Well, I bit the bullet and picked up another first gen, it's a 91.5 reg cab 5 speed. it was silver and red originally, but the op decided to paint it dark blue (it looks black in the pics) in around 05 and the clear coat is starting to peel but overall it is in great shape. The truck lived it's entire life in Plains Montana and it shows as there is very little rust on it anywhere. I do need to change out the interior as it is red and doesn't look good with the dark blue exterior. I have all the pieces to change it but would it be easier to paint it? who makes the best carpet kits for these?

 

Congrats!!!

I've never been a fan of the red interior, no matter the outside color.

But changing it seems like a lot of work to me (dash, capet, trim panels, headliner, etc etc)? But then on the other hand a good repaint ain't cheap.

Part of my thought process would depend on what color the interior metal is? Red, silver or blue?

 

Thanks KRB, I think that I'm lucky as the metal is silver so no repaint on that at least. It has the typical headliner sag, and I will replace the windshield and carpet as well with all the parts but those items coming out of a D250 parts truck I have.

 

If you are pulling the windshield and you are thinking about changing the interior color...it would be the time to pull the dash and swap it out, while the glass was not in the way.

Or if you decide to just paint it, with the glass out it would be easier.

 

As tough as a complete, unscathed, preferred-colour interior is to find these days, I would look at painting it all. Then it will fully match rather than being a mix of OE and a handful of not-quite-matching repainted pieces. That said, the truck appears black in the pics, and a red interior with black looks nice to me.

I rock a red interior with charcoal seats/console at this point. Not really down with swapping a dash and having the wrong vin either.

 

The truck is actually a very dark blue, but I do have all the interior pieces in a d250 diesel that is a parts truck and they are all in decent shape just need the headliner and carpet.. u2slow, correct me if I'm wrong but I think the vin is part of the cab not the dash

 

No the VIN tag is attached to the dash on the front edge on the drivers side by the A-pillar.

 

Correct. The VIN is riveted to the dash.