Hey guys I'm wondering if any of you have any ideas on interiors or experience with alternative materials. I am tired of dealing with the dirty carpet and worrying about people spilling or a tracking mud after hunting or fishing or just boating. I've removed the carpet (which might have been a mistake cause theres no putting that dirty mess back in there. I'm thinking about replacing the rear panels with diamond plate (black, as you can see my truck in black with gray interior.) I've removed the headliner and the rear panels and the door panels so far. I won't be changing out the dash (yet, hopefully ever) Basically the car is stripped down and ready for its makeover. I only have the drivers and passengers seats installed right now and will probably making a wooden or metal center console. The new console will probably house an amp, a CB, a power inverter and the Ipod thingamagijiga.

I also plan to install a roll cage which I have very little experience with and would like some suggestions. I'd like to keep as much space as possible but also want to add some safety. I don't plan on ever rolling it (I don't 4X hard like that) but I do live in LA , tow boats, and do road trips frequently and want to make sure my passengers are safe.

Now I also need some suggestions on heat and sound insulations. I enjoy my music and the natural rumble of the Bronco but I want my passengers to be able to hold a conversation too.

Any pictures or actual experience will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and sorry for the long post I could have seperated it into several but we'll see how you guys respond first.

Mike

 

Many people opt to yank the carpet and have the interior Rhino-lined or do it themselves with Durabak or some other quality product. Someone here has dohe the Durabak and loves it, said it only took a gallon to do the entire floor. I have the Durabak but haven't gotten to actually doing the project yet. A finish like this inside makes cleaning it very easy and keeps the elements from eating away at it.

As for the roll cage idea, there are kits available. Check with the graveyard. You can of course have one custom-made but you are looking at some serious money there.

As for sound deadening, I have been hording every piece of heavy foam that I can find (the grey stuff that stays somewhat flexible but is tough to crush). I intend to line as much of the inner rear fenders between the inner panels and the metal skin with this stuff. I find that most of the road noise I get is from the rear of the truck. Won't know how the Durabak does for sound deadening 'til I put it in.

 

Thanks Joe you seem to be the only one here I can count on these days. I don't like the idea of not being able to get rid of the spray in liner without damaging the paint. On the other hand I love the idea of being able to wash it out easily. I'm concerned of the heat loss and road noise coming through now and how much it will change with the liner. The second concern is not being able to insulate for sound under the lining.

How about accessing or making the access plates available to open without a huge headache? Any ideas on that.

Thanks

Mike

 

Why settle for one or the other. I am doing a full (read as frame off, engine rebuild, upgrade, build for durability) restoration. I haven't had any experience with interiors so anyone else who reads this can correct me with theri experiences.

When I get to the interior I plan on using a rhino lining, or linex body liner and coating everything from the firewall to the tailgate lip from front to back and up two inches from the level on the sides. I will then probably reinstall sound insulation and carpet over that. I think that would offer the best solution to preventing rust on the flat surfaces, killing more sound and still having the carpeted interior.

For those side pannels I am going to replace the flimsy upholstered particle board pannels with a new, polymer, non water absorbing material I have been working with at my job. We use it in applications where metal would not give enough and wood gives too much.

As far as insulating the those rear wells I am thinking of a spray in foam. there is a spray in foam that you shoot like paint or sealant that doesn't expand.By spraying the material onto the surface you eleminate the water absorbing noise reduction material and fill the entire space so air and humidity cant get in contact with the metal.

I have an original center console so I plan on building either a headliner storage pannel for the CB and any extra radio stuff or trying to bury that stuff in the back side pannels. If I go the back side pannel root, I will build in access pannels with the hidden latches so that nothing is exposed.

I think it sounds like you are on the right track with your project. Please post some pictures when you get there.

 

i have the spray on bedliner liner stuff inside my as well as diamonplate panels in the rear....all my front panels r still stock but soon im gonna replace those with the diamond plate

 

Thanks. Actually I'm not interested in having carpet in the truck at all. I'm fairly certain at this point I'll be using dynamat on the rear panels probably on both the panels and the sheetmetal. I will be using the diamond plate panels to fasten any materials to with the bullrings (I think thats what their called). I will not say about where I'm installing the audio equipment beyond what I've alread said and I've said too much. I've thought about the spray in insulation but I'm thinking no use wasting that space. I may hide a jack on one side and maybe make a storage compartment for cables and a lug wrench.

Thanks and I appreciate your input keep up with the progress cause I'm sure it will be some help for me.

