Remove these dash bezels?

[RICH MUISE]

Good job Tom. I like the look. I also like the round Gages. How wide is that tape you used? Is it self adhesive?I had seen other sheets of stuff in graphic supply stores that I had wondered if could be used in a similar way. The best part of what you did is it definetly doesn't look like tape, btw.
something you may want to look into if they have a hobby store near you that sells models car kits..they make sheets of chrome like stuff that they use for 'chroming' the moulded in side trim on those models. I think it may be thicker and more durable than the leafing sheets sold in craft stores (or real gold or silver leaf). It's a glue-on product made in a variety of different alloys and finishes. Id be real curious to see how that stuff would work on the dash panel bezels. Also Dennis carpenter sells the replacement clear pieces for that. Don't loose those tiny little clips that hold the speedo plastic in.
P.S. LOL..I knew Jay was in for it when he told you it was cold in Mass.

[hiball3985]

That looks excellent Tom, great idea. I remember the Studebakers that had the machine turned dashes with SW gauges and toggle switches and how much I liked those. My bezels are like yours that set in the recess. My garage is cluttered with front suspension parts and tons of crap so I'm working on mine in the house too, on the coffee table 

[Ecode70D]

Tom
      I am going to have to stop feeling sorry for myself and complaining about the weather  You have it tough up there, so i'll count my blessings and keep my mouth shut about what I think is cold. 
      I like your car just the way is is with that Edsel nose and I'm even thinking about going with that same color for my car.  If I do your color, I could get  mine back together sooner and start driving it.  I noticed that there are lots of cars on the forum that are sporting grey primer.  I can't even imagine trying to come up with all of those Edsel parts to do what you did, especially up there.
      You will never be sorry about the three speed top loader with 4th gear overdrive and I think that you got the better deal with that trade. Getting the 57 clutch linkage was a bonus.  That's what I had in my 58 with 406 and it got great mileage even with the triple carb. intake.  By the way I shifted mine with  four speed forward  on the column and reverse was with a cable under the dash.  It sure confused the guys at the car cruises around here.
       Keep up  the good work and stay warm. Jay in not so cold Mass.
     

[Tom S]

What?! nobody gonna give me grief for using that fake engine turned stuff? 
Yeah I think it came out ok & like I featured.  Getting the rest on may be tricky though.

57 Ford Tim, I used this stuff that I have had around here for about 30 years.  Look at that price sticker. 



Unfortunately they don't seem to make it any more. Hardly used any of it in all this time & so I guess I'm lucky to have it.
This 'Prism Tape' ain't the same thing.  Looks like something that belongs on a, emm, ... I donno, a disco ball?
Seen it in the parts store. Glittery, sparkly, rainbow crap.  It just ain't right.  Not wide enough either.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/TRM0/T0926.oap?pt=N0297&ppt=C0101
I didn't realize that what I already had would work & was at first thinking I needed something wider to fit the expanse of the gauge panel.  Here are some of the places I found while looking for something wider.
http://www.mnpctech.com/Engine_Turned_Vinyl_Film.html
This next one might be your best bet.  24" wide by 12" should be enough for the whole dash.   
"This seller does not ship to Alaska/Hawai"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silver-Small-Engine-Turn-Sign-Plotter-Cutter-Vinyl-/290793277027?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b4a14663
Maybe this  is a good one too but a lot more than you need. "Small Engine Turn Sign Vinyl, choose your color and size, self-adhesive."   $12.95, 12"X10'!  Shipping to me is $11.25, almost as much as the product.
http://stores.ebay.com/Paper-Street-Plastics/Brush-Gold-Leaf-Engine-Turns-/_i.html?_fsub=1470367
Not wide enough.
http://www.tapebrothers.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Engine+Turn+&Search.x=19&Search.y=21
If anybody finds any more of this stuff that is at least 3" wide, (3.5" would be better),  I hope they will post it up here.

It is 3" from the speedo opening to the bottom of the panel.  You want at least 1/4' to wrap over the bottom & the ends.  I cut the bottom off after I had the stuff on & on one side at the bottom I cut it a little too short.  Stuff was trying to delaminate after I wrapped it around.  I taped it down & it seems to have stuck back together.



Rich, it is 3.75' wide & yes it is self adhesive.  Very sticky!  Seems like that chrome like stuff from a hobby shop would be pretty hard to get on to dash panel bezels espically in the corners.  Is that self adhesive too?
Thanks for the tip on Dennis Carpenter!  I hadn't looked there for that.  50 bucks for the speedo plastic beats Obsolete Ford by about 32 bucks!  Can get all 3 pieces from Carpenter for $70.  I better check out Carpenter some more.

Ecode Jay, I didn't put that that Edsel nose on the car, bought it that way.  As for the paint, it is really, really bad.  Not sure what the guy used but most of it feels like very coarse sandpaper.  When I was buying the car the seller says, "Oh, you don?t wash it." He then pulls one of those lint brushes out of the glove box.  
If you tried to wash or dry this thing with a cloth it would be covered in bits of cloth & lint.  It's just another thing I wish he hadn't done.  I want it painted gloss black but my body man/painter ain't gonna like it.   Got a lot of bondo on it too. 
Now, without any of the stainless side trim I think it looks like a slab sided flat black blob.
I hope to remedy that before too long.  Right after I snuck in here Suede57ford tracked down some of his nice stainless side trim & sold it to me.  What a guy! 
I need to get my body man to help me align the doors & get that trim on.  Gotta find the right clips for that trim first.  Then I want the paint job.  I don't know if I can find a 57 front clip but I would use it if I can.  Pretty slim pickens here & would cost a fortune to ship up from down there.

