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1996 Chevy C1500 Project, Part V

Seats, Trim and Stereo for the Inner Sanctum
By Steve Warner
Photography by Steve Warner
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Our extremely well-warmed,... 
   
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Our extremely well-warmed, approximately 380-watt sound system includes a Pioneer Supertuner III DEH-53DH model with a fully detachable face for added security. Also included is a Premier GM-X404 amplifier which runs our Pioneer TS-C1652 6-1/2-inch component speakers and the rear factory door pillar-plate-mounted speakers. The other Premier GM-X402 amplifier powers up our TS-WX65 Bass-Reflex enclosed subwoofer which mounts under the rear bench seat.
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Pacific Audio and Alarm in... 
   
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Pacific Audio and Alarm in Anaheim, California, was kind enough to mount our Pioneer system. This is a rocking sound system that&8217s still totally affordable on even the tightest budget. John Kha at Pacific Audio and Alarm carefully removes the factory dashpanel by gently prying up the plastic until it unsnaps from the main dash housing.
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The factory radio is held... 
   
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The factory radio is held in place by a factory snapping mechanism. Kha simply depresses the two levers on the side of the factory radio, slides it out from its enclosure, and disconnects the factory electrical connection.
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After Kha wires the new Pioneer... 
   
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After Kha wires the new Pioneer head unit with a wiring harness from Monster Cable, he makes all the necessary electrical connections and installs the new DEH-53DH AM/FM/CD head unit.
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John Mancuso, also from Pacific... 
   
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John Mancuso, also from Pacific Audio, installs the Monster Cable heavy-duty four-gauge wire that runs straight from the battery. This will eventually be hooked up to the amplifiers to supply their main power.
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After Mancuso drills a hole... 
   
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After Mancuso drills a hole in the firewall and feeds the Monster Cable through it, lead installer Karl Yamashita takes over the task of running the wire down the inner doorsill and behind the already removed rear seat. He then hooks up the new Monster Cable to the provided fuse block, which provides added protection against potential power interruptions that could damage the amps.
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To install the new Pioneer... 
   
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To install the new Pioneer 6-1/2-inch component speakers, Mike Randolph removes the factory door panel to access the OEM speaker.
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With the OEM speaker removed,... 
   
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With the OEM speaker removed, Randolph installs the new Pioneer speaker wires and attaches them to the back of the new TS-C1652 speaker.
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Randolph then drops the new... 
   
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Randolph then drops the new Pioneer speaker into the factory opening and secures it with the provided screws.
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Installing the new Pioneer... 
   
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Installing the new Pioneer tweeter requires removing the armrest section of the door panel. The OEM tweeter simply twists off once the speaker wire has been detached. The Pioneer tweeter sits directly in the opening of the OEM piece and is held in place with the factory grille shell. Once the door panel is re-installed, the new Pioneer speakers will be undetectable to the naked eye, thus adding a measure of security.
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Yamashita decides to mount... 
   
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Yamashita decides to mount the two Premier amps, the GM-X404 and GM-X402, to the back cab wall. But before mounting them, he makes a custom wood base wrapped in matching carpet and mounts it to the rear wall.
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After Yamashita mounts and... 
   
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After Yamashita mounts and wires the Premier GM-X402 amplifier with the new Monster Cable wires, he mounts the Premier GM-X404 amplifier right next to the other amp. A provided filler plate makes it look as if one giant amplifier is mounted to the back wall, cleaning up the appearance of the amps.
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Yamashita then attaches all... 
   
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Yamashita then attaches all the Monster Cable RCA plug ends into the two Premier amps.
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With the amplifiers mounted,... 
   
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With the amplifiers mounted, Yamashita turns his attention to mounting the new TS-WX65 Bass-Reflex enclosed subwoofer. He simply positions the subwoofer where he wants it and attaches it with the provided canvas strap that encompasses the speaker and holds it in place. Once that’s complete, the entire system will be tested and tuned for the best listening environment. We got our new Pioneer and Premier sound system at an outstanding price for the level of enjoyment we&8217re sure to experience.
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Our new FloFit leather seats... 
   
