My Luxurious late model truck (not so much)

[Hankster]

Can't wait to see the grille all freshened up! Should look real good!


P.s. The interior is looking good!

[Palf70Step]

Agree. Some times I think those dash installs need 2 people with 6 arms each.

[mud.man.rj]

Wow, amazed what is behind the dash, bet most are like that, yuck. Not work cleaning, at least you will know what is there now.

[Tx Firefighter]

I've been mulling over what to do for a radio in this thing. I'm kind of tapped out right now financially so just ordering one isn't an option.

Then I remembered a stereo in the bottom drawer of my tool box. Years ago I was teaching an auto extrication class where we cut a car to pieces. I was talking to the tow truck driver that came to retrieve the remnants. He told me I could have anything off of the car that I wanted since it was going straight to the scrap yard so I snagged the head unit. There are three problems though. 1) I need a dash mounting kit. 2) The wiring on the radio was cut off flush with the plug. 3) The remote control for the headunit was gone.

Problem 1, I got a used black dash mount and sprayed it with SEM dye to match the dash

Problem 2, eBay new Pioneer wiring harness plug. 4 bucks delivered to my door

Problem 3, remote control. 7 bucks from eBay for a new one, delivered to my door.

That's the beauty of old obsolete equipment, parts aren't worth anything. So, for all said and done with a new adapter harness, stereo harness and remote control I'm out 18 bucks.

Sorry for the poor picture. I took it with my phone at 4am this morning before I left to go to work.

[Low Elco]

Looks good! It's shocking what that dye'll do, even if you think it doesn't look that bad, WOW, when you put it all back together. This is gonna be real nice when you get all back together.

[aggie91]

Looks good Kevin. I started a new project this weekend, and plan to use your techniques and budget minded purchases to redo it. Internet shopping can be a good thing.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Looks good! It's shocking what that dye'll do, even if you think it doesn't look that bad, WOW, when you put it all back together. This is gonna be real nice when you get all back together.

That was my experience. The dash looked good till I got it on sawhorses and really cleaned. Then I noticed how red it was on the lower parts and how faded and washed out the top was. SEM fixed that.

Originally Posted by aggie91

Looks good Kevin. I started a new project this weekend, and plan to use your techniques and budget minded purchases to redo it. Internet shopping can be a good thing.

What new project ?

Internet shopping for low end electrical stuff like these stereo harnesses and such is a real eye opener. Like buying an iPhone charger. Apple whacks you like 25 bucks or you can get a Chinese copy off eBay for 3 bucks delivered to your door. The two stereo harnesses I ordered are generic Chinese copies but the remote control is advertised as a genuine Pioneer part.

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

...What new project ? ...

The link is in my signature, 1985 GMC.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I especially don't feel bad about buying Apple knockoffs from China on ebay, because apple builds all their "high-end" junk in China anyways.

[Tx Firefighter]

I know my sh1t is lame in the scheme of the big buck builds on this board, but it sure is fun to me.

Amazon.com and UPS made me happy today.



Those of you who know me will know that I have a pedal pad fetish. Every truck I build, no matter how minor it is, gets new pedal pads. With the new interior I've been working on ,it's only a natural. That Dorman box is 25 new door panel clips for when I finally find a pair of decent door panels. The Sylvania box is 10 new bulbs for my dash lights. And the rest is a billet grille bowtie and lenses and reflectors for my grille refurbishment project.

Bright eyes...





I'm still waiting on my dash speakers, and I ordered some Gates parts for my belt drive stuff on the front of the engine. My tensioner is haggard. My idler pulley is completely gone, and my belt is old. Gates sells a kit that includes all of that under one part number. Amazon ships things separately so stuff kind of trickles in after you place a big order.

Baby steps. Remember, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Keep chewing away and eventually you'll have the whole thing finished.

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I know my sh1t is lame in the scheme of the big buck builds on this board, but it sure is fun to me.

I wouldn't say that. I was catching up here yesterday thinking next time I want a new used truck I should see if you have one you are tired of.