Hey, it's warmed up here!    

[57 Ford Kustom]

Tom,
   Thanks for the info, I can always rely on you to do extremely intense research on any item! Now, if I can only figure out how to get you to buy it for me too ! Lol, thanks for all your research!
Tim

[Ecode70D]

"Ecode Jay, I didn't put that that Edsel nose on the car, bought it that way.  As for the paint, it is really, really bad.  Not sure what the guy used but most of it feels like very coarse sandpaper.  When I was buying the car the seller says, "Oh, you don?t wash it." He then pulls one of those lint brushes out of the glove box.  
If you tried to wash or dry this thing with a cloth it would be covered in bits of cloth & lint.  It's just another thing I wish he hadn't done.  I want it painted gloss black but my body man/painter ain't gonna like it. 
me.  w if I can find a 57 front clip but I would use it if I can.  Pretty slim pickens here & would cost a fortune to ship up from down there."

Tom....   Not having to search for that Edsel nose puts and putting it on the car  puts you that much ahead.  I can picture the car all done with just those strips on the side that you were looking for. Have you ever tried to fine sand a spot on that paint?  I'm wondering if it is some sort of Rustoleum.  I picked up a 34 Ford one time and it had dull black paint like that on it.  I used to clean it up with a fine scuffy pad. Lint would stick to it when I washed it and rubbed it with a cloth.  I block sanded it and made it smooth , then put some black centari on it and it came out nice.  Stick with it. You can make it look real nice. It is crying for that small block Ford engine with the toploader overdrive. transmission though.  Jay

[Tom S]

Have you ever tried to fine sand a spot on that paint? ... Rustoleum....

Yeah, a spot.   
I ain't gonna sand that whole car, & I sure ain't gonna paint it myself.   
With all the little bondo cracks & stuff I'm gonna pay to have it done right.  Too much of something that I don't like & not all that adapt at or inclined to do like some other things.
Oh, it's not Rustoleum, it's something weird.

It is crying for that small block Ford

Gonna get the 1966 390 I been savin'. 

Man, someday very soon I'm gonna have to educate you on how to use the quote button at the upper right of people's posts.  You can teach me some other sh ... stuff.   

[Ecode70D]

Man, someday very soon I'm gonna have to educate you on how to use the quote button at the upper right of people's posts.  You can teach me some other sh ... stuff.   

   That quote thing has been bothering me since I signed up.   Sometimes I get it and most of the times I just screw it up. Rich and some of the other guys have tried  lots of times to help me with that one.  Rebuilding a toploader is less confusing for me.
    The  problem with having someone else do it, is that you have to pay big bucks.  I do understand your situation though.  It is very time consuming and block sanding is absolutely no fun. You will do the engine swap before you paint it though.  Right?   I think that the Edsel nose on your car is real slick and the only thing that I would change on your car is to put that 57 stainless on the sides minus the one piece just like the black one that you used for a sample picture.

[Ecode70D]

I got the quote thing right that time.   Next time I'll probably screw it up because I'm not a compter guy.

[Tom S]

The  problem with having someone else do it .... pay big bucks. ....... You will do the engine swap before you paint it though.  Right?   I think that the Edsel nose on your car is real slick and ...

Yeah, getting the paint & bodywork done is gonna cost me some real big bucks.  Most of my life I wouldn't have even considered it.  I can now.  Not that I'm gonna like spending the money since I am usually kind of cheap, ...err, thrifty. 
Yeah, thrifty, that's the word. 
Yes, I will definitely do the engine swap first.  But at the rate I'm going anymore I sometimes wonder if any of this is gonna happen before I kick the bucket. 

Always thought that an Edsel nose on these things was pretty neat but if I can get a 57 Ford front clip I would use it.  Front of a 57 is really good looking.
I might feel better about using the Edsel nose if '57 Fords weren't so rare around here, would stand out from the others.
Since my Ranchero is somehow actually titled as an Edsel just think of the big BS story I could make up about how very rare this car is. 
I would really like a nice gloss black paint job but it may be that I just do some sanding & get some better looking flat black sprayed on it, put on the stainless moldings & some 'mag' wheels & call it good. 
Who knows. 

[Tom S]

I got the quote thing right that time.

You did!     And thank you for having sense enough to quote only the pertinent part & not the whole post.
All your talk about 406s got me looking for something for mine.  Check this thread.
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=3911.new#new

[hiball3985]

Since my Ranchero is somehow actually titled as an Edsel just think of the big BS story I could make up about how very rare this car is. 

Not to mention the people who have no idea what a slant six is 

[Tom S]

Not to mention the people who have no idea what a slant six is 

Oh, you had to bring that up.     Hate, hate, hate it!  I ain't gonna drive it around with that thing in it.     It's gotta go!  To make it even worse that thing has a terrible, horrible, irritating droning sound to it while driving it.  How the PO could stand it for years or why he put that thing in it in the first place is beyond me.          

[hiball3985]

People do some strange things don't they  They were actually good little engines but I wouldn't want one in a Ford either..

[57 Ford Kustom]

Tom,
   At least if it had a c#@%& in it you could resell it!! LOL
Tim