the windshield. I definitely like the idea of pulling the rear window instead of the windshield. I am going to research this and take some measurements this evening.

I like the idea of the windshield much better than the rear window. The power slider is an expensive window to replace of something goes wrong.

I was just thinking that too.............

David, the parts look awesome!

Now that pattern on the ironing board on the other hand is... legit.

Just like a woman to notice the ironing board.

Na I just remember Sarah and I using it one night when I was down there. That girl can use a ironing board like no other...

the front doors have a much bigger opening i've had mine in and out probably 5 times and the only difference in ours is yours is slightly longer. you can manipulate it where it goes out the pass side door side ways meaning the front of the headliner will go out first with the passenger side towards the floor and driver side towards the roof .. or vise versa depending on the bends but doing it this way and working it slowly works

The second B pillar is done now. I just have the C pillars, door inserts, and headliner to do now.

So the windshield didn't get pulled. Guy had to reschedule but didn't tell me until 45 min before our appointment.... after I had already left work early to meet him. Called a local company called Binswanger glass that I've used for windshield replacements over the last 12 years. They are only charging $20 more and will be out tomorrow at 3.

I hate when people flake out.

so is your plan to pull the windshield quickly do the headliner and then have them pop it back in? or are they going to come back the next day or something.

They will come back.

BOOM!

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...psc9e3dce2.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...pscdca7099.jpg

And now a question....I have all of the plastics that I need to paint out of the truck except these:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps22561066.jpg

I think the only way to get the seatbelt out (without destroying either piece) is to disassemble the spool and I'm not willing to do that. Any suggestions? I know the area where the belt travels will be high-wear and probably rub off, but I think I have a fix for that.

You know what sucks though? The two seat belt loops in the back of the truck are black from the factory.......if only I could get the seatbelt out.