Bill, what kind of tooling is needed for this.
Itās injection molded plastic. Hardened tool steel.
I have absolutely no experience with this, but maybe 3D printing would be a cheaper alternative to injection molding, and it would be easier to produce different versions for 67 vs 68.
Years ago we used a very high quality process to do 3D modeling. It was called stereo lithography. It produced excellent parts but they were fragile expensive and took a very long time to produce. When the AC vents were tooled we used it to verify everything.
Currently 3D parts are stronger cheaper and faster, but the quantity is terrible. The kind of perfect surface needed for cosmetic parts just isnāt happening. I hope in time it might be viable.
The four major cost components are tooling, raw materials, machine run time, and finishing. Tooling is a one time expense for at least the first 10k pieces. We will probably never sell more than a few thousand. We need high temp plastic with some elasticity for screw holding. This is a function of oil prices and weight. These are big parts that requires a big machine. This will be a single cavity tool so it will make one part at a time. I hope we can make 60 an hour. The finishing process is the same as what costs over $500 only it will be automated and jigged up for mass production. As you may have guessed it sure helps if you can make big runs. Ultimately we will run the lowest number of parts allowable. Packaging cost is also a factor as these need to arrive in perfect condition
I would be in for one Bill. I know when i was redoing mine, I didnāt have the funds to send out to get rechromed so I painted it myself with some Chrome paint and called it good.
Happy to see someone try to tackle these types of things and know that we will support you!
My vote is on the 68 as well.
Looks like '68 is the most likely candidate for both standard and XR-7.
About the standard dash. It needs to accommodate the '67 style fascia pad that used screws. In 68 they switched to metal clips. There are I believe 13 of those clips and the reproduction (not mine) is $11 per clip. I am thinking that I could build recesses into the panel and then supply some six little girl velcro that would be used to secure the panel instead of clips. Since the clips are pain to remove and to line up that could save some hassles and money. People with good clips could then sell them. Alternatively, I could put snap in inserts into the locations where the screw and the clip use the same location. You would have to insert these according to which dash fascia you were using. This might actually cost less than the velcro. In either case we are talking less than $5. But then you would need to have the clips for the '68 dash.
I did a restoration of my ā67 in 2021. Everything needed done!
Itās all back together with entirely new interior. Iām a pretty particular person and cannot stand to look at the chrome spray painted bezels. Drives me nuts.
Iām in!
FYI. Instrument specialties quoted me $900 and said they are 6 months behind.
Mark
I used that company to restore the dash of my '68 R code back in 2017 - 2018. They did great work and no quality issues of any kind, but yes they were very high priced. And slow.
Hi Bill - regarding 3D printing,
Currently 3D parts are stronger cheaper and faster, but the quantity is terrible.
I take it you mean the quality is terrible ?
Like most Cougar specific parts that donāt cross to a Mustang itās a numbers game. Cost vs how many can you sell at an attractive price and not lose your shirt in the process. Before looking into this deciding what version to make stopped the show. I would do the 68 version and play the numbers game as most owners would be ok with it in their 67 Cougar. The owner that wants it exact will most likely hunt out a good used one to get re-chromed. As stated good used ones that arenāt to brittle are getting harder to come by. Lots of pent up demand so getting a good chunk of the investment money back early on shouldnāt be a problem.
After a long discussion with Don Rush we will include the center lens buttons. What else should be included?
Standards have that rectangular AC trim piece thatās chromed.
Standard lenses?
I donāt want to get carried away as there will be a point where the total investment is impossible.
I say do the 68 xr7 bezel and make the RH match. My guess is they rounded it for safety and did not bother rounding the RH as they had planned to cover it with the knee pad. Later they dropped the knee pad as the government was not being as stringent as they has guessed. Some 68 xr7ās built in the transition period of pad vs no pad were let out the door with no chrome on the lower edge. Very ugly, I would have complained if it were my new car.
I always like to make reproduction parts better than Ford originals. Rounding that bottom edge makes perfect sense and fixes an original flaw.
Looking at the '67 Standard compared to the '68 It looks like maybe we should use the '67 Right hand side with the little bump at the bottom.
"68 guys will be happy. I am going to put recesses in for six-little-girl velcro to hold the dash fascia pad on. Those little clips are $11 each and there are 13 of them. There will also be screw bosses for the '67 style pad.
After looking at a few samples I am also going to look into doing new lenses. I am creeping down the āwhile I am at itā rat hole but Wouldnāt you want new lenses?
Bill -
Have you checked out the carbon-fibre styled instrument clusters advertised on Ebay?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332008537969?hash=item4d4d403f71:g:-24AAOSwuThfyTVB
Not original, but a price point to consider.
Iām in for a set of '68 XR7 panels.
The 1/4"x20 studs are a good solution. Thatās how the '67 bezels for my race car came back after rechroming.
An update
Lens tooling is now complete and first samples are on the way.