While most of us spend lots of time modifying and painting the exterior of our trucks, no custom vehicle can be in the winner's circle without an equal amount of time spent on the interior. Whether you drive a slammed mini, a lifted 4x4, vintage iron, a drag strip stormer, or sound quality competitor on the stereo circuit, the interior is the perfect area to incorporate your tastes and truly personalize your ride. Look over this collection of ideas as a starting point in creating your ultimate interior. Mix and match until you find the combination just right for your truck.
1.The elegant Porsche Lipstick Red leather interior in Mike Maffucci's F-100 is patterned after a '55 Bentley, with the custom-made bench seat coddling driver and passenger in luxury. Overhead, the roof-mounted console holds the Sony head unit for entertainment and the Valentine radar detector for protection. This high-performance truck uses a Hurst shifter to control the six-speed Tremec trans, while the Mustang gauge cluster keeps track of the supercharged 4.6L Mustang V-8 under the hood.
2.Rick Kirk's old '61 Ford Econoline was revitalized as a project vehicle for Kicker stereo. The beautifully laid out interior is lots of fun for one person (with two tiny friends!). A central driver seat looks over the collection of custom gauges in a unique fiberglass dashboard. With amps up above, speakers left and right (low), monitors left and right (high), and surround sound everywhere, this one is a stereophile's delight.
3.Lee Farmer's '86 Mazda is a work of art. In addition to the graphics flowing under the windshield, the fiberglass dashboard also flows seamlessly to the rear-mounted audio enclosure. A custom steering pod, large 5-inch Auto Meter tach, head unit, and separated components dominate the front. The rear enclosure houses multiple amplifiers and speakers, along with the power source, and matching Optima Yellow Top battery.
4.Bobby Hillgaertner's '97 S-10 is a world-class stereo competitor. Designed in his garage, the eye-catching dashboard is a one-piece unit that holds the large central monitor, gauges, and the versatile joystick-style controller that manages the system. Angled toward the passenger and driver is a collection of multiple speakers powered by the group of free-floating ARC Audio amps in the rear. What Bobby calls a simple system is actually a class-winning competitor thanks to one man's dedication and passion for the sport.
5.Author Joe Greeves' Super Stepside is filled with 14 speakers that turn the truck into a concert hall. Monitors in the center console and visors play DVDs and respond to the rear-view camera. Other toys include Travel Pilot navigation, Sirius satellite radio, and a 10-CD player in the glove compartment. Nitrous purge, flamethrower, and power window controls reside in the center armrest. StreetGlow lighting in shades of orange and blue outlines the components at night.
6.Starting with a clean sheet of green paper, Shon Reece completely redesigned his '84 S-10 Blazer, making it into a two-seater. The elaborate fiberglass dash holds a full complement of instruments along with component sets angled toward the driver and passenger. The center console flows between the re-upholstered Miata seats, blending into the intricate fiberglass enclosure in the rear hatch. The combination amp rack and sub enclosure holds four Audiobahn subs, two of which are reversed to show the distinctive baskets.
7.T.C. Coleman's '00 Ford F-350 boasts four bucket seats upholstered in leather to match the exterior colors. Lighted from below, the multicolored console holds three subs in the center along with three more in the rear enclosure. Individual armrests on the console add to the comfort of the driver and passengers on cross-country excursions. The Alpine CD/DVD flip-face stereo along with the mids, highs, and PlayStation II molded into the airbrushed dash, round out the A/V entertainment options.
8.The '52 Chevy 5-window of Greg Miller incorporates modern comforts into a classic truck. Comfortable seating for driver and passenger is assured by the Pontiac Grand Prix six-way power seats. Modern Dakota Digital instruments, a Vintage Air system, a chrome tilt column, Lokar pedals and shifter, along with lots of leather and suede make this one cool ride.
9.Mike Linsky's suicided '88 S-15 Jimmy sports a new dash and center console built from sheetmetal and painted to match. The original bench seat was trimmed to fit the internal tonneau cover and then re-upholstered. Fold the seat forward and you will discover an elaborate arrangement of MTX subs, amps, and crossovers that power the Jimmy's stereo.