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Our new FloFit leather seats are designed to offer outstanding support compared to the stock seats. Available for a variety of sport truck applications, the seats come with a custom center console that flips up to become a small jump seat for a third passenger. The bucket seats offer high thigh-bolsters designed to control lower-body movements, thigh-extenders that pull out for taller individuals, and deep side-bolsters that provide good lateral and vertical support without obstructing a person&8217s entry and exit.
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The installation requires... 
   
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The installation requires attaching the base of the seat tracks to the base of the new FloFit seats. FloFit owner Kevin Driskel quickly attaches the brackets with the provided hardware.
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Once Driskel removes the factory... 
   
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Once Driskel removes the factory bucket seats and center console, he installs the provided FloFit seat bracket that&8217s designed to hold both the seats and the custom center console. The new center console is the first item to be installed.
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After installing the center... 
   
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After installing the center console and securing it with the provided hardware, Driskel can install each bucket seat. The driver-side bucket even includes an air pump so the driver can pump up the seatback by hand to provide even greater back support.
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FloFit can even provide extra... 
   
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FloFit can even provide extra material so you can cover the rear seats to match. With both front and rear seats covered in leather and the outstanding support offered by the FloFit seats, long drives in Project Daily Driver are welcome.
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Everything is included in... 
   
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Everything is included in the Dashboards Plus wood trim insert kit. There are 12 wooden inserts, and each piece is specifically formed for its intended application. Each insert has been polished and buffed to a high, rich luster. Also included in the kit are the necessary mounting screws that attach the wood to the interior factory panels.
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The installation was very... 
   
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The installation was very straightforward, and the entire job took approximately an hour and a half. The wooden insert for the driver-side door simply fits over the velour-covered factory section. First position the Dashboards Plus panel in the desired location on the door.
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Once the panel has been fit... 
   
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Once the panel has been fit properly, drill a small pilot hole to facilitate installation of the provided screws. Then, insert the screw into the hole and carefully handtighten the piece.
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Installation of the Dashboards... 
   
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Installation of the Dashboards Plus polished-wood instrument insert requires removal of the factory dash cluster because the new insert fits directly behind the plexiglass cover. Gently pull loose the plastic factory dashpanel.
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With the dashpanel removed,... 
   
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With the dashpanel removed, unscrew the four small screws holding the instrument cluster in place. The instrument cluster simply unsnaps from its connection.
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With the factory plexiglass... 
   
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With the factory plexiglass cover removed, properly position the new wooden insert around the factory gauges. Once the desired position is obtained, remove the backing from the adhesive side of the Dashboards Plus insert and carefully secure it to the factory gauge face. Then reinstall the plexiglass cover and put the instrument cluster with the new trim back into the truck.
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Before replacing the factory... 
   
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Before replacing the factory dashpanel, we also installed the Dashboards Plus wooden instrument-surround piece. It installs the same way as the door inserts. Drill a small pilot hole in the plastic panel, then insert and handtighten the provided screw.
Gibson Performance Exhaust Systems
Yorba Linda
CA
Hyper-Tech Inc.
Memphis
TN
L&G Ent.
San Dimas
CA
K&N Engineering Inc.,
Riverside
CA
BFGoodrich Tires Monster Cable
South San Francisco
CA
Belltech Inc.
2822 E. California Ave.
Fresno
CA  93721
Pacific Audio & Alarm
Budnik Wheels
www.budnik.com
Pioneer
Checker Products
979 U.S. Hwy. 68 E.
Benton
KY  42025
Street Scene Equipment
12691 Monarch St.
Garden Grove
CA  92811
(714) 799-9226
Dashboards Plus L.L.C.
Hartland
WI
Stylin’ Concepts
North Olmsted
OH
DeLillo Truck Center
Huntington Beach
CA
Trader’s Truck Accessories
Whittier
CA
FloFit Seating Systems
Corona
CA

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