Out with the old, in with the new.
Now that the exterior of our project truck is nearly complete--we're simply waiting for the retrofit of our '91-'93 Ram grille in place of the '87 unit--we decided to move to the inside.
So where do you start with a former utilitarian pickup? For us, this project meant we had to remove and discard just about the entire contents of the D-150 in order to meet our goal--to update the interior in a manner that illustrates the exterior's sport truck theme. Working with several suppliers, including Auto Custom Carpets, Crutchfield, Auto Meter, Grant Products, Sewfine, and The Eastwood Company, we launched our plan to fabricate a new interior. The results are shown here to illustrate just how great a sport truck the last generation Ram trucks are. You be the judge!
Carpet
Only one name comes to mind when it comes to carpetAuto Custom Carpets. Not only did ACC have the 87 D-150 carpet available for shipment, but they also had it available in more colors than we could imagine. We opted for gray to match our existing interior panels.
After removal of the old bench...
After removal of the old bench seat, we began our project by installing all the audio and power wires for our new Crutchfield sound system. Here, we place the new Auto Custom Carpet.
In preparation for the Sewfine...
In preparation for the Sewfine seats, we cut bolt holes into the carpet.
Sewfine did a great job making...
Sewfine did a great job making the seat frame, as it fits exactly into the original seat frame locations. All the mounting holes lined up without any modifications.
Seats
From the first step of our project, we really didnt know what we were going to dountil we found Sewfine. Certainly a lot of seat manufacturers have universal seat frames, in which you drill a hole in your floorboard or weld up some frames to work. What really impressed us with Sewfine was that they supplied seat frames specific to our Dodge D-150, as well as some of the best-looking seats for the sport truck market.
Sewfine's center console/seat...
Sewfine's center console/seat was adjusted to prevent it from contacting the back of the cab.
The last step was to position...
The last step was to position the bucket seats on the frame and bolt them in.
Here are the finished Sewfine...
Here are the finished Sewfine seats with the center seat down, showing the wood console. It folds up, offering space for a third passenger.
Steering Wheel
The first name in aftermarket steering wheels is Grant, and its no wonder since they offer more styles, colors, and sizes than anybody else. Also, prices start in an affordable range. Add to those perks its ability to fit most applications, and you know why we chose Grant.
This photo shows our new Grant...
This photo shows our new Grant steering wheel. Grant sent us a two-tone leather-wrapped wheel that matched our interior colors. The company also included a adapter kit for our 87 Dodge D-150.
In this photo you can see...
In this photo you can see a modified column cover. Although Grant packaged the steering wheel with two different covers, neither completely covered the gap between the wheel and post. We used the original column cover and removed the center, then bonded it to the larger of the two covers supplied. This worked perfectly.
We bolted the steering wheel...
We bolted the steering wheel on, then snapped the horn button in place.
Sound System
Now that the truck was looking good inside and out, we needed to make it sound good as well. The staff at Crutchfield helped us with the equipment we neededliterally everythingall wire harnesses and adapters to match with the D150 were sent. Crutchfield offers the most understandable and complete installation instructions in the industry.
To ensure good sound and as...
To ensure good sound and as little outside noise as possible, The Eastwood Company supplied us with a Dynamat sound barrier. We used the Dynamat in the door panels, between the headliner and the roof, and the back of the truck cab. Here an installation roller was used to secure the edges.
Holes were drilled into the...
Holes were drilled into the door panels for tweeter placement.
Be careful to mark proper...
Be careful to mark proper placement of the speakers on both doors. This photo shows a door panel with two tweeters. This was an accident on our part, as we drilled holes in opposite sides of our panels. In order to make a match pair, Crutchfield came through with advice on installing a second tweeter in each door panel.
We replaced the original speakers...
We replaced the original speakers with new, higher-quality 6x9-inch speakers capable of receiving the power that our Kenwood amp would deliver.
New 4x10 speakers were installed...
New 4x10 speakers were installed into the factory brackets, behind the seats, and the bracket was bolted in place.
Shown here is a Kenwood 10-inch...
Shown here is a Kenwood 10-inch subwoofer, which sits behind the passenger seat. Techflex sent us some of there Flexo Sleeving, which we used to cover all the exposed wires. This gave the exposed wires a finished, braided appearance.
We chose a 300-watt Kenwood...
We chose a 300-watt Kenwood amp, which was bolted on the seat frame, under the middle seat. It's important to locate the amp in an area that remains cool--our location gave the amp ventilation on all six sides.
Here, we plugged the leads...
Here, we plugged the leads into the pre-amp jacks, and we also wired the power and CD player before installing it into the dash.
Crutchfield considered every...
Crutchfield considered every aspect of the audio system installation in supplying our system. One such item was this adapter, so our new receiver would fit into the dash without any problems.
We installed the CD player...
We installed the CD player behind the middle seat. This was an easily accessible location, and out of sight from anyone peering in.
Door Panels
If we did any fabrication at all, it was on the door panels. But thanks to ACC and Sewfine, we were able to carry the look of the cab right to the door panels after they provided us with additional upholstery for a coordinated appearance.
Here is a before-and-after...
Here is a before-and-after look at the door panels.
We wanted to make the door...
We wanted to make the door panels match the rest of the interior, so making them two-tone was the next step. We started by using Eastwood's Plastic Prep to clean any oil and dirt off the panel, so the new paint would adhere well. Then we masked off the inner areas and the bottom, and sprayed on a new coat of Eastwood's Vinyl and Plastic Color Spray paint. Before reinstalling our armrest, we wrapped it in extra material that Sewfine sent with the seats upon our request.
We also requested extra carpet...
We also requested extra carpet material from Auto Custom Carpets, and used it on the bottom of the door panels. Then we snapped the panels back onto the doors.
To remain aware of the engine...
To remain aware of the engine speed, we contacted Auto Meter and acquired a tachometer and a clock. Keeping the alterations at a minimum, we decided to use two-inch-diameter gauges, and placed them into the storage compartment, above the heater controls.
Gauges
Utility vehicles dont necessarily need gauges, but with our high-performance Slant Six, we wanted to keep an eye on the engine speed. Auto Meter offered us a pair of discreet gauges so we can clock our trips to the grocery store and keep an eye on the engine rpm.