Finally back to doing some Fox body custom work!

alanw6 · Jul 1, 2008

Been a while since I've done some custom work in a fox, and it's time to tackle a few ideas that have refused to exit my head. I've long wanted to build a few of these parts, so I'm excited to get started. Since I have a 92 in my garage, this is doable, and after a hectic winter my schedule allows me to tinker a bit again.

A friend brought me a junkyard 93 dash assembly, and today I started fiddling with some ideas.

To kick things off, here's what I worked on this afternoon. For a while now, I've seen a few similar panels offered on the market, but did not like the looks of the large flat panel. So, I bent one to match the OEM "step" found created by HVAC control sticking out further than the radio area:

There's still quite a bit of finish work left for this part, it's only about 75% complete. Mansonozz and Bottlfed have similar pieces in their cars, this one will take the idea a step or two further. Either they can post pics if they see this, or I'll try to dig some up. As I tackle this and other projects, I'll post up some pics here to see what you guys think.

Thanks for looking!

Alan

69clark · Jul 1, 2008

Nice, your the man.

hsean · Jul 1, 2008

looks great i am thinking of customizing something myself because i am going to go with a shaker 500 radio and i would like for it to be mounted above the hvac controls.

alanw6 · Jul 1, 2008

hsean said:
looks great i am thinking of customizing something myself because i am going to go with a shaker 500 radio and i would like for it to be mounted above the hvac controls.

That's a cool idea.

Remember the larger size (double DIN) of the Shaker radio probably won't allow you to "step" the part. It would likely need to remain a flat panel to get it to fit, or the bend could be done much lower than the OEM bend point.

I definitely plan to cut one of these with the HVAC controls down low, no question. It would be for a single DIN radio, however.

Do it, and post pics!

Ozz · Jul 1, 2008

I didn't know you were going to be getting on with it so soon! It looks cool so far, man.

Here's a pic kinda showing the pieces Alanw6 made for my car (DIN panel/gauge pod):

Can't wait to get something else in here

Aaron · Jul 1, 2008

Do you keep your car in a bubble or something? How the hell do you keep it so immaculate???

Ozz · Jul 1, 2008

It's pretty much just driven to shows and around town for pleasure a couple times a month if I'm lucky, so that makes it easy on the upkeep.

alanw6 · Jul 1, 2008

mansonozz said:
I didn't know you were going to be getting on with it so soon! It looks cool so far, man.

Thanks. Yeah, I jumped right on this part, since I've been itching to find excuses to use the new plastic bender.

I plan to do the silver or black finish layer next, as well as put some chamfers on the edges of the part's profiles. That'll give a nice look to the edges, imo.

Got a few more projects which will be shown shortly. I'll keep it in this thread.

fivespeedsteed · Jul 2, 2008

the way that would seem the most user friendly is to have the radio at the top, or in the center, and the gauges in the middle, or the top, and then that hvac at the bottom. but i have read up on this some and i hear you have to extend lines and such to get them to the bottom. if i did one, i would probably want the gauges up top, radio in themiddle, and then hvac on the bottom. it seems like if the gauges were at the bottom they would be hard to see kinda, i always thought if i did gauges at the bottom id have to get the angle rings, and tilt them up. i do like the part though. keep up the good work.

92GreenGT · Jul 2, 2008

That is awesome, are you going to be selling them?

alanw6 · Jul 2, 2008

fivespeedsteed said:
the way that would seem the most user friendly is to have the radio at the top, or in the center, and the gauges in the middle, or the top, and then that hvac at the bottom. but i have read up on this some and i hear you have to extend lines and such to get them to the bottom. if i did one, i would probably want the gauges up top, radio in themiddle, and then hvac on the bottom. it seems like if the gauges were at the bottom they would be hard to see kinda, i always thought if i did gauges at the bottom id have to get the angle rings, and tilt them up. i do like the part though. keep up the good work.

Agreed. Pay no attention to the layout as shown above, as it can be changed with just a little work in CAD.

For fun, I'll make one in the layout you suggested today. I've got to adjust a few other dimensions, so I'll give it a shot!

92GreenGT said:
That is awesome, are you going to be selling them?

