Right. And to compare, all I see on mine is Red, Burlwood, and Chrome. Just like yours, mine, and every other F-Series truck/Bronco, the steering column and steering wheel itself is painted black. The clock cutout area is black. The area that surrounds "XLT" on mine is black. The light surrounds right above the instrument cluster are black. The dash vents and glove box latch are black. Those are the present accents these trucks come with, no matter what color interior you have.

The idea was to build on that and make the dash pad (the top part that comes off) black. And the door panels, where yours are all plain black with chrome trim, mine are all red with carpeted inserts to match the seat upholstery and chrome trim. What I was thinking, where the chrome trim is, to keep all the area inside the chrome trim red, while painting the area outside the chrome trim black.

I can't be any more clearer than that.

"Red and black aren't the best colors to mix?" Really? What colors are the best colors to mix? And since I got your opinion, I may as well give mine. I think red and black go together a whole lot better than the two-tone brown and black you're sporting on your truck, Chief.

 

LOL!!! You must've missed the smiley. It was a joke. I know exactly what you're wanting to do. What I meant was I don't really notice the factory black stuff, cause my whole interior is black. It blends in too well for me.

The second comment was just an opinion, and should not even be taken to heart. Everybody has their own tastes, and in my mind, I can't picture red and black going together. I haven't seen it in person, so my opinion is worth about half a cent. After you paint your interior, there is a very good chance I might like it, because I know you will do it right.

For the record, I didn't go with a black interior to match the Brown. I went with the black interior because I didn't like the way my factory saddle color looked. Black was the only other color that came close to looking "right" in the truck. Also, the Black makes the Rosewood stand out, and that's what I was going for in my truck. Alot of people don't like the wheels I put on my truck, and others don't like the black with the brown as you stated. If others really liked what i've done to my truck, i'd get alot more compliments on it. But I could care less what other people thought, because I love my truck the way it is, and that's all that matters in the end.

 

I have tried in vain to post a picture in here for the last hour.

Will someone PLEASE look in my album, and post the "Mustang Interior" picture I have in there on this post as a reference to what I am talking about? Or go here:
Mustang Interior picture by Infragreen - Photobucket

I see the "Insert Image" button as plain as day, and I have pics on Photobucket and in my album. But every time I try to post the picture, NOTHING HAPPENS!

 

For Lariat 85

 

Yeah, I guess I did miss that smiley. My apologies for coming off like a jackass, Fordzilla. And thanks for the compliment that I would do it right!

Thanks for posting that for me, Chief. I would love to know what the trick to doing that is.

To me, that red and black combo in the above Mustang picture looks KILLER! THAT is the feel I am hoping to accomplish. Now, whether or not that look will translate well to my Canyon Red 1985 F150 Lariat is anybody's guess.

 

LOL, no offense taken. I like criticism.

Okay, when you're on Photobucket and you're looking at the picture, on the left of the screen in the share this image box you have a list of links. Look for the direct link. Copy that link, and then when you come over here, paste that link into the box that comes up when you click the insert image button. Hope that helps ya out.

Now that I see the red/black, it looks better than I thought. I still wanna see it in your truck though.

 

To me it would look like your dash pad has been replaced. But each person is different with different opinions.

My 1972 F-250 Explorer Had a black dash pad with brown. But it was replaced. the original was brown. Matched the simulated leather vinyl door panels.

 

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That has crossed my mind, and I do NOT want it to look like the dash pad was just replaced with the wrong color! Does the Mustang interior give off that same vibe?

Do you think it might look more like it belongs if the door panels are also two-toned? This way, the top of the dash (black) would match the top and bottom portion of the door panels (also black, but still red in the middle with red carpeted door inserts). I don't know yet, still deciding, but I drool all over my keyboard every time I see that red and black Mustang interior.

Fordzilla, that last pic gives more of an idea, and I like the red/black color contrast. HOWEVER, if I had that truck, I think the red dash pad would look better against the lower-level black dash cluster trim. It looks like there is too much black on the dashboard giving it a cheaper "Custom" model or work truck look. And to agree with 81-F-150-Explorer, that particular truck does look like the dash pad was replaced with the wrong color! However, being a LARIAT, mine has the woodgrain dash cluster that I think (hoping) will give it a more upscale look, along with the two-toned door panels with the carpeted door panel insert.

Decisions, decisions...

 

lol, you'll figure it out.

I mainly posted the pic for the passenger side since that side is the same regardless of Custom/Base or Lariat.

 

How about a much darker shade of red instead of black? I've only got carpet on my dash as it was the much easier-at-the-time option. If I could find a good dash I would be using a dark grey/charcoal paint on it, not black.

 

The mustang looks good to me, but that one picture that Fordzilla80 posted does indeed look like the dash pad was replaced. Probably because, most likely, it was.

It might look like it was customized if you did that. I would leave the red around it and have black in the middle though. Especially if you change the dash pad to black. This is because the dash pad is more in the middle of the red as well. Have you thought of making the trim moulding around the windshield black as well? It might help sell customize instead of half finished replacing of parts that don't match. It might hinder and make it look worse as well... hmmm...

 

I think photoshop could be his friend. Too bad I don't have it, or I'd do a rendering for him.

 

Thanks for the different viewpoints and ideas. That is what I was hoping to get from this thread.

I don't get what you mean when you say the dash pad is in the middle of the red as well? It seems to be on top of the red to me. That was why I was going to go with black around the top and bottom of the door and red in the middle. Also my carpeted door panel insert (which I want to keep) is red cloth as well to match the seat, so black in the middle wouldn't work on the door panels.

I have thought about the trim moulding around the windshield and door pillars black as well, but the only the problem with that is there is no clear boundary on the trim pieces on where to stop the black and leave the red. I would have to paint all of the other trim moulding over the top of the door and all the way to the bottom behind the seat black. Of course, if I do that, then the front kick panels would need to be black too, and all that would be too much black in my opinion.

Because of that, the only way I would consider the red/black two-tone would be if it would look right with a black dash pad and black on the outside of the door panels around the exterior of the chrome ring. Everything else would have to remain red. Photoshop would be a great asset right now!

The whole trick here for it to look right is to make it look like it is a "factory" two-tone interior, and NOT "half finished" with replaced parts that simply don't match or a gaudy, highly "customized" interior. Trying to get that right is rather difficult!

 

I like the mustang look. I had that in one of my mustangs back in the day I think it would look really sweet in your truck. I'm a fan go for it.