Adding wood accents.
Whoa whoa!
Hear me out first before you start groaning!
This isn't one of those "stick on" kits......
I've pretty much got the drivetrain where I want it on my 98, so it's time to turn to more creature comforts.
While the interior is functional, it's not exactly what I would call nice or luxurious. Plus, mine is showing it's age.
Not torn or falling apart, but it's worn and faded along with all the little nicks and chips that 427,000 kms will put on a vehicle.
I'd already added the overhead long console with the S10 DIC, the truck came with the autodim mirror and I built a custom lower console for it a couple years ago to house the WMI controller, a few gauges, The 7" touchscreen for the back up camera and Carputer, the Cobra 29 WX+BT CB and a place to hold my ipod.
I had also added an interface a while ago to play and control my ipod from the stock GM radio (FF and REV mostly).
So I thought; why not some wood accents to go with an interior revamp?
I whip up a quick photoshop to get an idea of what it wood....errrrr......would look like:
Yup, I like it! full steam ahead! damn the torpedo's! etc!
Looking around revealed the Denali and Escalade GMT400 trucks already had some bits in them.
A bit of a search turns up the door switch inserts and I grab a couple of the auction site for a decent price:
Yup, rear window switches on a two door ext cab. I plan to use the rear window switches to build power rear flip out windows. Like a minivan has.
My 60/40 seat had a busted note pad holder, courtesy of the PO. He had also broken the plastic bucket underneath it. It was bloody uncomfortable on the arm and elbow so it had to go anyways. More than once I'd put a board or towel over it on long drives. A nice flat wood panel would solve the comfort issue and also pull together the wood interior look without being gaudy. Wood should be used sparingly in a vehicle interior IMHO.
I grab some oak drawers I salvaged at work we were going to chuck in the trash. Some work with the jointer, clamps, glue, surface planer and the router makes a nice filler panel:
I finish it up with some matching stain and multiple coats of polyurethane.
No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you; that is a tap shifter lever from a newer truck. I've got future plans for it, but it also feels sooooo much better than the GMT400 shifter it's worth the swap just for that alone....
Now, we need a wood wheel. Denali ones are few and far between. When I do run across one it's either trashed to within an inch of it's life or they want more than my whole truck is worth. Time to explore alternatives.
I find a wheel from a 2011 Cadillac STS/CTSV on the big auction site:
It's only 75 bucks. It looks nice, it's a good size, and it's got heating and lots of switches. For 75 bucks I figure it's worth a try. It shows up and the center hole is too small for my steering shaft. Out comes the rotary file and I enlarge it to the base diameter of the shaft splines. Then grab the swiss files and start making little splines. After a couple days of tedious work, the wheel slips right on:
Well, I had to drill one hole for the horn wire. Man, it feels great and looks even better! (personal opinion rules here) Heck, the slate color even matches the slate plastics on the column.
Now, it's got all those buttons on it. What are they for and how can I use them?
From left to right; cruise on/off, SET/Coast + RES/ACCEL, steering wheel heat ON/OFF -other side- volume +/-, program +/-, bluetooth.
So, since I'm using the stock radio, the audio buttons are and easy fix to get them working (as a side bonus, the wheel buttons will work the radio which will work the iPhone so steering wheel iPhone control!), the cruise I'll figure out, the steering wheel heat only needs 12v and ground (controller is in the wheel) and the bluetooth dialing will work with the CB/phone dialing with a bit of creative wiring to a couple contacts in the CB unit itself.
Niiiiceee!
But, I need a clockspring to get it all from the wheel and down through the column.
A Denali clockspring would solve that again, but they're hard to come by and when there is one they want the moon.
By this time I'm a bit tired of the 'Bay, but I trawl the site anyways.
Hmmmm, there's a clockspring for a 2003 Impala with audio controls. Waaaaay more passthrough wires than I need ( I don't need the airbag wires for the air bag) and it's cheap as dirt.
I take a chance and snap it up.
It shows up and out to the truck I go. Slips right into place. Even has a clip that slips over a locating dowel already in the column. Very nice. The connectors are all wrong, But I was planning on snipping them off anyways when I work out the custom wiring.
The wheel has contacts already for the horn (the U shaped piece in the middle). Two wires and the horn works fine.
Last thing to address is the center cover. An Air bag is out of the question, my 2500 doesn't have them, it would would be pointless and it would have the Cadillac emblem anyways.
I make myself a plug of the shape I need in foam, make a negative out of plaster of paris and then lay up some fiberglass in it. 20 mins later, break off the mold and I've got my center piece albiet in raw form.
Work continues to refine the shape but it's almost there and ready for paint......
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Originally Posted by rustyk
