opinions on idea for rear panels

[michael0584]

One of my customers gave me 2 pieces of aluminum diamond plate for free. The pieces are 2 inches short of being long enough to work as replacement rear interior panels. They are perfect in height. My idea is to reuse part of the original panels. I will keep the front part and cut them even with the white trim right in front of where the top goes and start the diamond plate after that. I've included a picture, I will reuse whats on the left side of the yellow line and start the diamond plate on the right side. How does everyone think this will look? any better ideas?

 

[Desert Rat]

Use the diamond plate for something else and just remove the rear panels. I took mine out completely prior to Line-X'ing my entire interior and I love having the extra space. Or, you could recess the panels a little bit into the sides thereby gaining space and using smaller pieces of the diamond plate.

 

[michael0584]

I wanna keep the panels to keep the sound down, mount my speakers and mount cup holders.

 

[NorCal_Chris]

I think diamond plate looks kinda tacky imo.

I thought about doing replacement panels but ended up leaving them out. The space is nice. You could always do your speakers in boxes on the sides, that panel isnt going to be very good for acoustics anyways.

 

[14-Bolt]

I've always liked the look of diamond plate. I think it will look nice. But norcal is right it will sound like **** if you use just DP. I would build a box than face it with DP. I bought mine without sides. wish i could utilze the space to store stuff so it didn't roll off wheel wells or flop against the sides of the truck.

 

[Barc]

I'm a diamond plate whore, and I can tell you, you need to paint it. It will blind the sh!! out of you. I replaced my center dash trim and threw a couple pieces down for floor mats and to keep crap from falling out of my front floor boards and they reflect alot. I can't post links yet, but you can go to this cardomain page if you want.
cardomain. com/ride/3375383
Don't mind the hole in the dash, the tweakers needed my stereo more then I did.

I plan on putting DP as side panels but I'm going to paint it with POR15.

 

[ryoken]

One of my customers gave me 2 pieces of aluminum diamond plate for free. The pieces are 2 inches short of being long enough to work as replacement rear interior panels. They are perfect in height. My idea is to reuse part of the original panels. I will keep the front part and cut them even with the white trim right in front of where the top goes and start the diamond plate after that. I've included a picture, I will reuse whats on the left side of the yellow line and start the diamond plate on the right side. How does everyone think this will look? any better ideas?

just so ya know... if you dont mind having/ or would like, the B- pillar showing, a shorter piece will fit perfect, if you just bring it to the edge of the B-post...




in my app, with the cage, using composite fiberglass for those panels, etc, etc I wanted the B-pillar exposed... it worked out perfectly... here's a couple shots of how my panels will fit... this is just a rough, initial cut/fit... once it's screwed in place it will be flush and tight...

 

[michael0584]

I think the b pillar would look fine exposed if I removed the plastic trim that goes up and over, but I want to leave it.

 

[Desert Rat]

If you are worried about sound, there is nothing behind the stock setup. So, I would get some sound deadening material, like the stuff made for the floors, and adhere it to the metal sides before putting the covers back on. Ditto on the painting. Chrome diamond plate is going to reflect all over the inside of the rig when the sun hits it.

 

[michael0584]

Mine have about 1" thick insulation behind the panels, stuff like whats on the floor.

 

[Desert Rat]

On the actual panels? I think mine had some kind of felt looking stuff on them too. I was thinking more along the lines though of adhering the sound deadening material to sides of the truck. That way you can put the panels wherever you want, including farther in, and still have some sound deadening capability even with custom cut panels.

 

[K5 Jess]

just so ya know... if you dont mind having/ or would like, the B- pillar showing, a shorter piece will fit perfect, if you just bring it to the edge of the B-post...




in my app, with the cage, using composite fiberglass for those panels, etc, etc I wanted the B-pillar exposed... it worked out perfectly... here's a couple shots of how my panels will fit... this is just a rough, initial cut/fit... once it's screwed in place it will be flush and tight...

Ryoken, you should make templates and sell em. Yours fit perfect!!!

 

[Teck]

Here's mine done out of 1/4" plywood material instead of cardboard, yes I put insulation, dynamax like stuff and silver bubble stuff behind them.

 

[ryoken]

Ryoken, you should make templates and sell em. Yours fit perfect!!!

well, I had some old ones from my 77 that i used roughly to transfer over... and actually mine are still way off.... they fit pretty damn sweet all on the bottom, but the panel is about 3/8" too high on the qrter... so i wanna keep shaping the lower edge more and maintain the factory fiberglass edge at the top.. so it should only get better as i remove some here and from the bottom and drop it lower...

i'm thinking of carrying over the countersunk ss allens that are on my console, etc to the mounting of the panels...

at some point, 'll probably make some templates of the 77's from 36" wide masking paper, than toss the old 77 panels.... when i get sick of them kicking around....

 

[michael0584]

Very nice panels Teck, maybe I'll try to make something like those.

 

[michael0584]

Maybe I'll make some out of plywood and cover them with this. (dark red interior)

 

[skidog1us]

Similar to Teck, I used the originals as a template, cut new panels out of 1/4" Plywood and covers them with grey indoor/outdoor low pile carpet. Turned out real nice. No pics yet...I'll post them soon.

 

[michael0584]

Now I'm leaning towards making panels out of 1/4 plywood and covering them in vinyl. I just can't decide on the rear speakers. I think the best idea would be to put 6x9s in the rear and 6 1/2s beside the rear seat. (I currently have some there now). But I would like to have a subwoofer. I have thought about mounting an 8 or 10 on each side where the factory 4x10s are. I just think subwoofers mounted on 1/4 plywood in a small space and a metal back would sound like crap. I think the best option would be to put the 6x9s in the back and have the sub in a box. I have a behind the seat truck box with a 10" in it. I could mount the amp on the box and install some kind of quick connects on the interior panel for the power and input wires so I could easily remove the box when I need the space.