[Thunderwagen]

I wouldn't say your builds are lame at all. I think they are inspiring to the rest of us that you build such bad ass and super detailed projects on a small budget. I personally hope my truck comes out close to as detailed as yours and I probably have more money in my motor alone than you do in your whole truck. It gets frustrating for me because it seems like I never get anything done cause I'm always saving for this or that and my build has snowballed to the point I'm having to make compromises like ditching the ac.

It's builds like yours that are fun to me. When builds start getting really expensive it seems people usually get burned out. I would like to find a cheap square body and do something like what you are doing.

By the way do you still have the powder coating business? I'm gonna have some stuff I need to get coated.

[Tx Firefighter]

Cluster all taken apart, cleaned, bulbs replaced, and now going back together. The dash project as a whole is really turning out well. I'll try and get pictures tonight.

[aggie91]

Cluster looks good and those new lenses for the grill update will make a huge difference.

What's with the billet bowtie bling? That does not seem to fit your style...BUT it does look good!

[Tx Firefighter]

Karl, I'm going for this look. I think the al-u-miniam (British pronunciation) ties well with the argent grille bars.



Plus, my factory bowtie is weathered and I called my buddy at GM to price a new one. I don't remember now what the price was, but billet was significantly cheaper.

I'm very happy with the SEM vinyl paint. Good stuff, good coverage, nice finish. Good match for the OEM red parts too. A bit pricy at 15 per can but it does go a long way.







I'm currently waiting on stereo wiring harness to arrive Thursday and dash speakers on Friday so I can fully button up the dash. After that, I need at least a driver door panel and two headliner moldings and the entire interior will be complete.

Oh, and forgot to mention after doing all of this my volt gauge is now dead. It wasn't dead before. Apparently some part of removing and replacing the dash or refreshing the instrument cluster is to blame. Now I sit here stewing over that until tomorrow. I'm sure I'll lose sleep over it. And I'm not kidding about losing sleep. I'm a worrier.

[flashed]

Tex ,another outstanding job ,the interior turned out great .

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I know my sh1t is lame in the scheme of the big buck builds on this board, but it sure is fun to me.

As i am in the middle of a rather involved build myself, i disagree. While not overwhelmed with custom parts and thingies, your build is inspiring and fun to watch. i don't follow along with all of the really custom builds, but i follow all of yours. your style and thorough methods are great to watch and motivate me to build mine better, custom or not. I dont think i will ever muster the patience and eye for detail you have, but watching your progress has helped mine.

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Baby steps. Remember, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Keep chewing away and eventually you'll have the whole thing finished.

As before, your method is inspiring and has helped me. i find it easier to be complete and more detailed in the work i am doing to mine simply by this motto. i may not be fast, but if i do something productive, no matter how big or little every day, progress is made. Thanks for that bit of wisdom both in words and by letting us follow your builds. i know for certain it has helped make my build better despite the difference in the project.

[Thunderwagen]

How many cans of the sem did it take you to do the dash? I need to order some to do mine.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by flashed

Tex ,another outstanding job ,the interior turned out great .

Thank you for the words. Your truck is one that I have pictures saved of and use for motivation at times.

Originally Posted by ryanroo

As i am in the middle of a rather involved build myself, i disagree. While not overwhelmed with custom parts and thingies, your build is inspiring and fun to watch. i don't follow along with all of the really custom builds, but i follow all of yours. your style and thorough methods are great to watch and motivate me to build mine better, custom or not. I dont think i will ever muster the patience and eye for detail you have, but watching your progress has helped mine.



As before, your method is inspiring and has helped me. i find it easier to be complete and more detailed in the work i am doing to mine simply by this motto. i may not be fast, but if i do something productive, no matter how big or little every day, progress is made. Thanks for that bit of wisdom both in words and by letting us follow your builds. i know for certain it has helped make my build better despite the difference in the project.

Everyday. You got to pick up the tools. One day without progress leads to a month without progress. I got a coworker that's rebuilding a 72 model. He's stalled out and I can't say or do anything to get him back in motion. He's about 5 years into it and just ground to a halt.

