Robert

I confessed to this earlier in the thread. It is a medium weight carpet pad. I checked it and it is pretty water resistant. It is sprayed with something so it does not really soak up water as you might think it would. Obviously it is durable enough as it it designed to be walked on. All the insulating materials I considered including the stuff Rod Doors uses could potentially hold a little humidity. Stock style spun fiberglass bats could also hold a bit of moisture. My cab interior and floor is thoroughly painted with rustoleum and John Deere Bliz black. I will check it a few years down the road but I don't expect to wake up someday and the cab suddenly rusted through. I also considered the foil backed trapped air bubble insulation. It makes crumpling cellophane sounds when you handle it. I don't think it would be nearly as effective at sound resistantance. The carpet pad does not have the foil face that the Rod Doors pad had. I may install it yet. I just hate to pull the carpet pad down as it molds so well to the cab roof. We'll see.

BTW Robert, I know you like Grandma's home remedies so you ought to like this one. I glued the pad with outdoor carpet glue and a V-notch trowel. Same stuff they use to stick astro turf on the front porch at Billy Ray's mobile home park. I bet PL200 construction adhesive would work as well

 

Hey Fenders, did you ever take a finished picture showing the whole roof at once? I would like to see the finished product. Thanks, John

 

John

No I had to go to Maryland for a few weeks. Job kees interferring with my roject. I am back in Indiana enroute to Iowa now. It should be installed in a week or so I hope. Kai is going to visit me this week so I have to tidy up the garage a bit first, so he doesn't break his leg trying to get close enough to my truck for a peek.

 

Thanks fenders, I will keep watching. John

 

Final install is complete. It was challenging. I will post some procedural commentary later but here are the PICs for now. A few things to note in the PICs. My fabric is difficult to photograph. Looks like different colors but it is actually just the lighting in the cab. Note the headliner seal. It is a strip and not molded. New and still extremely soft. It can be worked around some now but a perfect fit between the seal and the cab will be hard to achieve. Same as with a stock panelboard headliner. Fit between the center panel and the side panels is better than I expected. The seams are nearly perfect.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfend...alled1_640.jpg

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfend...alled2_640.jpg

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfend...alled3_640.jpg

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfend...alled4_640.jpg

http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfend...alled5_640.jpg

 

Wow fenders, NICE JOB. I can barely wait to get started on mine. You said that the rubber seal is not the original molded type, but a strip?? Was that your choice or is it a requirement when using Rod Doors' <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">headliner</a>? Thanks John

 

Wow fenders, NICE JOB. I can barely wait to get started on mine. You said that the rubber seal is not the original molded type, but a strip?? Was that your choice or is it a requirement when using Rod Doors' <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">headliner</a>? Thanks John

 

DeWAYNE !!!!! nice job !!!!! you da up'olstre man !!!!!

don't forget how this works... probably is 3 or 4 years I'll need your tech advice...

john slow...but cool

 

To heck with your tech advice, Y'all are comin' over to do mine for me in 3 or 4 years. I can honestly say we don't have any furniture in our humble abode that looks as good as 'fenders cab fabric. Now, if he could just find a replacement for the girly <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">302 </a>...

 

John T

Guess I said that wrong. It is the stock style <a href="http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/">headliner</a> seal (except longer so it goes completely to the floor). It is an intricate piece with a double lip. It is a straight ribbon seal you can roll up like tape though, not molded for the bends in the cab. Does that make more sense? Hopefully I can find a minute tonight to describe the final install process.

 

Fenders,

Real nice job, looks damn good. I recall seeing the rod doors guys doing it at PF last year and can imagine some of the fun you had. Would there have been any benefit in placing the side roof panels before the door weatherstrip went on or does the strip need to be in place, because this was a particularly troublesome area that I witnessed last year.

 

John, Too many Johns to keep track of here BTW

I promise to post a worthwhile wrap up soon. To answer your question, the seal must go in first. Then the center section which is very easy with the right conditions. Then the dreaded side panels. They are tough. You eventually get lucky. I have some advice to make it a little less painful but there are no magic tricks to make it easy.

 

Thanks fenders, I'm just getting too eager to get to that stage. I'm trying to stay calm 9patient), because I know I'll have a ton of questions and problems when I finally get started with all the plastic. I still need to put the bed together and mount the fenders/hood. Then I can start on the interior. Thanks again, John T

 

Let's put this one to bed. I have pasted the original instructions below form Rod Doors. After each paragraph I will add emphasis as required from my experience.

