Woodgrain repair kit [for ideas only]

[1986F150Six]

This is advertised as being for horn bars; perhaps it can give ideas for other dash parts/bezels. It is interesting and thought provoking.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-1979-Ford-Lincoln-Mercury-Steering-Wheel-Horn-Pad-Wood-Grain-Repair-Kit/143122788145?fits=Year%3A1978%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item2152c86f31:g:WxMAAOSwm79cf8kX

[Ray Cecil]

Hydro Dipping

[Gary Lewis]

I think hydrodipping has promise;

[Ray Cecil]

Manufacturers today use it. Its the way to go.

[FuzzFace2]

Hydro dipping takes some try & fail before you can get it right.
From what I found a wile back when I looked into this there was a short window to dip the part.
To me there was to much guessing when to dip for me to give it a try back then.
I may look back into it again as I am older and dumber not to give it a try LOL

The latest for me is looking into using wood grain wrap for the dash bezels.
I got the ideal when in auto zone looking and saw wrap but they did not have the wood in the size I needed or I would have gotten it.
Dave ----

[Perry Bush]

Hello All - I'm a new member here and also the owner of the ebay ad from the original post.    I was contacted by Chris, another member, about the possibility of creating a horn pad kit for the Rosewood grain pattern, and I'm on it!    I see there's a burled pattern also for '85/86 and should be able to do something for those as well.

I'm starting with online catalogs and meeting with my printer tomorrow to kick this off, but what would be really best is to have an excellent sample in hand.  There's an NOS piece on ebay now and I'm bidding on it.   I've been through the junk yards within reasonable driving distance and have found nothing for woodgrain dash pieces.    If this doesn't work out, I'll ask if any forum members might have a piece that they'd like to sell so I can use it during development.   I don't have one of these trucks at the moment so would probably sell it later.    Or willing to get free products to someone for lending me a nice piece?   NOS is best, but a truly nice original with minimal fading will get us started.

You can read the ebay post for more details on the material I use, as well as the process to prep parts and apply the kit.   These have been selling regularly for a few years now with 100% positive feedback.   A lot of time went into getting it right and I'm pretty happy with it.

Attaching some before and after pictures of the last complete horn pad assembly that I did for a customer, cleaned up the silver borders also.

I'll keep folks updated here, feel free to ask any questions at all

Perry Bush
920-205-1295
[e-mail]

[Gary Lewis]

Wow!  That's beautiful work!  And welcome, although I'll also welcome you elsewhere.

I'm not sure what I have in the way of a NOS pad, but will look.  However, I am confident that some of us are going to want an XLS style pad, which is a brushed aluminum look.  But, we also need the same finish on the radio and instrument bezels.  Plus, pushing my luck, at least I would like to have the same finish on the trim piece that goes on the door panels.

Similarly, if you can do the instrument and radio bezels, doing them in Rosewood and burled wood is going to be very popular as well.

So, if you are able to do those things you will be our HERO!  

[ArdWrknTrk]

Welcome Perry!
(and thank you David for your eBay sleuthing.)

That's some amazing work.  

There are still quite a few of these trucks left on the road, but quality interior parts left the yards with Cash For Clunkers sending all the scrap to China.
How many of us are tired of purple *burlwood???


The Lincoln horn pad you picture shows all the care you put it into making it right.
(reminds me of the interior of my grandmother's '77(?) Country Squire)
Thanks for sharing.

[grumpin]

Looks great! Good job! And welcome!

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm not sure what I have in the way of a NOS pad, but will look.  However, I am confident that some of us are going to want an XLS style pad, which is a brushed aluminum look.  But, we also need the same finish on the radio and instrument bezels.  Plus, pushing my luck, at least I would like to have the same finish on the trim piece that goes on the door panels.


So, if you are able to do those things you will be our HERO!  

Perry, here is the XLS style which Gary mentioned:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-1986-Ford-Truck-Simulated-Leather-Steering-Wheel/323786300473?hash=item4b632adc39:g:ZGQAAOSwbS1cvm8u

[Perry Bush]

Hi,  I'm on the road with a phone so will be brief for now.  Thanks for nice comments!  I won the auction for the Rosewood center dash piece so will get on confirming a good match material for that as soon as it arrives.