Originally Posted by Thunderwagen

How many cans of the sem did it take you to do the dash? I need to order some to do mine.

Two cans will absolutely do it with plenty to spare. I did every single piece of the dash from speaker grilles to fuse box cover and all and have plenty left over on my second can.

[83GMCK2500]

Wow! That dash looks great! I missed the cleaning you gave it a page back, flipped back through and see it now. What a difference your time, some elbow grease, and the SEM dye have made. I still can't get enough of that island of shifter bezel, love that thing.

Lame? Your build? Not hardly! There is so much great information and practical approaches to fixing or maintaining one of these trucks in this thread it will undoubtedly be a tool for others to reference as these trucks are still kept up years from now.

I am kinda excited to see the new lenses in the refreshed grille, I like that you've chosen the OEM looking cut lenses and not some aftermarket clear one. I haven't seen many grilles of that era that aren't cracking out around the mounting areas, I'm glad this one is solid enough for you to repaint.

Voltage gauge, miiiight just be the connection to the back of the cluster, I have experienced some finicky ones in the past. Ye' ol' pull cluster, lift contacts for a better connection, and re-seat cluster. Good luck, hope it's something small like that.

[Sodell]

You-Stereo, what's going on Kevin?

I try to keep up with your builds, your attention to detail is outstanding. You take a little time and work to make things look great where others would just go out an buy new.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

As i am in the middle of a rather involved build myself, i disagree. While not overwhelmed with custom parts and thingies, your build is inspiring and fun to watch. i don't follow along with all of the really custom builds, but i follow all of yours. your style and thorough methods are great to watch and motivate me to build mine better, custom or not. I dont think i will ever muster the patience and eye for detail you have, but watching your progress has helped mine.



As before, your method is inspiring and has helped me. i find it easier to be complete and more detailed in the work i am doing to mine simply by this motto. i may not be fast, but if i do something productive, no matter how big or little every day, progress is made. Thanks for that bit of wisdom both in words and by letting us follow your builds. i know for certain it has helped make my build better despite the difference in the project.

Your words mean a lot to me. I simply can't afford to play on the same field that some of the heavy hitters do, but I try to make up for it with what I can do, free labor and attention to detail. Notice in none of my build threads over the years have you ever read the words "I'll come back and fix this later" or "this will do for now". I try to make everything 100% when I do it so I can turn the page and move on to the next thing without having to ever look back.

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

Wow! That dash looks great! I missed the cleaning you gave it a page back, flipped back through and see it now. What a difference your time, some elbow grease, and the SEM dye have made. I still can't get enough of that island of shifter bezel, love that thing.

Lame? Your build? Not hardly! There is so much great information and practical approaches to fixing or maintaining one of these trucks in this thread it will undoubtedly be a tool for others to reference as these trucks are still kept up years from now.

I am kinda excited to see the new lenses in the refreshed grille, I like that you've chosen the OEM looking cut lenses and not some aftermarket clear one. I haven't seen many grilles of that era that aren't cracking out around the mounting areas, I'm glad this one is solid enough for you to repaint.

Voltage gauge, miiiight just be the connection to the back of the cluster, I have experienced some finicky ones in the past. Ye' ol' pull cluster, lift contacts for a better connection, and re-seat cluster. Good luck, hope it's something small like that.

I still haven't dug into the volt gauge issue. There's some trees around the house here that finally p1ssed me off enough that I threw down my tools and picked up my chainsaw. Needless to say, I'm tired today. I think a man should be able to walk anywhere on his property and not have to duck under a low hanging tree.

Originally Posted by Sodell

You-Stereo, what's going on Kevin?

I try to keep up with your builds, your attention to detail is outstanding. You take a little time and work to make things look great where others would just go out an buy new.

The stereo thing stems from another vehicle I have. When I haul my daughters around I use my little Honda toaster. I mean, it really looks like a toaster without the bread sticking out of the top. Its a normal Honda with great gas mileage and all the reliability Honda built their name on. But one thing that stands out is the stereo. It has a killer stereo in it right from the factory. There's an amp and a subwoofer and a place to plug in my iPhone to port the music over. It makes driving the little car so much more enjoyable. Some mornings when I leave for work at 4am, there's nothing nicer than piling into that little car with its good windshield wipers, nice stereo, and quiet ride that makes me forget about old trucks. When the weather sucks or its frigid cold, I hate to start out the 24 hour work shift by making myself suffer by driving a beater. In that vein, I'm going heavy on the sound dampening and stereo on this project. I'd like it to turn out to be a truly pleasant 365 day per year driver. I know sometimes when I drive my 78 stepside to work that I just want to run it into a ditch and burn it and walk to work.

On that subject, while I didn't accomplish any 4x4 work today, I did get a delivery from Amazon. My little Kicker dash speakers came in. To recap, I now have Rockford Fosgate 4x6 in the rear pillar spots and Kicker 4x6 in the dash spots. No real reason for my choices other than finding close out deals on name brand stuff. I'm no audiophile so my choices are uneducated at best.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Your words mean a lot to me. I simply can't afford to play on the same field that some of the heavy hitters do, but I try to make up for it with what I can do, free labor and attention to detail. Notice in none of my build threads over the years have you ever read the words "I'll come back and fix this later" or "this will do for now". I try to make everything 100% when I do it so I can turn the page and move on to the next thing without having to ever look back.




I still haven't dug into the volt gauge issue. There's some trees around the house here that finally p1ssed me off enough that I threw down my tools and picked up my chainsaw. Needless to say, I'm tired today. I think a man should be able to walk anywhere on his property and not have to duck under a low hanging tree.



The stereo thing stems from another vehicle I have. When I haul my daughters around I use my little Honda toaster. I mean, it really looks like a toaster without the bread sticking out of the top. Its a normal Honda with great gas mileage and all the reliability Honda built their name on. But one thing that stands out is the stereo. It has a killer stereo in it right from the factory. There's an amp and a subwoofer and a place to plug in my iPhone to port the music over. It makes driving the little car so much more enjoyable. Some mornings when I leave for work at 4am, there's nothing nicer than piling into that little car with its good windshield wipers, nice stereo, and quiet ride that makes me forget about old trucks. When the weather sucks or its frigid cold, I hate to start out the 24 hour work shift by making myself suffer by driving a beater. In that vein, I'm going heavy on the sound dampening and stereo on this project. I'd like it to turn out to be a truly pleasant 365 day per year driver. I know sometimes when I drive my 78 stepside to work that I just want to run it into a ditch and burn it and walk to work.

On that subject, while I didn't accomplish any 4x4 work today, I did get a delivery from Amazon. My little Kicker dash speakers came in. To recap, I now have Rockford Fosgate 4x6 in the rear pillar spots and Kicker 4x6 in the dash spots. No real reason for my choices other than finding close out deals on name brand stuff. I'm no audiophile so my choices are uneducated at best.

I did Kenwood 4x6 dash + rear pillar speakers; some 10" subs in generic truck boxes, & a 5-channel Kenwood amp. Works very well w/o being too much but could be better w/some interior (my 90 also has the bare cab). My plan is similar though. The next round of upgrades will target noise isolation & control for the interior surfaces/space.

[Sodell]

In my 88, I had to build a sub box that would fit behind the seat so I could still put the seat all the way back. I used a 10" shallow sub I got on Amazon Prime for $50.

Kevin, you might want to put a few dabs of silicon between the speaker and the grill to keep it from vibrating. I used four dabs because after I installed the speakers the grills rattled a bit.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Sodell

In my 88, I had to build a sub box that would fit behind the seat so I could still put the seat all the way back. I used a 10" shallow sub I got on Amazon Prime for $50.

Kevin, you might want to put a few dabs of silicon between the speaker and the grill to keep it from vibrating. I used four dabs because after I installed the speakers the grills rattled a bit.

I won't use boxes that prevent the seat from shifting all the way back since that's where mine is set. Not sure what brand they were though....