Very likely, but I'd like to keep this thread within the rules of SN and not get into talking about sales/prices/etc. Just throwing out the ideas now, and hoping for feedback/wants/needs at this time.

iwashmycar · Jul 2, 2008

very nice!

i think the bend is a must.... have seen too many flat ones which make it look less factory IMO

It'd be cool to see gauges on top / AC on bottom, but I am not sure what all that envolves in way of rerouting AC connections/ect.... I've yet to look at it

Great work as always Alan

fivespeedsteed · Jul 2, 2008

yes great work. i wasnt bashing on the one you posted in the OP, just suggesting. i think if you sold a kit, with one with the gauges or radio at the top, and the radio or gauges in the middle, and the hvac at the bottom, AND everything nessicary to route the hvac down there, that would be money. you have already hit the nail on the head with this kind not being flat. and if its too hard to re route the hvac, then i guess put the radio up top, hvac in the middle maybe, and the bottom have the gauge holes angled up and towards the driver. kinda like the one in the op, but with the gauges facing upwards. that would be money in my opinion.

alanw6 · Jul 2, 2008

fivespeedsteed said:
i wasnt bashing on the one you posted in the OP, just suggesting. .

I know, didn't take it as bashing in any way.

BTW, I've alread cut a panel like you suggested, but mixed it up a little. I did three gauges up high, a DIN radio slot, and a bank of switches below. This would be for a full HVAC delete.

I'm just playing right now, so there will be quite a few other variations as I experiment.

Will try to post some pics of today's work later tonight...

MuDDuQ · Jul 2, 2008

I bought this plate off of a guy several years ago mabey off ebay not really sure now it was alot of work chopping the dash apart but it was worth it for me to add a kenwood ddx-6019 navigation unit to the dash.

I am looking for one of those left side little horn buttons in pic #1 off of a 90 gt if anyone has one

92GreenGT · Jul 2, 2008

alanw6 said:
Very likely, but I'd like to keep this thread within the rules of SN and not get into talking about sales/prices/etc. Just throwing out the ideas now, and hoping for feedback/wants/needs at this time.

Good deal, just checking becuase I'm not around as much as I used to be and I don't want to miss this when the time comes.

alanw6 · Jul 2, 2008

92GreenGT said:
Good deal, just checking becuase I'm not around as much as I used to be and I don't want to miss this when the time comes.

If you're not around here much, just bookmark my site and watch it later this summer. If you don't know it, my sig will be a big help.

MuDDuq, that panel is cool. The bend I'm doing wouldn't work with your deck, a flat panel would be the only way to go. I like how that company uses a laser to engrave the part, wish I had one in my shop. I do my engravings rotary (cnc).

Continued working on the dimensions of the part today, the fit is getting very precise to the OEM curves.

Following your requests, I changed up the layout for today's testing and measurements. Three 2 1/16" gauges up top, DIN center and five switches down low (full HVAC delete). Didn't have my fox at the shop today, and I need to remeasure the HVAC control box before i can move it to the bottom. I'm thinking the stock HVAC cutout will not fit in the lowest section, the reason for the approach shown in MuDDuq's pic.

Anyway, let me know what you think about today's effort, or how you'd mix it up. I've still got a lot of eggs to break on this project, so why not build your requests?

Thanks for the feedback!

hsean · Jul 2, 2008

MuDDuQ said:
I bought this plate off of a guy several years ago mabey off ebay not really sure now it was alot of work chopping the dash apart but it was worth it for me to add a kenwood ddx-6019 navigation unit to the dash.

I am looking for one of those left side little horn buttons in pic #1 off of a 90 gt if anyone has one

this is exactly the look that i want to achieve with my car i may need alan to duplicate something similar.

alanw6 · Jul 2, 2008

hsean said:
this is exactly the look that i want to achieve with my car i may need alan to duplicate something similar.

To be honest, I don't want to copy their work. You can purchase one straight from them at gaugeplates dot com. Pretty sure it's still available.

I've always wanted to see one of these panels bent to the correct OEM lines, so that's what I'm gunning for on this project. Because of this, a few configurations may not fit.

hsean · Jul 2, 2008

alanw6 said:
To be honest, I don't want to copy their work. You can purchase one straight from them at gaugeplates dot com. Pretty sure it's still available.

I've always wanted to see one of these panels bent to the correct OEM lines, so that's what I'm gunning for on this project. Because of this, a few configurations may not fit.

i will check out their website but your right it would be nice to get the bend in it but it would be difficult with the double din radio.

Finally back to doing some Fox body custom work!

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