02true blue L

That's lookin nice Scott!!
Hey did that console come with a cd changer in it? if so are you keepin it in there? I am looking for one since my truck didn't have one in it.

Skritch

Nope, it didn't Mo. It's odd that the hole is cut in the middle of the storage compartment floor. From what I've seen the CD changer sits on the passenger side in the compartment. Anyway, you can find them on the board classifieds from time to time or on Ebay.

kaptain

That looks nice! youre dong a great job on that. What are you using to paint it so it doesnt chip or scratch?

__________________
Ford didnt make a 4x4 Lightning... But I DID!

Skritch

Hey Kirk, thanks. The paint is a Duplicolor brand for vinyl and plastic. Found in numerous places, including Schucks where I picked up the colors and adhesion promoter.

Skritch

From Saturday night a little more work. Yet again the console sides were screwed on to the skeleton to correct the gap at the front of the console between the bottom of the side panels and the carpet.

Used 3M painters tape to mark the start of the gap on both sides and the high and low points of the gap. Passenger side shown.


The carpet pieces that were cut out for the floor mount plates can be used to "bulk up" the carpeting to eliminate the gap. Just take the piece of carpet cut out and cut it in two and slide it under the exisitng carpet in the area marked by the painters tape. It did take two thicknesses of carpet to push it up enough to eliminate the gap on both sides. To get the carpet remnants in I found it necessary to remove the front mount plate to push the carpet pieces forward and outward enough to resolve the gap. Here's a pic of the drivers side after getting the carpet remnants in position.


Compare that to the gap before...


As the carpet remnants are inserted under the existing carpet you'll need to secure the front of the console skeleton to the front mount plate to check for your gap elimination. There are 2 bolts at the front portion of the skeleton that pick up the front mount plate and they are WAY down in the skeleton. A pic or two of their location. This also means the console will be installed and then the top piece will be fitted. Probably the last piece to be snapped/screwed into place when it's installed for the final time.




The handy little tool to help with getting the bolts down in to get them started in the floor mount plate. Magnetic socket inserts. These from Sears (Craftsman) but have seen them elsewhere as well. They come in both metric and standard sizes and just press in to the socket.




And, yeah they work well.


In addition to the front bolts to attach the skeleton to the floor mount the rear of the console has the same. The only difference, these 2 bolts attach from the side. Here's a pic and a closeup pic of the rear.




One other thing done was to paint the storage compartment lid black. The upholstry is not in good shape but at least it'll be black instead of tan until I decide on what material and design to get it covered in.

kaptain

youll have to let me know how it holds up- I have some things Im thinking of painting myself

Skritch

Kirk, the A pillar gauge pods usually get painted with this same paint. Some of them come in black. I painted the one in my Gen 2 around 3 years ago and it has NOT chipped or peeled since. Similar experience in our '95 Gen 1. And I have a pillar pod on the shelf for the '94 SuperCab to be installed and it will need painting before installation. My experience is the paint holds up very well on plastic surfaces. It is supposed to do the same on vinyl but have no longterm experience with that yet.

Skritch

Since I need a couple of "little" things for the console I decided to fiddle with the seat pan tonight. That is, after I took a nap after Thanksgiving dinner !

Here's the seat slider lever. It requires a little modification to fit the seat sliders.


The seat pan. this is the passenger side pan for the Expy. It comes in bare metal. The OEM seat pan in the Lightning is also bare metal. Don't see a need to paint it.


From the OEM seat you'll need the outboard seat to floor bracket and both sliders for the seat. The seat slider lever goes in your "spare parts" bin. Two bolts undo the seat to floor bracket.


On the "drivers" side of the OEM seat the two seat to floor brackets come off and go to your "spare parts" bin. Both sides need to come off to get to the bolts securing the sliders to the seat pan.


Outboard side seat to floor bracket off allowing access to the seat slider bolts. Just two per side. The slider lever needs to come off as well. Just 3 bolts for the two sides of that. Leave the seat slider lever on until after unscrewing the slider bolts. The sliders have STRONG springs that lock the seat in position and without the leverage of the slider lever they're not much fun to disengage.


One side of the slider lever. Other side similar but not the same !


Here's the other side.


The new seat pan has the appropriate holes but they are not threaded, at least this one wasn't. 8 MM X 1.25 tap does the job. Be nice to your taps and lubricate while making threads. Just position the seat slider on the pan and pick the correct holes as there are "extras". The sliders are left and right so pay attention when you take them off your OEM seat.


The new seat to floor bracket for the bucket seat. It came in light grey so it'll get painted black. Use the bracket to determine where the front bolt needs to go. You'll need to cut the carpet to expose the insert to be tapped. It has the rubber plug in it just as the other inserts did for the front and rear mounts for the center console.


Tap the insert. 10 MM X 1.50. This is the location for the extra bolt that is recommended for this conversion. The bolt has to be longer to go through the mount into the floorpan. The OEM bolt is not long enough.


After a bit of tapping and a little assembly the seat pan is bolted to the floor.






The two slider levers. OEM on top, replacement for the bucket seat on the bottom.


And here's the problem with the replacement slider lever. The alignment holes to attach to the sliders are exactly opposite of the OEM one. You'll have to enlarge one hole and drill an alignment hole in the new one to match the OEM alignment holes.




All done for tonight ! The seat pan mounted with slider lever. There's more to transfer to the new seat pan but got a good start on it.

Super Glide

Carson, that is a great idea, it looks killer. Which stereo/gps head unit are you running again?

Certified Drunk

Beat it to fit, paint it to match!

SLVRLTNG

Progress Report??

Skritch

You're gonna probably hate to hear this but nope.....too cold ! I'm a wuss. Have the seatbelt to "modify" and paint the inboard seat riser.

I did assemble the two console sides to the skeleton for what I believe will be the final time.

And, I'm at the "slow" part for me. Gotta fill those holes in the console where the HVAC and audio controls once resided. Got an ace fabricator helping me out with the covers for those pieces. Then there's the wiring to run, not much but a little. Gonna move a gauge from the pillar pod to the front of the center console too. That Aeroforce gauge is goin' up in the pillar pod.

The weather (temperature) is supposed to be up to civilized standards in a couple of days so I can do a little paintin' and such.

To keep me busy too is a stereo head to replace, a Subie to "freshen up the paint on", a '94 to revamp the engine bay, cam changes and valve springs in a '02 along with a rolled rear pan, a '93 to "supervise" the engine removal and.....

Jeez, I need to take a break !

WashTruBlu

You wore me out, and all I did was read about what you're up to

Super Glide

Scott, you are really going to town. Looks like this winter you have a ton to do

Bad as L

Yep Scott needs a break....time to sit down and have some shop cooked pie.

Bill....love the new avatar....I'm pretty sure I've seen one of those signs down by that Famous Dave's BBQ that we went too and there might be one(or a couple) here in Auburn now.