Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Went to see what was up with my truck this morning.
I am pretty busy in the fall and most of the winter with hunting, work, and I plant a lot of trees this time of the year so I wasn't really worried about how long the paint job was taking till I tried to get in touch with the painter and couldn't get a response. He told me today he'd had surgery and was behind on everything, but he was working on my truck when I got there. The holes in the roof are fixed as well as the ones in the side of the cab. It's been slow, but it's taking shape.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I'm used to posting with my Kindle. My phone apparently likes to post pics sideways.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Hey, there is some progress, that's good. Hopefully he's able to recover fully and not wear himself out trying to get caught up.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Well, I went and picked her up today. I've used this guy before and he has always been great, but somethings up apparently. Anyway, a setback, but not the end of the world. I may go ahead and finish the interior then find a new painter. I've got to go back in to work Thursday so I'll think on it then.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

That sucks for all that wasted time!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Lol, I agree 100%! It's all good though. It looks a lot better with the bed on it at least though I'm sure whoever paints it will pull it back off.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

One good thing would be that you should not get any "drop back" or "shrinkage" in the work done already. It will give a good base for the paint!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I'm pretty sure I'm going to finish the interior first now. I've been getting parts here and there while it's been not getting painted. Have a set of black westin signature series nerf bars, cab lights, new door actuators, door handles, and got these in today! I've got to order another set to put in my rear doors, my sound deadener and carpet this week so I can get back to work.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I have a very similar project I'm working on. I bought a '97 K2500 last summer that I've been rehabbing over time. I bought a power sprayer to help me cut through the layer of grime that built up over time. I've taken apart the dash although not to the level you have. I had an auto paint store mix me up a can of matching gray interior paint to touch up the dash parts. The pics you've posted are very helpful and of interest to me. One of the reasons I bought this truck was the PO claimed the engine was replaced with a crate engine 35K ago. With all the heavy duty parts I figured it made it worth it. One thing I wasn't ready for is that 7.4L engine parts are much more scarce than 5.7L parts. I wasn't ready for that fact. I was interested in your engine pics and I noticed you don't have AIR tubes. Lucky you. I need to pull the ex. manifolds and replace some of the manifold studs on the engine. I also plan to powder coat the valve covers on mine.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Another thing I want to add is that I found a local vendor that sells GM MetriPack and WeatherPack electrical connector kits. I bought two kits myself to cover a lot of the connectors I need to replace that are damaged in the engine bay. I had to replace the EGR plug and EGR solenoid that was melted on my truck.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Well, at least you found the connectors you need.
Glad you've enjoyed the build so far. It's not the most flashy, but I think it's going to turn out in the end.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

How difficult was it to pull the dash shell out? Thinking about it when I see this...Hmmmnnn....

I can see a lot of the same problems in mine that you're dealing with. I haven't torn in to the interior simply because I was rehabbing areas under the hood. I'll have to gut the interior and trash the carpet. Mine is probably worse than yours was.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Not as bad as you think. I took it out with the harness too. Look up easiest 97 dash removal on you tube, it may be GMT400.
There's just a few bolts to take out and drop the steering column out of the way and the dash pivots forward so you can remove it. Had to take at least one bolt out where the wiring harness goes in the truck to.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I have my actuators hooked up and working again, I bolted mine instead of using rivits and that was a chore with the limited arm room.
Started putting rattle trap in the roof. I've got my carpet ordered so I need to make some headway on this project lol!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

New parts, and who doesn't enjoy new parts?
I had my carpet and tow mirrors waiting for me when I got off work today. The mirrors are heated power with turn signals. Thank you 88GMC for the idea!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Hey, I have been out working all day, got home and grabbed my dinner to sit down and see how the interior has come along...............what colour is the carpet?, what are you doing with the seats?..........come on its summer for you, no excuse!!!!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Lol, I agree Terrick. The carpet is grey and for my seats I'm still debating. At the very least I'd like grey leather. I may look at what other seat options I have to swap out, it has the 60/40 front now.
I have the standard compass rear view mirror and I'd like the change it out for one with comp and temp if I can find one as well while I have this apart..
It's slowly coming together. I've been working 6 on 2 off for the past month so that, grandkids, and keeping up with the farm work has me stretched pretty thin.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Not a lot of time after a 12 hr shift, but I did get the rattle trap up on the front cab roof.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

