Converted half a dozen shades of blue interior pieces to black

[Mister-B]

I have a '69 that came with the one year only dark navy interior. While I like the navy, I resent it at the same time. They don't make any interior pieces that shade anymore. I had to replace my cracked dash pad recently, so I went with black. Besides, even if I could have found a blue dash pad, or painted it navy, it just gets way too hard to match the blue for all the different types of materials, from vinyl to metal.

Even from the factory, the sun visors were a very strange light shade of blue that didn't match anything on the truck. The steering column and wheel were a different shade from the door panels and the dashboard.

So, there's a little background as to why I switched. I'm very pleased with the results. Here's how I did it:

Start by cleaning your vinyl pieces with something like 409, that takes off grease, dirt, and interior shining products.

Next, spray the pieces with an adhesion promoter. I used Duplicolor from Autozone. It is clear, and helps the topcoat stick better. Use 2 light coats with a few minutes dry time between, and then start your top coat within 10 minutes. Use 3 or 4 light coats. This is key, to achieve the factory look I did. These parts don't look painted, and that's why. If you lay it on thick and wet, you will drip and get a painted look.


I hung the visors, since they have to be painted on both sides. Notice my makeshift paint booth in the closet on the balcony lol. It actually works really well, and I've painted a lot of truck parts in there


Here are the door panels converted to black, as well as the arm rests


And the visors (note that the triangular shaped mounting points are metal, so I used Rustoleum gloss black metal paint on them)


Here's the new dash pad and the dashboard I painted flat black with Rustoleum metal paint a couple weeks ago




Next up, I get to paint and clearcoat my steering wheel, as well as the steering column
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[lolife99]

Your truck just keeps getting better and better!

[LEX]

Good job.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Your truck just keeps getting better and better!

Thanks! Between the new dash pad, and the fresh paint, the interior of this 40+ year old truck has that "new" truck smell lol
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[terry b]

That turned out real nice. The finish on those parts look nice and even. Good job.

[RHGuyettejr]

I like it, nicely done.

[special-K]

You're the rattle can Van Gogh

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by special-K

You're the rattle can Van Gogh

Lmao. That's funny
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[JOJABOY]

my steering column look rough (chipped and scratch). it has about 3 different colors showing. and the PO painted all of the brake pedals and under dash when he painted the truck red. i have been planning on painting my steering column and under dash black. but i'm still back and forth on whether to paint my glove box lid and metal door panels too. have black seat, carpet, visors, dash pad, steering wheel and gauge cluster.

[Daddy Brim]

Very nice, I did the same thing to mine. The PO. painted everything and I mean everything some shade of tan.

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by JOJABOY

my steering column look rough (chipped and scratch). it has about 3 different colors showing. and the PO painted all of the brake pedals and under dash when he painted the truck red. i have been planning on painting my steering column and under dash black. but i'm still back and forth on whether to paint my glove box lid and metal door panels too. have black seat, carpet, visors, dash pad, steering wheel and gauge cluster.

IVe painted carpet before with good luck, hung it over a railing to open the fibers, spray in several direction then use a brush to keep it from matting and good coverage, carpet is just plastic like the rest.

[69Rumbler]

oo man im def going to do that to my truck ! looks good man..

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by special-K

You're the rattle can Van Gogh

I agree with K, the truck is looking good with what you've done lately.
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[Mister-B]

Thanks guys. It's fun to have it take shape without having to spend a lot. These interior pieces are expensive, and they don't even make the cool '69 door panels with the chevy logo anymore, so I'm glad I can restore these
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[chipflyer]

Good job, it looks very nice!

Jeff

[Mister-B]

I got some of the final major pieces painted black. I got the steering column and the steering wheel done. I also spruced up my instrument cluster, as you can see








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[camrycurt]

Wow!! That interior looks sharp! The wheel and column look especially nice.

Did you remove the column to paint it or just mask everything up and spray it in the truck?

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by camrycurt

Wow!! That interior looks sharp! The wheel and column look especially nice.

Did you remove the column to paint it or just mask everything up and spray it in the truck?

Thanks!

I was thinking of removing the column, but I looked up how to do it, and it would have been more work than just masking, so I left it in place and masked it. I removed the smaller parts like the fear selector, and the indicator behind it. I even just left the turn signal lever and gear shifter lever and masked around them. I didn't feel like taking them out, where I recently replaced them. The steering wheel was removed for painting, however. My Harbor Freight steering wheel puller made it easy

Oh, here are is a before shot of the interior


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[1972SUPERSB]

Looks really nice! Especially that steering wheel. Looks very nice
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[JOJABOY]

Mister-B Is that the original shift indicator (P,R,N,D,L,L)? I was just curious. I couldn't find one like that anywhere. I ended up puting a 1971-72 indicator and pointer on my truck.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by JOJABOY

Mister-B Is that the original shift indicator (P,R,N,D,L,L)? I was just curious. I couldn't find one like that anywhere. I ended up puting a 1971-72 indicator and pointer on my truck.

Yeah, it's original. I know what you mean. The ones I've seen at the yard are different
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[C/10 King]

Gorgeous! a very nice job indeed!

[Madtat]

looks real good, time well spent.