Mike

 

Hedgehog may be on the right track by putting carpeting or rubber matting down again OVER the Rhino-linig or Line-X you can still get your sound deadening and protect the interior from corrosion. Base model Broncos came with full rubber matting instead of carpeting so you could go that route if you didn't want to put carpeting back in. I know I am seriously opposed to carpeting because I tend to run all summer without the top off and I get into places that have me tracking all sorts of crud into the truck so the idea of being able to wash the interior out with llittle concern for where the moisture will end up is important to me. If you want ot save the expense of Rhino-lining or Line-X you can do it yourself with Durabak or even skip the coating and just paint the interior with POR-15. This will provide serious corrosion protection and you can then simply re-carpet or rubber mat the floor.

Can't remember what model year bgblktruk is dealing with but from at least 92 up the interior panels were all vinylized plastic. Filling the space with foam would be cool though. My concern would be flammability with those spray-in products.

 

Sweet you have any pictures of that? I'm thinking of going with black diamond plate or possibly spraying that with the liner too.

Mike

 

Its an 88. Yeah I was thinking the carpet helps a lot with the sound situation but I also keep my top off most the summer. I spend a lot of time at the beach fishing or kayaking or surfing and the sand just loves the carpet.

I'm not familiar with POR-15. Any info there?

I'm going to look into the roll cages now.

Do you know if the liner will effect the seat installation at all?

Thanks

Mike

 

The Por-15 is an interesting product. I have read its a rust inhibitor that seals rust from the air and stops the oxidation process. I think its a poor choice on the floors as it only contains the rust, not prevent it from spreading or happening. There also has to be rust present as its designed to bond to rust.

If you rhino lined or linexed a body interior (floor) prior to installing the seats and brackets it will raise the finished surface of the floor like an eighth to a quarter of an inch. I would put some dummy bolts into any inset nuts you want to use after the lining.

The Spray in insulation I was thinking about is not the caned (good stuff or great stuff) product. I was thinking along the lines of the stuff they spray between rafters and studs in new construction. It has minimal expansion properties so it won't blast open or seperate welds and is fire resistant to comply with housing codes. Its also non permiable so it won't trap or transmit water.

Just a couple of thoughts......

 

Yeah that insulation was the product I was thinking of. I'm a contractor so its one of the first things I thought about.

As far as the height goes I figured that much I just wonder about how they seat up if they don't attach as strong as before. I know I can torque them down I don't know if there will be any rocking.

I hope someone has some pictures of this.

Again I appreciate your input

Thanks

Mike

 

This thread is a couple of months old. However, I am pulling all the carpet from my 82. In the cargo area I have purchased a sheet of 1/2 inch AC plywood that I am going to put the bedliner on. This will allow me to have attachment points for gear and cargo. I dive so a place to secure my kit is essential. Also, we get an average of 13 feet (yes feet) of rain a year so carpet is not an option. I will find a place I can upload pictures to for 'Project Bronco".

DrDuktayp

recently purchased in fair to poor condition
1982 Bronco
6 inch Rancho lift
12.5 x 35 tires
351W with headers and Edelbrock Manifold

 

Sweet. I'm still monitoring this one and would appreciate how you feel it works out for you. I was thinking of the plywood in the back. I am a contractor and being able to secure tools or coolers when I'm out playing would be great. I'm also thinking of countersinking all the attaching points so I have a flat space back there. That will solve some of my sound concerns. I will apply dynomat under the wood. I had also considered attaching the dynomat to the bottom of the plywood, I'm not sure how that works out. Anyhow thanks for the heads up and I'll be looking forward to the pictures.

Mike

 

I pulled all of the carpet from my Bronco over the weekend. They used a heavy felt pad with lots of glue. I took out all of the seats, pulled the carpet and then scraped and wire wheeled. Then I put back the driver seat and belt and took it in to the carwash and washed the remaining gunk out. It is amazing what all collects in the corners of a 20+ year old rig.

Next, I am going to prep the interior for the Herculiner bed liner. There are a couple of rust holes that I need to take care of but I am pleasantly suprised with the over all condition of the interior.

I have purchased a sheet of half-inch AC plywood that will replace the rear cardboard sides. I plan to bedline the plywood so no one will even know what I have used. The floor will be the original metal coated with the bed liner so I can easily keep the rear seat. I'll have cargo tie downs strategically placed on the plywood sides for keeping my SCUBA items secured.

I'll post again as I make progress,
DrDuktayp