Re: My 86 build
 

It is metal.

Re: 86 Dash Project
 

I realized I never answered your question about the dash. I just used DupliColor Perfect Match spray paint.

Re: My 86 build
 

Seatbelt changes. When I got my seatbelts from seatbeltstore.com, I wanted my belts and the plastic housing to be charcoal and of course it needed to match my interior. A lot of the aftermarket belts out there will have the colored belts, but have the black plastic housing. So after looking at several websites and all the different variations, I found belts to match. Well there was one drawback, the belt buckles were a generic plastic push button and NOT the GM Metal Buckle. I did find some GM Decals to put on the push button.
So fast forward. I really wanted to have the Metal GM Buckle but didn't want to have to spend money on a new set of belts. So I called seatbeltstore.com and told them of my situation. They said I could get the GM Metal Buckle Lap belts, and they come in the same color that I already have. I can send my retractors back to them and they will put new tongues on so they will be able to buckle together with the new GM buckles. The tongue on my current retractors are a different size tongue and would not work with the Lap Belts. And the best part, they aren't going to charge me for this service.

Re: My 86 build
 

Wow sounds great!!! I need to change mine over to that style because the ones I got from LMC suck and are not appealing at all.

Re: My 86 build
 

Some Engine Room Updates. First pic is BEFORE, the rest is AFTER

Changed out my carburetor with a new Edelbrock 600. New headers, air cleaner, valve covers, plugs & Red wires. All with the Chevrolet nameplate.

Re: My 86 build
 

I heard LMC don't even have a plastic housing on the retractors. Since I have gotten my belts, I heard that wescopreformance.com has belts that you can custom build. I would have went with them, if I had known about them before I got mine. But I am quite happy with them, I was just bummed about the GM Buckles, but they are willing to make that happen now.

Re: My 86 build
 

That is correct LMC look real cheap. Wesco looks very similar that yours.

Re: 86 Dash Project
 

Great build man! I love the truck. Where did you find that one piece floor mat?

Re: 86 Dash Project
 

Floormat came from:

http://www.floormatexpress.com/index...&product_id=75

Re: My 86 build
 

Thanks man.

Re: My 86 build
 

I have to agree with you on the hood. I don't get me wrong, your truck looks beautiful as is but for the classic look you are going for the hood would be the topper. Very nice truck.

Re: My 86 build
 

Truck looks really clean....I don't know why but that LED under dash lighting is my fav! It gives it a new truck look IMO! I may swap to LED interior lighting myself!

Re: My 86 build
 

Thanks, the LED's do brighten it up, especially at night.

Finally got the Hood Ornament ordered, can't wait until I get the hood installed and painted.

Re: My 86 build
 

Big fan of LED swaps. I love the simplicity in old trucks but sure hate the lack of safety when being able to be seen

Re: My 86 build
 

Update on the Hood:

So I got the NOS Hood and Hood ornament. The Hood Ornament came from Classicparts.com. Now it's time to get her in for some paint.

Also got the seatbelt retractors sent back to get the tongues replaced, so they will work with the GM Metal buckles.

Re: My 86 build
 

Another project I worked on, was the front grille. When I bought the truck, the PO had a Billet Grille on it. I really like the stock grille look much better. It took some time acquiring parts for the job.

Found a NOS grille for a Van on Ebay, Found out that those fit the trucks and so much more less expensive.
Then found a real nice set of chrome center moldings and bowtie in the parts section on this board. Cleaned all the old paint tape off the moldings and re-taped them with red vinyl tape to match the truck.
Was able to find NOS trim pieces, the 4 small ones that go on the side of the grille.
Got a new set of grille parking lights.

Re: My 86 build
 

New Chrome Headlight Buckets from LMC.

Grille installed on the truck!!

Re: My 86 build
 

Bed Carpeting from Gaylord's.

Re: My 86 build
 

PO had a aftermarket Temp Sensor and gauge. Don't know why, because the original worked. Put a new sensor in and hooked the wiring back up and it works fine.

Re: My 86 build
 

Another pic, the other one had quite a glare on it.

Re: My 86 build
 

Great Job!