And just in case any other crew cab owners want to add speakers in their back doors, they come already wired from the factory!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Mate, this is so weird, i bought a compass/temp mirror last month along with a set of new speakers. Was wondering how hard it was going to be to rerun the wires into the back doors. Thanks heaps. Keep the posts coming, your saving me weeks of frustration.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I have been following elsewhere about spraying the trim charcoal/black combo. My cabin roof lining is slowly coming down, so was looking at retrimming it in charcoal to match. Just got to find where to get new seat covering to match.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Getting a little done today. To make sure sure the sound deadener sticks well I wash the floor well then go back over with windex. Half done, cooling off, then back at it.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Done for the day. Just need some aluminum tape for the seams, pick up some padding and install a carpet. I may put my headliner up before the carpet, but I've got to recover it first.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Nice work!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Hey, before you start to reinstall the plastic trim at the rear, could you take some pics of the tabs and clips please. I will need to get mine out without damage because there is none around here.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Very nice, I regret not laying down some sound/thermal insulation when I swapped interiors in my crew cab.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Thanks! I can definitely tell it doesn't have the empty tin can sound when I rap on the roof, back, or floors. I still have plenty to do the inside of my doors as well, so I'll have that up too. I'm back on nights this week so I may be Monday before I get back at it.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

There are three screws here, very easy to get to from the front, in the top pic. On the bottom pic you can see a plastic tab and a metal clip on the backside, use my pen and the speaker grill as a reference.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

But before you get the pillar trim you have to take the top back trim off. There are two screws for the dome light and two on the far corners, sorry about the sideways pic.. There are also three clips at the very back, these are tricky, probably the most easily broken so be careful here. Good luck and let me know if you need anything else.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Mate, that's fantastic. I recon I can do that. Just those couple of pics make it so that I am not delving in blind and that makes it sooo much easier. I will try and make a tool to get to those tabs without breaking them, at least to assist. Thanks heaps.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Terrick,
The middle trim may also have to come off, night shift brain is foggy at times, and of course the sill cover and seat belt screw will have to be taken off. I'm about to head in to work, but I'll check tomorrow and get picks of the middle trim clips if it needs to come off too.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Man, that is soo cool. THANKS HEAPS!!

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Terrick,
You may be able to slide the pillar trim out, but here are the clip locations for the middle back trim. The ones along the lower bottom of the trim should pop out first, then the ones that face down from the top.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

This is soo cool, i have started to save all these pics so i can get it done as soon as i get all my stuff ready.
Have started to try and get some factory style new coverings from the front and back seats that i have got for it, i think they are out of a 98. I will post some pics next week on my page.
Better run, going on a boat cruise up the Yarra river in Melbourne with the other people from the pump conferance that DW and i are attending.
Thanks again for all the info.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Glad I could help. I'll be looking for your pictures.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Time for the headliner. It wasn't just horrid, but sagged in a few spots, had a few tears, and was full of dirt. Job number 1 was to pull the old fabric off then the foam off. I had to use a small wire wheel to get the foam off. If you do be very light with it so as not to gouge the board.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

I bought 6.5 feet of grey fleece from wal mart and 2 cans of 3m77. I laid the fabric out till I was happy with it then folded it over to do one half at a time. Sprayed the fabric and board, let them get tacky and smoothed it out with just my hands. Still have to trim it out, but turned out nice.

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Nice work!
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Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Hey, I am loving this, its just like a tutorial on "what to do next!" Usually I love working with steel, but I think from what you have posted I can do this. Hopefully when it gets warmer I will start. thanks again

Re: 97 3500 454 4x4 project
 

Here's another idea I got from 88gmc. I'm adding a set of 6.5 speakers to the back doors and I've took the 4x6 pillar speakers apart and added a set of tweeters to them. The magnets on the old 4x6's popped out easy and I placed the tweeters in the leftover bracket. I plan on soldering these to the factory tabs so I can plug them up with the existing factory connectors.
I also have my mirror, have to install and run a harness for the temperature sensor still. I found a temp, comp, auto dim last week.
I think the overtime may be slowing down so hope to show a little progress in the coming weeks. Later all.