92Yoda

So I've had my 4Runner for 2 years now and I've done a lot of lookin around to see I could find a black interior on these things, or any Toyota truck of that era for that matter and I can't find anything. So I decided to do it myself, I'm going to try and do as much to black as I can from the carpet to the headliner to rear side and door panels to dashboard. There's two reasons I decided to do this, I broke the heater control valve caable so I must remove the dashboard to replace it and the grey is just too bland for me. I decided to use plastikote gloss black vinyl/fabric spray, I've used it before on a beat up foxbody dashboard and it looks incredible now better than factory. I've found a company that can get me a carpet for the floor in black and basically the rest I'm going to spray with the vinyl/fabric spray, worst comes to worse theres always junkyards with stock grey panels haha I'm just painting one of the door panels right now for a trial to see how it goes with the fabric part, vinyl and plastic part im not too worried about, I'll try and post some before and after pics tomorrow when the door panel is all done,and then I'll be moving onto another piece! stay tuned

92Yoda

Sorry for no pics last night something came up, but I got the door panel all back together and in the truck tonight and I can't believe how much better it looks, the vinyl part is abit shiny but thats alright. I used plasticote gloss black vinyl/fabric spray and i skipped the boring progress pictures because all i really did was clean everything with spray nine and sharpoo and dried the fabric. I can't wait to do the rest of the truck!



and here is the panel after and installed

Gamefreakgc

Nice touch. My only word of advice would be to make sure you pick a paint that doesn't feel "tacky" to the touch, it'll get messy when the summers get hot. Glossy paints will do this more than flat paints. Looks clean though.

You're right about the black interiors though, I've never seen nor heard of them except for people who do it themselves. I saw a write-up once on how to paint the visors and rear view mirror black and it looked pretty good.

92Yoda

thanks, yea its too bad toyota didn't offer this stock because it looks really good, I hope to one day have the seats wrapped in black leather but thats far away lol. I wold highly recommend very light coats becase it will look horrible with any paint brand if you only do 2 heavy coats. the biggest pain i think will be the dashboard and headliner but it will be well worth it later. I think tomorrow I might do the tail gate so i have scattered black everywhere then ill be forced to do it all haha

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

There were more interior colors available from 89 thru 91 than just the Grey or Blue of the 92 and up model years, they had grey, blue, red, beige, brown. They also might of had black in non US markets, if you look thru the brochures they show a "V6 SR5 Sports package with grey interrior". Could just be me but those plastic bits sure look black to me. They re-used that photo in a lot of the brochures.

These shots are of flat black, it turns out very well. My only issue is the horizontal piece around the steering collects a lot of dust and I think it'd dust off easier with some clear coat. I'm thinking of trying a satin clear on the dash parts just to give it a bit more durability and wipeability, but it matches the factory painted bit (Upper middle area around the stereo, and the bit around the gauges, these are both factory painted)




Here is a side by side comparison of the flat black (Window handle) and the clear coated (Armrest). The flat has a nice charcoal color to it but the clear makes it look like it was just detailed/armor-all'ed.


Pretty sure your headliner is the fabric type not the vinyl one but thought I'd mention it. I recommend against spraying vinyl if you can avoid it. It takes days to dry and I still wound up having to buff the tack off of my sun visors.

I would also recommend against leather seats. Sure it sounds nice but have you ever had leather seats or furniture? It's either cold and hard or hot and sticky, it looks good but it's horrible to sit on in any weather and also a big maintenance nightmare. Neoprene has a smooth look, cleans well and isn't too bad on the butt. Wool best thing you'll ever sit on hands down, but it's a bit of a hassle no eating drinking or smoking since it's essentially furry suede, it breathes well hot in winter cool in summer.

I maybe would have left the fabric alone, I know it's a little late for you to turn back on that now. It has a nice contrast and looks darker when you get the plastic trim colored.

And for those of us that just picture addicted. You can use my "boring" Gross to clean to colored photo It's amazing what just a little bit of clean up can acomplish ain't it.

92Yoda

Yea i think all 5 of those colors are horrible. I like the satin look what type of paint are you using? I dont have any tacky issues with mine yet, but it hasnt gotten hot yet so we'll see. I've owned black leather before and i prefer it over anything else, whatever the weather is and what it does to the seats doesnt bother me, as for maitenence yea its a little more than cloth but again not that big of a deal. I used leather condition once a month, cloth gets a vaccuum maybe shampoo. As far as contrast goes on the interior i dont like it on any vehicle it should be all one color nice and simple, I prefer my interior all blck on all my vehicles and it has been and i love it. My headliner is the fabric one, is that the one you reccommended against spraying? Or was it the vinyl one? Thanks for the input

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

I'd love to have a factory red dash but it was special order even when it was available, but of course thats just my choice, all of them look like crap when they start to sun fade.

I use the cheap flat black 99 cents at home depot or wally, "Quick color" I think it is. I haven't noticed any difference in the chipping or peeling between the stuff I used primer on compared to the stuff I didn't. I've slipped wih the screw driver afew times on the mirror/light trim it soaked in pretty well.

It's the vinyl bits you have to worry about tackyness. You're upper cloth should take the color just like the door panel cloth did, since it should be the same material.

Probably the most important part of a paint choice is going to be the solvents used. The plastic and vinyl specific stuff you are using will certainly have both MEK and Acetone which ensures it sticks to ABS PP and Nylon. Which covers the three materials used on our interiors, excluding of course leather interiors.

I forgot to mention. Good job sir! They always turn out better than you expect unless you forgot to clean them up first.

92Yoda

Thanks! Yea i would have to stress that prep and light coats are key

92Yoda

Ok so i got the tail gate finished last night and wanted to post more pics so here they are!

rbuchmann

Did you use a carpet dye to get the black on the carpet section of the rear tailgate? If so, what was the name of the product? BTW, it's looking really good. I searched the net yesterday after reading your post, I found carpets and dashes, but nothing regarding door panels or seats other than cheesy seat covers. Must not be much call for the after market or reproduction

92Yoda

Thanks! Yea all i could find was carpets, nothig on headliner or dash or seats, headliner im not sure what ill do about the seats, i MIGHT try and dye them, im thinking i might do the drivers door panel tonight ill take more pics and a pic of the paint can im using

Gamefreakgc

I am not a fan of the blue, though I realize it's more common in 4Runners. But red?

92Yoda

Im personally not a fan of any of them.... So whats a guy to do?? Change it yourself lol.

92Yoda

i forgot to take some before pictures and during but heres some pictures of it after it is installed, im not sure if i painted enough on the middle fabric part so i might go back and do a little more, anyways here they are!