Re: My 86 build
 

Nice and clean. Looks great!

Re: My 86 build
 

Looks good!

Re: My 86 build
 

My cab corner trim, the yellow paint was dull and needed some help. I cleaned all the old paint off the trim, but couldn't seem to find the correct yellow. I did give the Bowtie a fresh coat of black. The more I looked at it, I really liked the look of just the black Bow tie, so I decided to leave it as is.

Re: My 86 build
 

I like that as well. What did you use to remove the paint? Did you restore the rest of the cab corners or did they already like that nice?

Re: My 86 build
 

I used lacquer thinner to get the old paint off. Then used Goof Off to clean the entire molding and corners. Used Brasso Polish ( polish with the grain) for the final step. They looked pretty nice before, but after a good cleaning and just a bit of polish, made a huge difference. I would say, a bit more than what I expected. Here's a pic of the right side corner and rear molding.

I did the same process with the tailgate trim.

Re: My 86 build
 

Seatbelt update:

Got my seatbelts back from the seatbeltstore.com. They replaced my tongues on the retractors, this way I could get the metal GM buckles. The GM buckles look so much better than the plastic buckles that originally came with the seatbelts I purchased. And they more like the stock buckles that were original to the truck.

Re: My 86 build
 

Looks awesome!

Re: My 86 build
 

I've got to get me some of those. My lmc belts suck

Re: My 86 build
 

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1475165589
Good lord that front end looks nice. So the GM van grill works with no modifications?

Re: My 86 build
 

LMC doesn't have the housing around the retractors, yuck. But I got my idea from wescoperformance. Their belts, you can choose the buckle you want. at the seatobeltstore, because I wanted my housing color the same as the belts, I had to settle for the plastic buckles. Only a handful of their seatbelts have the matching colored housing, most of them are a colored belt with a black housing.

So I talked to a guy from the seatbeltstore, and this is what he came up with to get me the metal buckle. So I had to get a set of lap belts with the metal buckle (same color). And then I sent my retractors back to them and they changed out the tongues for free. It was either this, or spend big bucks and get another set of belts from wescoperformance. But I really couldn't see buying another set of belts just to get the metal buckles.

Re: My 86 build
 

They say that 2 of the 4 mounting hole won't line up perfectly. Mine did however. It fits and looks the same as the truck grille, and way less expensive. It was a NOS part, got it on Ebay for $100. People want like $500 for a truck grille. It is virtually the same grille, it just has a different part number.

Re: My 86 build
 

Well I guess this isn't the case anymore. Just ran across an Ebay ad for a NOS grille. Turns out, in the description they are stating it is a Van grille, and they want $500.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/81-85-86-87-...dWMBXR&vxp=mtr

This is more like it, on the price:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-Chev...ZXdS2b&vxp=mtr

Re: My 86 build
 

you did a great job on the interior!!

Re: My 86 build
 

i really like your dash bezel. The black with the chrome trim around the guage holes looks alot better than the 'flat silver' overlay... Is that an LMC piece?

Re: My 86 build
 

Yeah prices on those are getting crazy! I have a couple NOS van grills myself too-some vans had options for mono-chromatic paint schemes so the NOS van ones were a flat grey color-paint to match.

Re: My 86 build
 

Are the one from rock auto, etc. pretty close?

I've even seen some on ebay for 50 bux.

They good for driver quality? My budget doesn't allow for a 500 or even a 150 dollar grille.

thanks! Sorry to hijack D!

Re: My 86 build
 

Thanks!!!

Re: My 86 build
 

Yeh from LMC. http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=84

Re: My 86 build
 

I haven't seen an aftermarket grille in person, so I can't personally say. The NOS grilles that I posted links to, unless you already have all the other parts, the costs will only rise. The grille moldings are just as rare and hard to find. I have been trying to salvage grilles from the yards, in an attempt to put together a complete grille. I have completed only one, so I decided to keep it in storage in case something were to happen to the one on my truck. The bow tie was the only part that was rough, so I painted it Red. But if I ever come across a nice Gold Bowtie, I will have to put that on instead, well maybe.