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Interior trim help

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tanman

Interior trim help

My truck is a base model with only A-pillar trim. I want to complete the interior trim and install a headliner to make the cab more "cozy." I have sourced what I believe to be all the necessary parts except for screws.

How are these metal trim pieces installed? Do they screw directly into the cab?

The trim above each window, and above and below the rear glass are metal with these "clips." I got everything from ebay and facebook. I wasn't able to pull it myself and see how this all works.

86 F150 4.9 Automatic

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

They just pop into slots in the cab. You may have to push hard or hit it with the palm of your hand to get it to go.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

LARIAT 85

Re: Interior trim help

In reply to this post by tanman

I don't think your base model truck is going to have the slots in the sheet metal for the trim clips to push into.

Lucille: 1985 Ford F150 XLT Lariat

*Colors: Dark Canyon Red exterior, Canyon Red interior
*Engine: 5.0, CompCams 31-230-3, "Thumper" E7 heads, Edelbrock Performer intake, Autolite 4100 carburetor, DuraSpark II ignition, Thorley Tri-Y headers, Flowmaster dual exhaust, H-pipe.
*Drivetrain: AOD transmission, 3.55 gears, 2wd.

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

Rick - I think you are right!

Here's a pic of them on Dad's truck:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

tanman

Re: Interior trim help

Yeah, I don't have those slots.

I think it's weird they aren't there. I would think it's cheaper to "slot every cab" regardless of trim package.

I may use short screws similar to the A pillars. I would like to test fit everything prior to painting the individual pieces to match.

86 F150 4.9 Automatic

tanman

Re: Interior trim help

Here's a weird question. What if anything is between the interior roof and the outer roof of the cab? Could I fill it with foam as insulation?

86 F150 4.9 Automatic

Gsmblue

Re: Interior trim help

In reply to this post by tanman

Do you have a dremel? Maybe you can cut the slots in.

The location of the clips is denoted by cut out v markers on the trim. From that you can probably work out the locations the slots need to be

1985.5 F-150 XL Explorer standard cab 5.0 EFI AOD 4x4
Daily Driver. We call her Eunice the Ute.

1982 Bronco XLT Lariat 351W AOD 4x4
Code name Esperanza, or Espy to her friends. Please see my Project thread for the blow by blow.

1984 F-350 XL Centurion crew cab 460 T19 4x4
"Eylza Dual-little"

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

In reply to this post by tanman

Yes, it is strange that that they didn't have the slots on the base trucks. I guess someone didn't think the slots look very good.

And yes, you can fill the area between the panels with foam. HOWEVER, you are very likely to raise the outer roof with the foam. Dad's truck has that area filled and the body/paint man had to do a lot of work to get the roof to look right. So you may create a problem that is really hard to fix.

Also, if you do it you'll want to use the low-expansion foam. That stuff will be less likely to raise the roof, but it still may.

Instead of doing that on Big Blue I stuck sound-deadening pieces up there and then put insulation above the Hi-liner headliner.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BigBrother-84

Re: Interior trim help

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Here are these rectangular slots in Big Brother, for the passenger door and the rear window as well.

I agree this is not "cute" if no mouldings.

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.

kramttocs

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

In reply to this post by tanman

I wouldn't fill it with foam. If you are going with a headliner, do like Gary mentioned and add some insulation/deadener between it and the sheet metal. I really like the Eastwood X-Mat (just installed some this evening actually) but there's a dozen different brands to choose from.

Scott
'Camano' 1986 F250 Supercab XLT Lariat 460/C6
'Chanute' 1980 F350 C&C 400/NP 435 - Gin Pole

But there ain't nothin' wrong with the radio

Rusty_S85

Re: Interior trim help

kramttocs wrote

I wouldn't fill it with foam. If you are going with a headliner, do like Gary mentioned and add some insulation/deadener between it and the sheet metal. I really like the Eastwood X-Mat (just installed some this evening actually) but there's a dozen different brands to choose from.

