Interior Remodeling

[Timd32]

Guess auto correct knew better. Have some rodent issues in my truck that's been sitting way too long.

Was going to call it rework, it changed to remodel.

Close enough.

Going to be removing the interior of my 96, thought there were some good existing g threads. Not really trying to recreate the wheel here.

Anything to quickly watch out for on these 2nd Gen interiors.

Otherwise will post back anything I figure out.

Hoping dash does not have to come out. Might be wishful thinking, my dash is not cracked is the reason I don't want to pull the dash.

 

[HPSimpson]

The little rodents love those blend doors great place to build there family!

 

[Timd32]

Found the original window sticker, never knew that came with the truck.

Overall the glove box did have some snacks I left in there,, so the air box is most likely crammed in there with crap.

 

[GrantP]

I would strongly suggest you listen to your gut and DO NOT pull that dash apart unless you absolutely have to. It's not just the dash top that can crack, it's the bezel/surround and the plastic "frame" that all of that bolts on to. It's all very fragile old plastic at this point and best left alone.

Besides, it looks like all it needs is a days worth of elbow grease and some cleaning supplies.

 

[Timd32]

I would strongly suggest you listen to your gut and DO NOT pull that dash apart unless you absolutely have to. It's not just the dash top that can crack, it's the bezel/surround and the plastic "frame" that all of that bolts on to. It's all very fragile old plastic at this point and best left alone.

Besides, it looks like all it needs is a days worth of elbow grease and some cleaning supplies.

Yep agree at this point made good headway today.

I've had those fresh air filters on the front for a while on the outside. There is turd on them but I think that helped some for sure.

They have had the run of th place, but the seat foam is intact.

I don't know if there was an easier way, again working solo I just took the 13m head bolts out the front, 13mm head nuts off the back, 18mm head nuts off the back middle. One simple connector. And the whole thing was a little flimsy but got the front seat out.

Put a scratch in the rocker panel, there was already wear from boots on there that needed to be fixed. So would suggest some decent tape and cardboard on the rocker on the side the seat comes out.

Can of worms officially opened.

No clue how the shifter boot thing comes apart, will look at the manual, imagine that.

I kinda have some concerns on how they re installed this old junk carpet in a frame off rebuild in 2012. Was before I owned it but have all the pictures if the rebuild.

That did not last 4 years, as this thing has never seen the snow or salt since I owned it in March 2014 give or take.

 

[DavidC]

Apparently they did not restore the floor board metal huh ?. That looks bad in the pictures.

 

[Timd32]

Can't hurt.

I doubt there is anything in here. I have tons set around the place, none even eaten.

Some other pics of the other mess areas. I'll have to prep and address that rust for sure will make a little more of a project out of this but looks like it's just the driver's side which is understandable.

 

[Timd32]

Instruments of reconstruction obtained.

Helped a long time friend go pick up a 74 VW Bug today and he had this sitting out the garage for me. He knows I would never take any $ for the move, was about 5hr RT, I tied it to a service call so was not out of the way.

He has 2 machines, it will be perfect to fill some of the smaller holes in the floor pan, they are not super big.

Need a bottle of gas for it. Will have to look at what needs to come off for welding on the truck. Not much probably the batteries have been out for a long time. Maybe some electrical connectors will look that up and try to get a bottle this week.

Told him first thing you need to do with a free welder is build a cart.

 

[BillBaker]

Who did the seat upholstery, any idea?

 

[Cole Dean]

I JUST did this! Hopefully your airbox doesnt look like mine did! I took the whole thing apart and soaked it in baking soda and water to get rid of the smell of mouse piss. They didnt eat any wires thankfully, but man did they tear up the seats and took over behind the dash.

 

[crabman]

Placing moth balls in small cloth bags and hanging them in engine compartment, trunk, inside cab, on top of tires and around the frame area will keep all rodents from making your vehicle their home.

 

[Timd32]

Who did the seat upholstery, any idea?

I'm not sure, I checked all the paperwork did not find the seat covers. Will look again.

I'm sure it was a kit and the previous owner, owns a body shop so they likely did in house.

Closest I could find were at Leatherseats.com, not an exact match but really close with the color and logo.

https://www.leatherseats.com/shop/special-deals/dodge-special-deals.html?___store=mobile

 

[Timd32]

I JUST did this! Hopefully your airbox doesnt look like mine did! I took the whole thing apart and soaked it in baking soda and water to get rid of the smell of mouse piss. They didnt eat any wires thankfully, but man did they tear up the seats and took over behind the dash.






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Wow, yeah they are destroyers for sure. Will try some baking soda, the smell was not too bad the seats were intact.

I checked my trap last night and nothing found.



That requires the dash to come out?

Any way to see inside easily to check?

 

[Timd32]

Placing moth balls in small cloth bags and hanging them in engine compartment, trunk, inside cab, on top of tires and around the frame area will keep all rodents from making your vehicle their home.

That also works for stray city cats when my Aunt had the neighbors with 15+ cats using her flower beds as a litter box.

I'm game for trying that for sure.

Even once I get this all cleaned up the truck does not drive yet will still be sitting for a while.

 

[Cole Dean]

Wow, yeah they are destroyers for sure. Will try some baking soda, the smell was not too bad the seats were intact.

I checked my trap last night and nothing found.



That requires the dash to come out?

Any way to see inside easily to check?

Tim, in my case zero air was coming from the vents, and I could hear the blower motor straining to run. My truck had been in our fleet, and when the transmission finally gave up it got parked. It sat in our yard for almost six years before I dug it out and decided to get it running again. I gutted the interior and thats when I discovered the airbox. You could drop the blower motor and see if you can shine a light up into the cavity. But if you have airflow ( although it may smell) they may have not moved in too bad.

 

[Timd32]

Tim, in my case zero air was coming from the vents, and I could hear the blower motor straining to run. My truck had been in our fleet, and when the transmission finally gave up it got parked. It sat in our yard for almost six years before I dug it out and decided to get it running again. I gutted the interior and thats when I discovered the airbox. You could drop the blower motor and see if you can shine a light up into the cavity. But if you have airflow ( although it may smell) they may have not moved in too bad.

Mines been sitting for 2yr dont feel so bad then. Same deal Trans was shot, most of the parts have been on hand to fix.

Got it and will take a look at that blower motor deal first.

Trashed all old carpet today, so making headway.

The seats take up too much room in my second bay to drag this out.

Maybe be cleaned up this weekend, if I don't get distracted or see something shiny.

 

[Timd32]

Got scraper and wire brush out to get the nasty carpet up.

Still have not figured out the shifter boot deal.

Hopefully doing some rust mitigation next round of work.

Need to figure out those hole plug deals. The one was pretty nasty.

Floor is still.pretty soild so no real.issues there, just little more elbow grease. Small wire wheel or the small.wizzer deal will take care of the rust. Will use some sort of rust inhibitor primer or something. Don't want to.disturb the headliner till I'm ready to deal with that.

It will come out prior to final floor paint deal for sure.

 

[Cole Dean]

Got scraper and wire brush out to get the nasty carpet up.

Still have not figured out the shifter boot deal.

Hopefully doing some rust mitigation next round of work.

Need to figure out those hole plug deals. The one was pretty nasty.

Floor is still.pretty soild so no real.issues there, just little more elbow grease. Small wire wheel or the small.wizzer deal will take care of the rust. Will use some sort of rust inhibitor primer or something. Don't want to.disturb the headliner till I'm ready to deal with that.

It will come out prior to final floor paint deal for sure.

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Lift up the rubber boot just above the metal plate. There should be 4 or 6 screws holding the plate to the floor. Unscrew shift knob and slide the boot and plate off of the shaft.

 

[DavidC]

Trying to find those body plugs is the challenge. If you get by a wrecking yard they were widely used in different sizes of course otherwise the usual internet search.

 

[Timd32]

Lift up the rubber boot just above the metal plate. There should be 4 or 6 screws holding the plate to the floor. Unscrew shift knob and slide the boot and plate off of the shaft.

Thanks will try a little harder.

My guess is they glued the thing down or something. I think they thought sealing it all up was a good thing. Everything is glued down for some reason. 6 or so screws are out, as is the actual transfer case so the shifter is just hanging out. The shifter is just hanging out.

I can see some more screws that look pretty crusty from underneath. Did not want to pry too much on that black plastic piece.

Did not spend too much time except pulling those couple screws out and prying lightly.

Trying to find those body plugs is the challenge. If you get by a wrecking yard they were widely used in different sizes of course otherwise the usual internet search.

Yeah if I don't figure it out will clean them up real good and maybe soak in some of the rust stuff. I have a small bottle of the Kano rust stuff, think it's an acid deal mix 3 parts water to the stuff and soak. Then will use a nice galvanized spray maybe.

I think those kind of things not cleaned up led to the whole rust deal I'm seeing. That along with the glued down rusty carpet and the rusty seat frame bolted and glued all together, what a disaster. For all the work they did to this truck the few poor choices really screwed things up.

Anyone ever rhino line the outer rocker panel where you step in? Maybe when I get the bed done was thinking that would work there? Not sure if the thickness would be a issue with door fitment. That scratch is my fault for trying to get the seat out in one piece with no help.

I finally broke down and ordered a glass bead cabinet and a decent compressor. That will be a few weeks as not much is stock. These NE trucks are just miserable when it comes to rust. They don't need any help. Would be great to blast the bottom of those plugs and freshen up the things properly.

They also had these bags of insulation in the back cab wells guess they were for sound deadening, drivers side had one big one, passenger had 3 smaller and one was eaten up by the mice.

Don't think they are going back in. I have a box of that mastic sound deadening, I'm not 100% sure if I will even do that stuff at this point. It could just be worse then what they did. I really don't want to seal in rust. That could be a bad move.