10.Mini-trucks demand careful planning and effective use of the available space. Cody Bourgeois created a compact system in Cody Roussell's '95 Toyota Tacoma, squeezing four subs between the seats along with mids and highs in the doors. That's a double-din Sony head unit and EQ shoehorned into the glove box.
11.Michael Bourgeois' bright yellow '06 Colorado gets your attention thanks to the unique entry provided by the Lambo doors. Then, you notice the custom center console with a stereo head unit, monitor, air suspension controls, and power window switches. Michael took the audio a step further with the elaborate sub box, which takes up the entire back seat. Everything is color-matched.
12.One look at the huge sub wall in this '99 Silverado and you know that the owner is an active stereo enthusiast. Dominating the rear of the extended cab, an even dozen staggered subs reside in a custom fiberglass enclosure, painted to match the flame-licked exterior of this awesome Chevy. Flame painted gauges and an ominous skull steering wheel continue the theme.
13.James and Gina Scott own this '99 Lincoln Lightning loaded with detail. The lightning-bolt theme accents the center console that holds multiple monitors along with gauges and switches for the air suspension. Auto Meter gauges reside in a custom housing at the top of the dash. Door and kick panels hold the Kicker component sets while the billet steering wheel, shifter, and lightning bolts, continue the theme.
 |  |  14. Trent van Arsdalen's Coloradical...  14.Trent van Arsdalen's Coloradical is a showcase not only for Trent's upholstery business but also for Kicker products. The late-model, Extended Cab Colorado boasts custom seats, a unique center console, dual head unit, 7-inch monitor in the dash, Kicker amps and component sets on the rear wall, and finally Kicker's distinctive Subtomix subs. House of Kolor paint accents match inside and out. |
 15. The owner of this late-model...  15.The owner of this late-model Dodge Ram is clearly concerned with comfort. In addition to the custom dashboard with the large 12-inch monitor, this pickup sports a pair of overstuffed, Lazy-Boy-style armchairs that must create a luxurious ride down the highway. If the truck were an extended cab, there would probably be room for recliners! |  16. Mike Danner's F-150 blends...  16.Mike Danner's F-150 blends the best of custom and performance. Although the supercharged Triton V-8 makes more than 500 hp, this truck is equally at home on the show circuit. Sparco racing seats are equipped with four-point, cam lock belts. A boost gauge and Auto Meter air suspension gauges keep track of essentials. When the big V-8 is quiet, the Sony CD head unit, Memphis 550w two-channel amp, four 6.5-inch Cerwin Vega 3-ways, and the pair of Punch 12s between the seats create music of a different sort. |  17. The interior of Ron Alligood's...  17.The interior of Ron Alligood's extended cab '97 F-150 is dominated by the large fiberglass center console extending from the dash to the rear cab wall. The rear portion of the console holds a pair of Punch 15-inch subs and, at the touch of a button, the motorized rack rises to reveal the three Rockford Fosgate amps with the three 7-inch Nessa screens. |
 18. One small change can make...  18.One small change can make a world of difference. Kevin Allen added this huge sub enclosure in the extended cab portion of his S-10. Fairly simple to create, but dramatic to see and hear, the sub box gives the interior a whole new appearance. |  19. Jason Riner began modernizing...  19.Jason Riner began modernizing his '54 Chevy with one-piece side glass and seats from a '91 Escort, reshaped and covered in glove-soft leather. The dash is now a combination of old and new with the stock Chevrolet imprint still in place, contrasting with modern Dakota Digital gauges, an ididit steering column, and the Intro wheel. The molded-in 7-inch screen from Pyle augments the flip-face stereo head unit from JVC. Power windows, electric door locks, and all the latest modern conveniences transform the Chevy into a comfortable, modern-day grand touring machine. | |
20.The interior of Jeremy Griffith's '07 F-350 uses four bucket seats separated by a unique fiberglass console. Front and rear passengers have their own multiple monitors, while 28 speakers surround all four passengers, and the etched glass woodland scene built into the side of the console is lighted and changes color at night. There are even nitrous bottles to add a 100hp punch to the 400hp diesel under the hood.