Interior color change 99-01

[vacuumbed]

Hey guys,
I have a 01 Explorer Limited with the gray interior. I am contemplating to buy a 1999 Explorer Limited with the tan interior, which I don't like.

The door panels and seats should be easy to swap, but is the headliner (with sunroof) and the dash hard to change out?

 

[96Green]

Hey man. That's a difficult question to answer... Define "hard". Everything comes out with nuts & bolts, so... The most difficult part would be keeping track of where all the various bolts and wiring harnesses go. By the time you've swapped all the trim pieces, door panels, carpets, etc... the dash is probably not that much harder.

As for the headliner... the Gen 2 headliners do not age well, in my experience, and simply maneuvering it in and out is probably a 2 person job to keep it from going all floppy and limp, and damaging itself as you remove / install it. It will be even more prone to folding given that it's got a mahoosive hole it for the sunroof.

To get the headliner out in one piece, all of the side trims will need to come out, along with the visors, 'Oh Crap' handles, interior lights, and overhead console (if equipped). You will then need to maneuver it out through the rear hatch, without folding it. It's flexible, but if you crease it, you'll leave a mark on it that you will see once it is re-installed.


The big question is, how much do you not like the tan interior. I mean... it could be worse... you could have the green interior, like mine!

 

[vacuumbed]

Thanks for the reply 96Green, good advice. I love the green in your Explorer, even more than the gray in my 2001 Limited. The green has taste and it's easy on the eyes. Back in 1997 I leased a new 97 Explorer XLT 4 door that had the green interior, miss that color. They don't make them like they used to!

 

[96Green]

Glad I could help.

To be honest, I hated the green when I first got it. I'd be lying if I said it hasn't grown on me a bit, though.

 

[rabbit91]

I would trade for grey! I think it looks way better than tan, although I'm happy mine has wood trim

 

[99SportX]

I am going to be doing an interior swap as well. I just picked up a 99 limited with the dark gray leather interior and all the fancy options. I am going to be replacing a more basic light gray cloth interior. Headliner is no big deal as you will have all the plastic panels out that hold it up and all that would remain is dome lights and overhead console. Dash is a little more involved. I have pulled the dash out of these things a few times and as long as you know where all the bolts and wiring connectors are it isn't a big deal. The manual CD's you can get on ebay have good details, but if you have a helper you can leave it pretty well assembled with column/steering wheel still installed. If the vehicles are both optioned the same you wont have to change any wiring harnesses. If they aren't then you will have to keep the respective dash harness with each vehicle.

 

[vacuumbed]

Great advice guys, thank you. I think 1999 was the best year for Explorer. In 2000 Ford began deleting stuff. I have a 2001 Limited and I'd like to find a 99 Limited that's decent with the V8 AWD. I'm still looking.

@96Green When I leased my new 1997 Explorer I think I was indifferent about green interior, then it really grew on me.

 

[LoquetusofBorg]

I took everything out of my explorer, (dash, steering column,heater plenum,seats,carpeting,back seats, etc.), nothing left but metal and re painted the drab light grey, to a light grey that pops. I have owned a rig with a hunter green interior and to this day it was one of my favorite colors for an interior. I also took the head liner out and cleaned it and re painted it also with a cloth paint along with the visors, the visor actually came from the donor 98 limited I bought that was a tan interior that I cleaned and re painted to light grey. It will be a lot of work. Good luck with your project!
Loquetus