Industrial Interior: Rubber Black Diamond Plate

[wekilled]

Here is an interesting mod which I have done to two vehicles in the past (a 77 Toyota Celica Liftback and a 94 Amigo)

It will keep your interior cleaner if you live in a wet or snowy area. However if you get into deep water it will trap the moisture underneath the mat. It also looks really industrial and fits the style of the VX.

Order some diamond plate matting from any number of industrial matting companies (locally we have Pacific Mat in Kent Wa) It costs from 6-8 dollars a foot and comes in either light gray or black, and 3-4 foot wide rolls. There are no other colors available that I know of.

You will have to take out the seats to use the carpeting as a template. Since the driveline creates a double radius curve you have the option of covering the hump separately and overlapping over the floor sections. The easiest part is the cargo area. The mat is a little stiff when you bend the seat up, but gets better over time.

Another less invasive option is to make a pattern of areas like the bottom of the cupholder, the useless square indent in front of that, and the indent to the right of the H/L shifter, and a few other areas where you can use it as an accent.

[mbeach]

Is that stuff "moldable" like with a heat gun?
I used to have rubber flooring in an old truck and it was great. It was molded to fit the shape of the vehicle floor, and I was wondering if the diamond plate stuff could be molded as well.

[dkmiller68]

photos please

[wekilled]

I don't believe it is moldable, at least not a huge double radius like the center hump. Its mil-spec thickness.

I don't have photos as of yet as I just got the VX in Dec-my current project is getting ready to sell my unfinished fixer upper house so I can move to Fort Lewis. The last few vehicles I did this to are already sold. When I have a little time I can get something posted up, but moving to my new unit at Lewis is my current crisis. Not trying to brush anyone off, just need to take care of my family first. (then the VX) If someone has more time than I wish I did thought it might be a fun mod to play with.

I know with Pacific Mat (online) they will send samples to play around with. I already have a black sample and a gray one.

[kpaske]

Wow, another VX on Ft. Lewis... when you see the lifted Ebony cruising around on post with the Yakima rack and spare tire on the roof, pull up and say hi, ok? What unit are you with?

[wekilled]

Before I got mine I thought I saw your VX at McChord once. At the time I was green with envy since I was lookingfor one. My VX is pretty stock right now, just some minor mods. I just got it after Xmas and headed to JRTC for a few weeks. I am finally getting to go over it now and decide where to start. See future mods in my profile...

I am with 91st (1-358) My Branch gave me a break after Baghdad and put me there for 16 months. I am getting ready to change out my handreceipt and move to 3-2 as the Med Planner (yeah-a CSS puke). I'll be there by April. You with the Ranger Bat?

Do you know of any local accessories, parts shops? I am looking around for skidplates x3. We'll have to link up. I'd like to see the ride. Dont know anyone else that owns one locally, other than online discussions.

[mbeach]

Hijack
One of you guys might be the reason that I bought my VX.
When I was stationed at Ft. Wainwright, I used to get to Lewis/McChord about 2x a year. I used to see at least on VX on every trip. I've wanted one ever since.
Hijack off.

I'm going to send off for some samples and practice with the heat gun/oven.
This project will happen, it's just not a priority to get on right away. Gauges/dash must come first.

[kpaske]

Yeah, I often drive over to McChord on the weekends to use the commissary or PX. That would be awesome if I inspired someone to go out and buy one! There is also an Astral and a Foxfire in the Lakewood/Tacoma area, but mine is the only modded Ebony I've seen around. I met a guy from Seattle once with a pretty cool custom hood insert, and I met another guy from Portland (JAFO) a couple of weeks ago. But other than that, outside of the forums I haven't talked to many other VX owners in the area either. We really need to get a meet started up this way. I don't really know of any accessory shops - I purchase nearly everything online. Autozone is usually my first choice for standard parts, but we've also got Napa and Schucks. Sometimes you're just better off going through St. Charles Isuzu for OEM stuff though.

BTW, yes, I'm with 2d Ranger Battalion. Don't believe everything you hear about us!

[mbeach]

BTW, yes, I'm with 2d Ranger Battalion. Don't believe everything you hear about us!

Before I became the S3 Air NCO for the 172d Inf (Alaska airborne) I was a Stinger guy. That's why we went to Lewis so often, to use the MTS at the edge of your compound. We probably know a few of the same people -when did you go through school?

[wekilled]

Here is a local place in the Puget Sound to get black/gray diamond matting:

Pacific Mat

They give out samples and sell ends of rolls too. The product can be had at any commercial mat company though, as its pretty common for industrial use.

mbeach: I left AK back in Jan 95 as I was enlisted then, and got into ROTC at the Univ Fairbanks after coming back from Desert Storm. Probably kpaske who turned you into a VXer. I was a broke college student driving through the ice fog in a 76 celica.

[mbeach]

I was in Fairbanks from 97-2002, so it definately wasn't you.
Could've been kpaske, but the last time I was in Lewis was in 2001 (MRI at McChord as part of MRB -bad jump). One of my old CO's (Cpt Morgan, @your time) became the ROTC commander at UAF, so I used to do the rappel demos (Aussies off of the roof of the library will get some cadets ) and toss 'em from the jump tower at Wainwright.

I think I'll try that mat as a replacement for the floormats, rather than the whole carpeting. It does look very thick.

[kpaske]

I've only been on Lewis since Sept 2002. Prior to that I was at Ft. Benning (from February to September 02), but my VX didn't get there until June. If you haven't been here since 2001, then it wasn't me you saw!