I agree, if I sprayed anything between the roof layers it wouldnt be expanding foam it would be spray on thermal/acoustic barriers but that would be quite hard to do seeing as that stuff requires it to be sprayed 3 mil thick to function properly.

"Old Blue" - '56 Fairlane Town Sedan - 292-4V, Ford-O-Matic transmission, 3.22:1
'63 Belair 2dr sdn - 283-4V, Powerglide transmission, 4.56:1
'78 Cougar XR7 - 351-2V, FMX transmission, 2.75:1 9inch
"Bruno" - '82 F150 Flareside - 302-2V, C6 transmission, 2.75:1 9inch, 31x10.50-15 BFG KO2

BigBrother-84

Re: Interior trim help

Guys, not sure about the goal of filling space with foam.
For thermal insulation? I wonder about the foam under a potentially VERY hot 🥵 metal roof.
For sound insulation? Urethane has a VERY BAD sound transmission resistance.
In all cases, I wouldn't fill this space using urethane foam.

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

I think we are all saying the same thing - don't put foam in there. Maybe for different, but still very good, reasons.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

AmericanSavage

Re: Interior trim help

In reply to this post by tanman

On my restore, the previous owners stripped the truck of all the molding except the one over the windshield. They even ripped out the headliner. I went to the pick multiple times as inventory came in and found the pieces I needed. I have slots to push in the metal molding all over mine, and also screws in the places where the metal molding meets the plastic molding. It took me 4 months to collect all of it.

Classic Interiors has everything one needs for the headliner if interested, including an upgrade I think from the pressboard to an ABS plastic. They can match all the headliner interior color for our years. they also send free samples. I was able to find a new headliner press board with an after market headliner foam that I will replace with the stock color eventually, for pennies on the dollar.

I have seen a lot of trucks at the pick from 80-86, and a lot of F100s. ALL of them had molding in one form or another. Many had the molding, but no carpeting--especially behind the bench seat that hung from a metal piece that was screwed in, not slotted. I was even able to secure the correct color carpeting behind the bench and it was in great shape, remarkably.

What base models did not have it (the slots)? I am interested in this.

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

Hard to answer which models have the slots since the model names changed over the years. But any truck with a headliner had the slots as they had the trim around the headliner. So a base model truck wouldn't have the slots since it didn't have the headliner.

For instance, in 1981 there were these models: Custom; Ranger; Ranger XLT, & Ranger Lariat. And the Ranger didn't have a headliner but the Ranger XLT did.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

AmericanSavage

Re: Interior trim help

Gary Lewis wrote

Hard to answer which models have the slots since the model names changed over the years. But any truck with a headliner had the slots as they had the trim around the headliner. So a base model truck wouldn't have the slots since it didn't have the headliner.

For instance, in 1981 there were these models: Custom; Ranger; Ranger XLT, & Ranger Lariat. And the Ranger didn't have a headliner but the Ranger XLT did.

This makes sense to me Gary. Thank you.

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)

tanman

Re: Interior trim help

In reply to this post by tanman

How do I remove the interior metal trim piece above the windshield? Do I pry it off slowly? I tinkered with it last night and got really nervous about cracking the glass.

I am color matching all the trim so I need to strip everything out.

86 F150 4.9 Automatic

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

Yes, you pry it off. There are spring-metal tabs that go in slots and you have to pull them out. It is scary, but works.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

kramttocs

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

Saw this in a jy 1980 F250 last week and thought it amusing and somewhat relevant. I guess if you are going to spray foam, REALLY spray foam.

Scott
'Camano' 1986 F250 Supercab XLT Lariat 460/C6
'Chanute' 1980 F350 C&C 400/NP 435 - Gin Pole

But there ain't nothin' wrong with the radio

Gary Lewis

Re: Interior trim help

Administrator

Well, that might stop water getting into the cab corners. Now the middle of the floor will rust.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile