1981 F150 "Old Blue" needs a new interior

[salans7]

I'm excited to see the progress on this one!

[Gary Lewis]

Christmas in April!!

Everything is there except the new glovebox (backordered), so I guess I have no excuse but to start. I'll post new and old parts as I work through the project.

That is going to be FUN!

[JohnnyD]

Christmas in April!!

Everything is there except the new glovebox (backordered), so I guess I have no excuse but to start. I'll post new and old parts as I work through the project.

First stop: DASHBOARD

I opened the box and this is what I found:

Top view of the new dash. Even has VIN cutout in the edge. Only difference I can see from the original is the original had an octagonal radio grill and this one is square (doesn't show well here).

Here you can see the front view of the new one.

Here's what we want to get rid of. Big crack above the instruments, a small bull's eye, and the radio grill is about to fall in.

I started to take out the screws on the old one, but wait! If all else fails, read the directions. This is a dash cover, not a replacement. It slid over the old one sweet as can be. Kinda snapped into place, no adjustments needed. The hardest part was cleaning 38 years of crud off the old dash and then squeezing out a bead of RTV all around the edge of the new one and around all the vents. Then it slipped in place, snapped, and I worked it around to make sure everything was in contact. I stuffed cardboard around the edges to make sure they were making good contact. Also I wanted to make sure the radio grill was stuck on, so I put the blocks on top and wedged them in place with a board. Now to let the RTV dry.

Ta dah!! Here we are, good as new (well, almost). As I said in an earlier post, I couldn't get the part in a blue that matched the original powder blue, so I opted with black. Since this truck is never going to win best of show, I decided that the black made a nice contrast with the remaining blue parts, no need to fine-tune the paint match or repaint everything.

Total time for this (besides the RTV drying) was 45 min. Wow!

I'm probably not supposed to promote specific products, but I can't say enough good about this one. This came from LMC: "Dash Cover - Black" p/n 49-5519-BL $129.95. I'd have done this 15 years ago if I knew it was going to be so easy. I don't think the rest of the project will be as easy as this, but it gives me a jump start.

[Gary Lewis]

First stop: DASHBOARD

I opened the box and this is what I found:

Top view of the new dash. Even has VIN cutout in the edge. Only difference I can see from the original is the original had an octagonal radio grill and this one is square (doesn't show well here).

Here you can see the front view of the new one.

Here's what we want to get rid of. Big crack above the instruments, a small bull's eye, and the radio grill is about to fall in.

I started to take out the screws on the old one, but wait! If all else fails, read the directions. This is a dash cover, not a replacement. It slid over the old one sweet as can be. Kinda snapped into place, no adjustments needed. The hardest part was cleaning 38 years of crud off the old dash and then squeezing out a bead of RTV all around the edge of the new one and around all the vents. Then it slipped in place, snapped, and I worked it around to make sure everything was in contact. I stuffed cardboard around the edges to make sure they were making good contact. Also I wanted to make sure the radio grill was stuck on, so I put the blocks on top and wedged them in place with a board. Now to let the RTV dry.

Ta dah!! Here we are, good as new (well, almost). As I said in an earlier post, I couldn't get the part in a blue that matched the original powder blue, so I opted with black. Since this truck is never going to win best of show, I decided that the black made a nice contrast with the remaining blue parts, no need to fine-tune the paint match or repaint everything.

Total time for this (besides the RTV drying) was 45 min. Wow!

I'm probably not supposed to promote specific products, but I can't say enough good about this one. This came from LMC: "Dash Cover - Black" p/n 49-5519-BL $129.95. I'd have done this 15 years ago if I knew it was going to be so easy. I don't think the rest of the project will be as easy as this, but it gives me a jump start.

I have the same Coverlay cover for Big Blue. Not sure when I'll put it on, but the one I had on an '82 Explorer made a huge difference. Well worth the cost.

Now, if all the upgrades go that well you'll be done by Monday.

[FuzzFace2]

I have the same Coverlay cover for Big Blue. Not sure when I'll put it on, but the one I had on an '82 Explorer made a huge difference. Well worth the cost.

Now, if all the upgrades go that well you'll be done by Monday.

Looks good almost like a new truck LOL.

There were cars that had black dash pads with other color seats and door panels.

Ever see a white inside with a white dash pad ......... nope it was black.

Had a 63 Buick Skylark drop top: white body / black top and white inside but the dash was black.

I also have a cover overlay I got from a member. I have only tried a quick fit and looks to fit pretty good.

I have a 2nd dash pad that I will try some of the posted repairs to. If it works great if not oh well on the shelf it goes it get in the way too much.

