Questions on Preserving Cab Interior_1977 GMC

[AbigailAmelia]

I'm excited that my new-to-me 1977 GMC Sierra Classic seems to have a pretty nice interior (original?), and I'm looking for input on how to preserve it, what products are safe to use, and what products/chemicals to avoid.

Lots o' questions here that match up with the photos. Maybe you have an answer to one or two?

1) What can I use to clean/preserve the interior door panel?
2) The headliner is intact, but it has The Little Tear That Could. What's the correct way to stop this tear from expanding?
3) The door panel is chipped. Until I find an original replacement, is there a safe way to trim the chip to make it look less ragged?
4) The shifter knob likes to almost slide off.
a. Any tricks to keep it in place?
b. Any cool sources for replacement knobs in case I stray from original?
5) Certainly the dome light originally had a cover? Does anyone have the source and part number for the original cover and bulb?

Thanks!

Michelle

[mongocanfly]

Little bit of superglue might fix the headliner tear..5 minute 2 part epoxy will hold the shifter knob...lmc and others have replacement dome light covers..http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/...?Page=97...the bulb can be bought from a parts store..I used a led bulb in mine with a clear lense..very bright..not sure what knobs you need but lmc carries those as well..on the door panel about all you could do would be to round off that corner if your wanting to save it..and time hasn't been friendly to it either so it will be brittle..I would just go ahead and get a pair of replacements..as bad as most panels are in a 40 yr old truck they will be hard to preserve..the sun has been rough on these parts..

[dragonball98312]

Lets see more pics

[rusty76]

I'd like to see some more pics please. Especially of the doors. Thanks.

[AbigailAmelia]

Here are some more pictures of the interior.

Sitting at red lights gives you time to scrutinize an old truck...I doubt my instrument panel dash "wood grain" is original. The panel has a squishy foil trim (see photo) and is washed out compared to the passenger side "wood grain." Yeah, First World Problems, but now it bugs me, and I want to find an original replacement.

1) What's the appropriate thread here to search for parts to buy?

2) What am I looking for? 1977 GMC Sierra Classic Instrument Panel Cover?

3) Was the identical item used in other GMC or Chevy trucks?

4) Any recommendations for people near Portland, OR who do truck interior restorations?

Thanks!

[Katrina/10]

Your woodgrain dash panel looks original to me. The squishy foil trim is original also, but usually deteriorates and falls off. There is not much you can do with the crumbling door panels but replace them. Classic Parts has a good selection of door panels for these trucks, but I have not purchased any yet, so I can't say how good they are.

[mongocanfly]

I got door panels and a dash cover for my 81 from coverlay...it all looks good and fit good...

[AbigailAmelia]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

Your woodgrain dash panel looks original to me. The squishy foil trim is original also, but usually deteriorates and falls off.

Really? Ew. Why would they make the instrument panel trim totally different than the flat metal trim on the passenger side?

Thanks for the info, of course!

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by AbigailAmelia

Really? Ew. Why would they make the instrument panel trim totally different than the flat metal trim on the passenger side?

Thanks for the info, of course!

I wish I knew! I would guess since the passenger panel is metal and the instrument panel is plastic, they tried to dress it up with the glued on silver strip. My truck came with one and it fell off after a couple of years.

Due to the age of these trucks and the many different variations, you just have to work with what is available. It may be impossible to put it back exactly the way it was new.

[rusty76]

Also LMC started carrying the wood grain panels and other related stuff. Try them as well. LMC Truck is the name. Google it and you can also get a free catalog as well.

[TKCR]

1) What's the appropriate thread here to search for parts to buy?

You can post and search for parts here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/forumdisplay.php?f=5

Another good place is here: http://car-part.com/mobile//index.htm

I have found good parts in the salvage yards for my truck. And then this a list of all the other online places to search for parts. I have used all of them.

http://www.usa1industries.com
http://www.lmctruck.com
http://www.classicindustries.com
http://www.truckandcarshop.com/truck...t73_cover.html
http://www.classicparts.com

[TKCR]

For the headliner, recover it. Take it out, carefully remove the old vinyl. And then you use spray glue to put the new vinyl on. It only takes 2 yds of material you can get from here:
https://www.miamicorp.com/products/H...EADLINING.aspx

I did mine, it was one of the first things I did, until the whole interior was restored. Check out my build thread, most of the work, I did myself. The seat was the only thing I paid to have done by someone.