1) Glue insulation material onto roof of cab with a high temperature contact adhesive. Trim to fit; insulation should be placed between the roof and the center brace. Do not glue insulation over center roof brace.

2) We recommend using a new original <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">headliner</a></a> to Roof Rubber Seal (not included). If the rear window rubber is still pliable and flexible it need not be replaced.
NOTE: If using a Rear Cab Cover also, order the extra long seal (196") and run it flush to the floor.

***VERY IMPORTANT: Absolutely do not fail to use a brand new seal. It will be far softer. My final install was much easier than my test install with a seal over 5 years old.

3) Starting at the floor, lay out the rubber seal around the doors and over the front windshield and press over pinch weld. Once in place install <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">headliner</a></a> retaining clips.
From the floor up 6" there is a support bracket. On each side of the cab cut 6" off the backside of the Rubber Seal with a razor knife. Use one or two pop rivets or screws to hold that portion of the seal to the cab.

***I added a couple extra clips so I could decrease the distance between seal clips. Can't really say if this improved the install.

4) Cover all pieces with <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">upholstery</a></a> fabric. Use only a high temperature contact adhesive (3M Spray 90). Start in the center; spray both the backs of the fabric and the panel - 2 square feet at a time. Take Your Time. If the fabric has a grain or a pattern keep it straight on the center of the panel. Center panel has small notches that mark center.

***Well covered already. Use quality glue as the panel edges are stressed during the final install.

5) Trim the fabric flush to all the edges of the center panel. On the side panels trim the fabric flush to the panel on any edge that will be tucked under a rubber seal, wrap fabric around edge that butts up to center section, and below rear window.

***IMPORTANT: Do not wrap fabric around the edge of center panel or it will be too thick. I believe wrapping would make final installation near impossible.

6) With chalk measure and mark the rubber at the center of the cab at the windshield and the rear window. Mark the fabric (with chalk) on the center section panel at the notch.

***Take your time finding center of cab. The mirror hole should be center. Verify with a tape measure. Also mark center on the back of the cab. I found it was possible to have it centered in front and off in the back. I believe you need to be within 1/16 inch of perfect.

7) Slightly bend the center section and slide the front edge into rubber seal above the front window, align chalk marks. Press the center section tight to the roof, and slip the rear edge behind the rear window rubber. Check chalk marks for alignment.
NOTE: Most problems with fit are caused by misalignment of the center section.

***This step is the easy part. Takes about 5 minutes to install and verify center.

8) Side panels, starting at the middle of the center section slide the front edge of the side panel groove under the center section. Keeping the center section in the groove slide the side panel forward (toward the windshield) until it can be slipped under the rubber seal around the top of the door. Next pry back the rear window rubber and slip the side panel behind the rubber. Continue placing the side panel under rubber seal behind the door.

***Here is the fun part. If you are right handed, start on the passenger side so it is easier while you are learning how to do it. You will have to pull the center panel down and insert the side panel into the groove of center panel. You want to have the side panel about where it needs to be when you press it up against the roof. You can slide it forward just a bit but it could be tough if your fabric is thick. You basically just peel the <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">headliner</a></a> seal past the side panel. It isn't easy. IMPORTANT: When you get to the back window, alternate between the <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">headliner</a></a> seal and the back window seal. Do a few inches at a time and work your way down to the bottom. Repeat procedure for the other side panel. Drivers side was very difficult for me as I am not left handed. Side panels took me one hour of hard work.

Final note: As mentioned on FTE before, shop temperature makes a huge difference. At temps below 70 degrees, the ABS is not very flexible. I heated my garage up to about 80 degrees. The ABS can be flexed without fear of breaking it. It was miserably hot in the confines of a cab, but the result was worth it.

If anyone has a question, fire away. Otherwise, thanks to all for the input. I don't look forward to my next <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/"><a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">headliner</a></a>, but it is probably the route I would choose on future projects.

 

Dewayne...

it killed an ink cartridge.. but this wonderfully detailed and illustrated instruction article has been printed and added to the "body" binder in my collection...

thanks for all the hard work... I KNOW how much went into the detail..

john (with the sissy avatar)