Upgrading the interior

[Boar-Ral]

Has anyone torn apart the dash and other interior components in both the pre-2004 and post-2004 H1s to know how difficult it would be to retrofit the newer interior into an older H1? I imagine most of the underpinnings are the same, but am wondering if someone knows for certain? In addition, were there any major changes between 1999 and 2004 with the electronics that would keep the instrument cluster from working? I do not even own an H1 but I keep my eyes open for one from time to time, and such an upgrade is something I am interested in. I know that it would be expensive in dash pieces alone, and it is not something I would do right away, but I was wondering. It might be something I could do a little bit at a time.

[ssgharkness020147]

I hope that cost is not an issue if you actually were to perform this upgrade. The dog house alone on a 99-00ish H1 is about a grand at the dealer, and thats just the dog house. You would also need to change out the shifter, again factor at least 500.00 for that piece. See what I'm saying? Your at 1500.00 for two pieces and NOWHERE close to having an 04+ interior. The switches are not all in the same locations, and it would take a bit of work to retrofit them, not too bad though. The gauges are not the same, no idea how hard it would be to convert them. I would say to do this whole project you would be at about ten grand. Personally I would just wait til an 04 is in your price range.

[BlueHUMMERH2]

To add to that, HVAC routing into the cabin is a bit different too. Entire door panels change. Headliner is different. Trim and moldings all change. And I think in the newer interiors, a lot is leather covered.

[Boar-Ral]

Originally Posted by BlueHUMMERH2

To add to that, HVAC routing into the cabin is a bit different too. Entire door panels change. Headliner is different. Trim and moldings all change. And I think in the newer interiors, a lot is leather covered.

Do they have side window defrost, requiring the change of the door panels, or is it just so the doors close properly without taking out the new dash at the same time? I think that I would start with the pieces that can co-exist with the older ones at first, and then finish it off with the pieces that won't. Of course, this is all hypothetical. I'm still looking for a '99 H1 soft-top in Canada. I know people that have brought in H1s from the US, but their troubles with brokerage and all that terrifies me. I mean, it's done thousands of times per day, but it's new to me.

[BlueHUMMERH2]

Originally Posted by Boar-Ral

Do they have side window defrost, requiring the change of the door panels, or is it just so the doors close properly without taking out the new dash at the same time? I think that I would start with the pieces that can co-exist with the older ones at first, and then finish it off with the pieces that won't. Of course, this is all hypothetical. I'm still looking for a '99 H1 soft-top in Canada. I know people that have brought in H1s from the US, but their troubles with brokerage and all that terrifies me. I mean, it's done thousands of times per day, but it's new to me.

HVAC routing differences can be seen in the first set and third set. A new air vent appears on the driver's right. Door panels actually look like they'd be compatible. I'm sorry when I said they "changed", because they did, but now that you mentioned compatability, yeah, they seem like they'd be compatible, at least in the rear. You'd have to reroute the rear window controls, however.

I'm very sorry I don't have more pictures to compare. I had saved these SE photos a while ago, and the ALPHA well before that. I thought I had more ALPHA shots.


2002 SE Dash air vents:


ALPHA dash air vents:




2002 SE rear door:


ALPHA rear door:




2002 Gauges:


ALPHA Gauges:



2002 doghouse (from above):


ALPHA front doghouse:

[BlueHUMMERH2]

I dug up some more photos. These are from the 2004 interior, which I think is identical (minus the shifters) to the 2006.


Looks like the defroster should still clear the door...
And it appears the lower side of the doghouse in unchanged.
Again, window controls would need to be rerouted.

2002 SE passenger side:


2004 passenger side:




Here, it appears again the lower sections of the hump are unchanged. Could easily be covered with a matching material at a shop probably.

2002 SE rear passenger side:


2004 rear passenger side:

[Boar-Ral]

Originally Posted by ssgharkness020147

I hope that cost is not an issue if you actually were to perform this upgrade. The dog house alone on a 99-00ish H1 is about a grand at the dealer, and thats just the dog house. You would also need to change out the shifter, again factor at least 500.00 for that piece. See what I'm saying? Your at 1500.00 for two pieces and NOWHERE close to having an 04+ interior. The switches are not all in the same locations, and it would take a bit of work to retrofit them, not too bad though. The gauges are not the same, no idea how hard it would be to convert them. I would say to do this whole project you would be at about ten grand. Personally I would just wait til an 04 is in your price range.

I know that it will cost a lot, but my thinking is picking up an H1 now, and enjoying it. Five years down the road, it might be a project I would undertake then. That way, I have an H1 in the meantime. It's not like the interior pre-2004 is horrible, not in the least. I just like the post-2004 interior more. So I can live with it. I was just wondering, so that down the road, if it did become feasible, that it would be at least technically possible. I appreciate your input, and that's the sort of information I was looking for.

[EXH1X5]

Originally Posted by Boar-Ral

I know that it will cost a lot, but my thinking is picking up an H1 now, and enjoying it. Five years down the road, it might be a project I would undertake then. That way, I have an H1 in the meantime. It's not like the interior pre-2004 is horrible, not in the least. I just like the post-2004 interior more. So I can live with it. I was just wondering, so that down the road, if it did become feasible, that it would be at least technically possible. I appreciate your input, and that's the sort of information I was looking for.

Ral, IF...somehow in the next 5 years you are able to pick up a complete 2004 interior (from a wreck, etc.) the conversion would be very 'feasible.' On the other hand, IF...you are thinking you could go purchase all the 2004 interior components needed to do your conversion from AMG ...5 more years down the road, then you are going to be in for a very BIG surprise!!!

[Boar-Ral]

Originally Posted by EXH1X5

Ral, IF...somehow in the next 5 years you are able to pick up a complete 2004 interior (from a wreck, etc.) the conversion would be very 'feasible.' On the other hand, IF...you are thinking you could go purchase all the 2004 interior components needed to do your conversion from AMG ...5 more years down the road, then you are going to be in for a very BIG surprise!!!

I was thinking that a wreck would probably be the best way to go about it. I know that some of the local bodyshops can search databases of wrecks for particular parts, so I would probably need to use their services, as I don't think I'll just walk into a local wrecking yard and see an H1 there.

[EXH1X5]

Originally Posted by Boar-Ral

I was thinking that a wreck would probably be the best way to go about it. I know that some of the local bodyshops can search databases of wrecks for particular parts, so I would probably need to use their services, as I don't think I'll just walk into a local wrecking yard and see an H1 there.

Even going that route, it will likely be slim-pickings! It may surprise you how few '04 & '06 were actually built.