This is what it’s all about IMO. Anyone can flex their Visa card to level 10 and buy ALL new everything.
But not everyone can pull a Diamond out of a goats ass!
Was my goal when we re-did the blue truck. Sure I spent more than some and less than others. But in the end, I feel it was a good mix of value for the effort. And I sorta like “original” looking.
I re-used or found used pieces for most all the cab and trim stuff. To be fair I paid what I thought was a bit of a premium for the truck, partly because there was a lot of little stuff in good condition and serviceable that would have been serious $ to buy new. Could have easily spent another $1000-2000 just on interior bits and other little stuff. Like mirrors. They are a little scratched and a ding in one of them. But no one has ever said or likely even thought, “nice truck but wtf, that ding in the mirror just kills it for me. Looks horrible”.
Like the door panels. Coulda shoulda maybe painted them, but they were decent enough and the oxidation on the tops cleaned up nice with a heat gun. I repainted the door cards and bottom carpet pieces.
Used SEM. It’s held up great on the velour and carpet pieces and as well on a few select plastic pieces.
I haven’t done any big panels of plastic but everyone I’ve seen done looks good and appears to be very durable.
It’s all about what you got, what you are willing to spend and how creative and what you can learn or be proud of doing. IMO.
I've had good success with SEM products...it's not cheap per se but it you take your time, FOLLOW DIRECTIONS AND PREP WELL, it doesn't fade and wears for years.
Flexing the Visa, too funny! And yeah if you start loading that cart up with interior pieces it'll start looking like a Mr. Olympia contest...I did pick up the ACC essex carpet kit that set me back $500 and I started looking at an ABS headliner and dashpad and said hold on turbo your about to drop $2k on a lot of plastic.. reality set in. I'm not restoring a concourse truck so do what makes sense, I bought 7 SEM cans for $80 and got to work...
I tried the heat gun but I didn't have any success... most likely operator error though. The oxidation on the tops was severe and chalky and SirRobyn0's razor blade method was the only thing that worked for me. That texture on the panels is a funny thing. It definitely appears as though from the factory the texture was applied after the panel was molded the way it just comes off?
I tried the SEM texture stuff, using superglue with a chip brush, etc...I bought a craft roller at Wally to try with some surfboard epoxy but kinda gave in when I realized it would never be perfect so either live with the imperfections or flex the visa...I'd rather spend the $$ elsewhere
Love this forum, the members, the ideas getting kicked around, the "learning experiences" and all the success stories...thanks again all!
