Alright, dash paint job time -- help decide what gets painted!

[draft]

Ok, this is more maintence than anything, but also getting what I want in the same process. When I got this truck, alot of the lower leg plastic panels had wear and still have it, and I'll be honest, I'm not much of a fan of tan.

So I got my hands on a spray gun and compressor, and next is to order the amount of paint I'll be needing, but first, I need to decide what gets painted.

Here's some pictures of the dash...

Now, before I post those, I've got my heart set on the radio bezel, HU relocation console piece, and the cupholders. What I'm debating is the instrument cluster around the gauges, the entire top dash, air vents, etc... Even the door panels and A/B pillars...

This is where I really need your help. I don't want to ruin the contrast of colors I already have, but I want all the black to shine, which I will be using my exterior body color to paint the inside with.

So please do let me know your thoughts on this.. much appreciated!

And this just doesn't have to be restricted to the dash or anything, I'm even considering painting the side panels of the full length console, that might look real good all shiny black.

Thanks!

 

[bmacd]

draft, off topic, but would you consider fabbing a lillyput screen in my console for some $$$ ?

-=bmacd=-

 

[99SportX]

How did you paint the stuff that is black now and used to be tan? The side seat parts look great. I would do the bezel around the gauges, but only the part that is black now. The console would look great too in black. Having the whole dash black could cause some glare problems, and it might look overdone. Just my opinions, but I wish you had a gray interior stock.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Well there is allot of work if you do the door panels correctly. Soon my tan door panels will be red also and the painter was trying to tell what needed to be done, but it was all Greek to me. But there is more to it than just hitting it with some paint. Sanding, primer, sanding, more primer, etc. till you get ready to hit it with the final coat of color. I can't wait to see mine.

 

[Pheonixx77]

i painted my interrior recently and heres how i did it, to save you ALOT of hassle. take it out to paint. go to auto zone and get a product called "prep-all" comes in a tall can blueish label, use that to wipe it all down before painting. i used 500 degree engine enamel to paint then covered it with 500 degree clear coat to prevent excessive chipping. the paint does take a while to dry, and you can only re coat within 1 hour. but when that paint dries it is tough as nails. i let my stuff sit in the garage for a week before i thought about putting it back in the truck. the paint is NOT cheap and it took me about 15 cans to do almost my whole interrior (2 coats). if u want to see pics go to my cardomain page, link is in signature.

 

[MONMIX]

Jeez that interior looks brand new !!!!!!!!
I like the fact you are mixing it up and not going all one color. Thus far the black and tan look good together and have nice flow.
I know you didn't say it but I just want to suggest in this thread that you DO NOT paint the air bag doors.
That being said, here is what I would do if it were my Ex.
Paint the knee bolster, the entire rocker trim, the A pillar trim,
as far as the back stuff I would fine line an edge about the same width as the a pillar trim all the way around and fully across the rear pillar trim. ( do you undersand that ? )

I am liking the way all that looks. You have got me thinking about doing some of that with My Ex now.

 

[draft]

MONMIX... didn't really understand the whole fine lining an edge near the pillars and what not... sounds interesting though, could you explain a little more?

For right now, I got my entire console out, both the side panels for it, the cup holder piece and the relocated HU piece. Nothing left really there. As far as the dash goes, the radio bezel I'm set on, still undecided on the piece around the gauges or how I want to do it. Same goes with A/B pillars.. not sure. Oh, and I'm for sure going to do the trim near the knees of the driver.

I'll be honest, for being a 98, people think I just bought this car new off a lot, and the 36k on the odo just makes them assume that much more. (Ford wouldn't roll it forward, so I now have a 36k truck for a bit). Just some of the lower pieces and dull-black pieces aren't just as clean of a look as I'd like it to be.

I ordered some 3M Sprayable Poly Filler to smooth the plastic out and get a fine look, in case this doesn't work, I got glass bondo and my DA sander down the street to use, but that's ALOT messier and takes 10x longer, and well, may crack.

 

[MONMIX]

Hmmmm how can I decribe that with out using my hands,,,,,,,,,,,,

Okay, look at the A pillar trim. Follow it up to the B pillar.
Now suppose you paint the A pillar trim black, where it ends at the B pillar trim, instead of it ending make it keep going into the B pillar trim just keep the black paint the B pillar the same width as the A pillar, and so on.

Is that any clearer?
It looks cool in my head at least.

 

[Glowin97x]

if ya need a hand spraying IM me sometime, should look sweet

 

[draft]

Okay, now I get it MONMIX. Sounds interesting still...

Definately will be givin' you a holla on spraying, I gotta get all this **** smoothed out first. Waiting on my poly filler.

 

[Sallad420]

I love the look of your X.

What did you use to paint the doors? I mean that area on the top of the doors where the door lock is. It's that puffy vinyl piece that has those little dimples in it? I'd like to paint mine, but because it's flexable, I'm scared the paint will chip. Did you dye it?

 

[Glowin97x]

ive decided to do mine too, looking to find a radio bezel as a core

 

[nnnick]

airbag cover would look good. How about you just coat the entire dash in fiberglass and spray it....that would make it shiny, extra trick, and get rid of that tan color :smoke:

 

[MONMIX]

nnick !!!!!!!!
NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't glass or paint your air bag ?
Do you really want glass and or paint flying into your face in the event of an accident ?
Remember air bags are life saving devices, I would let them be.

DRAFT, keep me posted on what you decide. I really like the way your interior looks, and I am trying to come up with a simular scheeme.
With out being just like you.
( no offence mind you )

 

[draft]

lol, I'm not touching any of my airbags. I don't want to clutter up my interior with heat-dwelling and blinding black that it's not drivable, nor safe. Besides, I promised my gf in all that I do, I would never and have not ever touched the safety factor of the truck, other than that, she loves what I do.

I started the filler yesterday, testing the waters of bondo adhering to stiff/not-moving-ever plastic pieces and it's looking good so far. I have the 3M Sprayable Polyester Filler on it's way ($40 mind you), so I'll be using that on pieces in anyway flexible, as I don't trust bondo (crackage).

I have a month to finish this really, but I hope to finish all the smoothing by the end of next week, will post pics when I get more done.

 

[Premier]

Good luck.

 

[draft]

Not happening.

I start classes next week, and honestly, I can't afford the paint and time this is gonna take. Most of all, I though of something.. big, my TV is a flat black, it looks completely awesome kind of hidden in with the bezel, I don't wanna ruin that, and making everything a gloss black will. Maybe if I can afford Phoneix Imaging down the road, I'll get my stuff "black brushed" like I'm dreaming of.

Everything was put back in the truck tonight. I need my truck back together, it's becoming a hassle.