Dave ----

[JohnnyD]

Looks good almost like a new truck LOL.

There were cars that had black dash pads with other color seats and door panels.

Ever see a white inside with a white dash pad ......... nope it was black.

Had a 63 Buick Skylark drop top: white body / black top and white inside but the dash was black.

I also have a cover overlay I got from a member. I have only tried a quick fit and looks to fit pretty good.

I have a 2nd dash pad that I will try some of the posted repairs to. If it works great if not oh well on the shelf it goes it get in the way too much.

Dave ----

FWIW, here's a tip on slider door locks, if you haven't discovered it the way I did.

Those little devils are hard to unhook from the control rod when taking off the door panel (or putting it on). I managed to break the plastic weld on the brand new one I just bought (grrrr). It is busy being JB Welded right now.

Then I discovered that you should pop the whole slider mechanism out of the door panel, THEN rotate it off of the control rod. Easy Peasy! And the bonus is that you don't have to take the interior door handle off, either.

[JohnnyD]

FWIW, here's a tip on slider door locks, if you haven't discovered it the way I did.

Those little devils are hard to unhook from the control rod when taking off the door panel (or putting it on). I managed to break the plastic weld on the brand new one I just bought (grrrr). It is busy being JB Welded right now.

Then I discovered that you should pop the whole slider mechanism out of the door panel, THEN rotate it off of the control rod. Easy Peasy! And the bonus is that you don't have to take the interior door handle off, either.

Spelunking under the seat (a dangerous thing to do).

So I took the seat out yesterday as the first step in recovering it. Not to say that I'm meticulous about keeping Old Blue spotless, but as I was cleaning out mouse nests and empty pretzel bags from under there, I started unrolling wadded up receipts and worked my way back to 2006. Then I found the prize of prizes - a check book. Turns out it was my son's, and although it didn't have a year noted in the register, the transactions were clearly no later than his last year in high school -- he graduated in 1999. I guess cleaning out under the seat once every couple of decades isn't too excessive.

Speaking of cleaning, since I had Old Blue painted in Sept of 2017, I was granted a bye and was able to skip the annual wash job in the summer of 2018, 'cause I could still tell what color it was. Summer is on its way, so I guess 2019 is the year of the new blue's first wash.

And would you believe my wife earned her living as a house cleaner for many years? Yes, she is very excited about being able to ride in Old Blue without having to launder her clothes after the trip...

[FuzzFace2]

Spelunking under the seat (a dangerous thing to do).

So I took the seat out yesterday as the first step in recovering it. Not to say that I'm meticulous about keeping Old Blue spotless, but as I was cleaning out mouse nests and empty pretzel bags from under there, I started unrolling wadded up receipts and worked my way back to 2006. Then I found the prize of prizes - a check book. Turns out it was my son's, and although it didn't have a year noted in the register, the transactions were clearly no later than his last year in high school -- he graduated in 1999. I guess cleaning out under the seat once every couple of decades isn't too excessive.

Speaking of cleaning, since I had Old Blue painted in Sept of 2017, I was granted a bye and was able to skip the annual wash job in the summer of 2018, 'cause I could still tell what color it was. Summer is on its way, so I guess 2019 is the year of the new blue's first wash.

And would you believe my wife earned her living as a house cleaner for many years? Yes, she is very excited about being able to ride in Old Blue without having to launder her clothes after the trip...

Thanks for the tip on the door panels & slider locks.

I hope I can remember that when I go to put mine back together after painting.

Heck I hope I remember how the insides go back in the doors after years being apart.

What are you doing with the seat? I have not looked does LMC sell a re-cover kit where you pull what is left of the old one off. Then re-pad and put the new back on?

I have 1 rip in mine that is not bad and I bought a cover but would be nice to have the factory look to the seat with out rips.

Dave ----

[salans7]

FWIW, here's a tip on slider door locks, if you haven't discovered it the way I did.

Those little devils are hard to unhook from the control rod when taking off the door panel (or putting it on). I managed to break the plastic weld on the brand new one I just bought (grrrr). It is busy being JB Welded right now.

Then I discovered that you should pop the whole slider mechanism out of the door panel, THEN rotate it off of the control rod. Easy Peasy! And the bonus is that you don't have to take the interior door handle off, either.

This is a great tip, however prying too hard on the slide locks may detach the plastic face from the metal backing as many of us 80-81 owners have found out, and it's very hard to reattach the faces and get them to stay.

 

[Ray Cecil]

Another blue truck....I see a trend.

Cant wait to see this one completed.