Civilian Interior Install

[stranger75]

PHASE ONE:

A while back I pulled a headliner and interior trim pieces from an 83 K5 Blazer. Today, with the much appreciated help of StationJJ, I installed this interior in my M1009.

The interior trim consists 5 plastic pieces and 3 metal ones. I cleaned them up and spray painted them with Rustoleum Camo paint from wallyworld. The can says it bonds to plastic. So far it seems to be working. The trim can easily be cleaned of dirty fingerprints and smudges, and if I scratch them I can always touch it up with more rattle can.

I picked up a couple of ALICE ammo pouches, and MOLLE adaptors. To mount these onto the trim I used a dremel tool and a drill. I cut out notches for the MOLLE straps to fit through, and holes for the snap buttons. It only took about half an hour and was an easy mess to clean up. I like the way the pouches look, hanging above and to the side of the driver's head and passenger's head. I haven't filled them with anything yet, but I plan to.

I covered the roof with Peel N Seal before attaching the trim/ headliner. This is part of my plan to dampen engine/ road noise, and hopefully will assist in climate control insulation.

I also installed a unique dome light (currently working on wiring issue.). This light came in the ex-sheriff's office parts truck that I had (pic is of light still installed in parts truck). It is made by a company called Glar-Ban. I have not been able to find another one like it (google search), but I have found other Glar-Ban products. They made lighting and light filtering equipment for aircraft, and used to make products for military use. I'm not sure if the light is from the military or the sheriff's department, but it is OD green.

The headliner from the civvy K5 is basically a piece of cardboard. It was actually the most expensive part of the original trim that I pulled, at about $11.00. I couldn't justify spending $249 on the plastic headliner from LMC, so I figured I would fix this one up. I was able to find automotive headliner material at Jo-Ann Fabric for about $15 a yard. It's the most manly roll of fabric in that store. I stripped the cardboard of rotted liner material and foam, used 3M Spray 77 and attached the new material. Installing it with the trim was kind of a headache, but we got it done.

The trim and headliner hide the wire for the dome light.

Here are some pics, more when the sun comes out again.

 

[stranger75]

more pics

 

[forest522]

Great work! That looks fantastic!! I scored the same plastic pieces from a junkyard over the winter. Repainted "espresso' for plastic - Rustoleum. All fit nicely. The headliner was a tough one though, didnt fit quite as well.

The Home Depot roof repair stuff is great too! One of the best tricks I have learned here. I did not put it on the ceiling though. That was a good idea!

Oh and I dig the mag pouch install, very cool - you'll need to practice reload drills on your AR from the seated position, sounds like a fun day at the range!!!

Well done sir!!!

 

[4x4 Forever]

Looking Good!

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Very nice!


Two questions, though:

1. Why the blue dome on the light? From a night vision standpoint, that's the worst possible color.
2. In picture #3, where are you planning to mount the puppy?

Need some pics of the finished job, now!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Very nice!


Two questions, though:

1. Why the blue dome on the light? From a night vision standpoint, that's the worst possible color.
2. In picture #3, where are you planning to mount the puppy?

Need some pics of the finished job, now!

Thats odd. Almost every armored dome light I've seen had a blue lense. Shopvans have a blue lense as does the expandible series of trailer. Ambulances may have blue as well.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Something called "visual purple" is the substance that gives us night vision. Blue light destroys it. Red light does not. That's why it's used in combat vehicles.

Makes it hard to read maps, though. Every red line on a map just magically disappears.

 

[ThunderCracker]

Nice interior work! Looking forward to finished pics.

 

[stranger75]

Thanks for the replies. You are right about red light aiding in night vision retention. I do not know why this light has a blue lens/ filter or why the armored lights have blue. I like the way it looks, and it provides a kind of light different from white, which I like. I also have a AAA battery powered clip light on my dash radio mount. It is a dual LED light made by Mighty Bright. One light is RED, the other is white. I have found this to be very handy.

While driving today I noticed a slight difference in overall noise within the cab. This can be attributed to the Peel n Seal insulation on the ceiling and the headliner (with foam backing and cardboard). I bet when I do the floors and bed walls (eventually) the ambient noise in the truck will be greatly reduced.

Here are pics of the completed phase one install:

 

[stationjj]

I was glad to help. When its time too do my headliner I will need your help.

It really helps to have an extra set of hands.

I am glad we figured out your dome light fuse issue.

stationjj

 

[Crewdawg141]

Thanks for the replies. You are right about red light aiding in night vision retention. I do not know why this light has a blue lens/ filter or why the armored lights have blue. I like the way it looks, and it provides a kind of light different from white, which I like. I also have a AAA battery powered clip light on my dash radio mount. It is a dual LED light made by Mighty Bright. One light is RED, the other is white. I have found this to be very handy.

While driving today I noticed a slight difference in overall noise within the cab. This can be attributed to the Peel n Seal insulation on the ceiling and the headliner (with foam backing and cardboard). I bet when I do the floors and bed walls (eventually) the ambient noise in the truck will be greatly reduced.

Here are pics of the completed phase one install:

What is your plan for the floors and walls? I ask as I am pondering of what to do with mine.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Next is the Smittybilt G.E.A.R. seat covers with all the MOLLE attachments.

 

[stranger75]

I plan to use Peel n Seal on the cab floor and bed side walls, then bed liner over it. I have seen it done and it seems to hold up pretty well. I may do it on the bed floor too, but I am unsure of how durable the bed would be with Peel n Seal on it. I want to reduce noise in the truck and insulate the cab better. I would like to install A/C at some point in the future, and insulation is paramount to keeping the cab cool. I imagine it will also help when it gets cold. I have thought about carpet in the cab as well, but the LMC kit is pretty darn expensive, plus I would lose the rugged utility and easy cleaning that a bare floor provides.

I like the Smittybilt seat covers a lot. They look awesome and I'm sure I could stay organized with all of those pouches. I wonder about the comfort and durability of them though? They look like they fit rather loosely on the seat and seat back. I would like to see one that someone has been using for a couple of years. Do they hold up to repeated ins and outs, and stand up to abuse like original seat cover and/ or other after market covers?

 

[swinters]

Very nice!


Two questions, though:

1. Why the blue dome on the light? From a night vision standpoint, that's the worst possible color.
2. In picture #3, where are you planning to mount the puppy?

Need some pics of the finished job, now!

Combat vehicles were converted from red to blue because the wavelength of the light from red lights is like shooting up a flare to infrared and night vision equipment.

 

[cpf240]

I am glad we figured out your dome light fuse issue.

stationjj

I must have missed the follow-up to this.. what was causing the problem?

 

[cpf240]

I like the Smittybilt seat covers a lot. They look awesome and I'm sure I could stay organized with all of those pouches. I wonder about the comfort and durability of them though? They look like they fit rather loosely on the seat and seat back. I would like to see one that someone has been using for a couple of years. Do they hold up to repeated ins and outs, and stand up to abuse like original seat cover and/ or other after market covers?

I was looking at these when they were on sale a while back, but saw too many bad reviews. Most issues seemed to be poor quality control on the stitching and fading issues.

So now I'm looking at the reproduction military ones that Jatonka makes.

I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do, and if you do get the Smittybilts, what you think of them.

 

[HOWEY]

Faded smittybilt.

I was looking at these when they were on sale a while back, but saw too many bad reviews. Most issues seemed to be poor quality control on the stitching and fading issues.

So now I'm looking at the reproduction military ones that Jatonka makes.

I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do, and if you do get the Smittybilts, what you think of them.

I have the smittybilts about 2 years now, had no problems with the stitching but they do fade after some time, all said i like the faded look also......

 

[stranger75]

I must have missed the follow-up to this.. what was causing the problem?

The dome light was blowing fuses. Turns out the plastic trim piece had pinched the hot wire, cut into the insulation, and caused a short. The hot wire was making contact with the aluminum face of the peelnseal. I bandaged it with e-tape, insulated the ceiling directly above that area, and cut a small notch into the trim for the wire to fit through. Light works great now.

 

[Repo3004]

I plan to use Peel n Seal on the cab floor and bed side walls, then bed liner over it. I have seen it done and it seems to hold up pretty well. I may do it on the bed floor too, but I am unsure of how durable the bed would be with Peel n Seal on it. I want to reduce noise in the truck and insulate the cab better. I would like to install A/C at some point in the future, and insulation is paramount to keeping the cab cool. I imagine it will also help when it gets cold. I have thought about carpet in the cab as well, but the LMC kit is pretty darn expensive, plus I would lose the rugged utility and easy cleaning that a bare floor provides.

I like the Smittybilt seat covers a lot. They look awesome and I'm sure I could stay organized with all of those pouches. I wonder about the comfort and durability of them though? They look like they fit rather loosely on the seat and seat back. I would like to see one that someone has been using for a couple of years. Do they hold up to repeated ins and outs, and stand up to abuse like original seat cover and/ or other after market covers?

I did the PEEL AND SEAL everywhere from up under the dash, floors, inside door panels, and rear panels. Covered the floor with a new Vinyl black . I love Black Vinyl in my trucks. Takes a little patience and a solder pencil. Once I found the way I wanted everything to lay and the vinyl was the way I wanted I used the hot pencil and pushed up from the bottom melting through the vinyl and Peel and Seal for all my bolt holes. In the rear I used 1/4" steal diamond plate steel to cover the sides from behind the front seats to the back. Road noise is way down. Here is a link to the vinyl floor I used, http://www.auto-interior.com/moldedvinyl.htm

I also used the Smittybilt Molle seat covers, now I just need to figure out what to put in all those pouches they give you.

 

[Cleptomaniac]

Looks great! Any ideas for the back?