Thanks for links also, once a cut pattern is established,  already for the steering wheel parts,  finding the material is all that's left.  So many choices on the market for just about any surface,  pattern.   Will find good ones.

Perry

[Dyn Blin]

I can't wait to watch the evolution of the XLS finish!  

I've practiced quite a bit and just can't replicate the look of that brushed aluminum to match the original pieces. Closest is the technique I saw on this site to brush with a 3M pad before it dried, but I can't master it.

Those wood grain samples look amazing. Great work.

[Gary Lewis]

I think you are saying once you have a pattern figured out to fit one bezel it is jut the choice of material is all that is left for doing the XLS "brushed aluminum".  That is wonderful!

Just FYI, there were only 4 "colors" or "finishes" for the Bullnose bezels, as shown on the Interior/Instrument & Radio Bezels page:

Weave: Doubt you'll be able to do this one as there is a significant texture to it.  And it changed from black to gray to medium gray during the 7-year era.

Rosewood: Used from 1980 through '84 this was the high end trim.

Burlwood: Used for 1985 & 6, this was the high end trim.  And most of it has turned purpleish by now and is ugly.

Brushed Aluminum: Used in '82 and '83 for the XLS trimmed vehicles.  Very rare, and many of us want to replicate it.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Perry,
It's refreshing to have interaction with a vendor like this on a forum.

Usually it's spam, or they (you) are relagated to some dark corner.

It's exciting to think that you can help ALL of us, and are working to expand your product line as well as to see what a great finish you get. 👍

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

Wow!  That's beautiful work!  And welcome, although I'll also welcome you elsewhere.

I'm not sure what I have in the way of a NOS pad, but will look.  However, I am confident that some of us are going to want an XLS style pad, which is a brushed aluminum look.  But, we also need the same finish on the radio and instrument bezels.  Plus, pushing my luck, at least I would like to have the same finish on the trim piece that goes on the door panels.

This is a link to one of the door panels Gary referenced:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-1986-BRONCO-DOOR-PANEL-DELUXE-SPEAKER-TRIM-WOODGRAIN-F150-F250-F350-80-86/163640898705?fits=Year%3A1984%7CModel%3ABronco%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item2619c1f491:g:3jwAAOSwfxtcrBiD

[FuzzFace2]

Gary Lewis wrote

I think you are saying once you have a pattern figured out to fit one bezel it is jut the choice of material is all that is left for doing the XLS "brushed aluminum".  That is wonderful!

Just FYI, there were only 4 "colors" or "finishes" for the Bullnose bezels, as shown on the Interior/Instrument & Radio Bezels page:

Weave: Doubt you'll be able to do this one as there is a significant texture to it.  And it changed from black to gray to medium gray during the 7-year era.

Rosewood: Used from 1980 through '84 this was the high end trim.

Burlwood: Used for 1985 & 6, this was the high end trim.  And most of it has turned purpleish by now and is ugly.

Brushed Aluminum: Used in '82 and '83 for the XLS trimmed vehicles.  Very rare, and many of us want to replicate it.

Parry let me first say thanks for taking this on.

Gary that is what I was thinking once he has the "finishes" and the pattern for the bezels we would pick the finish that we want. It would not need to be just what Ford offered either.

That would be great as I have the bezels that the wood is peeling but the wheel is in good shape but if I / we had to buy it as a set I am sure that would be good.
Thanks
Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ooooooooo

Can we get some stick on "carbon fiber" like they sell at that high class parts store, Auto Zone?

[FuzzFace2]

If the masses like it and it sells why not
See I was thinking snake skin

Now don't be a hater but I did a over lay in real carbon fiber but in silver not the black you see every day.


Its what you have to do for a 1 year only dash over lay no one makes replacements for and did not like the wood type the car came with. The silver looks close to a base model overlay you hardly see in a car.
Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

Dave,
Carbon fiber is black only.

Hexcel (here in Stamford) makes a silver weave called 'Hexainium', I think.

Why not lepoard, or pink zebra???
It's sexy!

[FuzzFace2]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Dave,
Carbon fiber is black only.

Hexcell makes a weave called 'plytainium', I think.

Why not lepoard, or pink zebra???

It was listed as silver carbon, they added the color when it was made IIRC.
I did this years ago when that project was on the front buner.

leopard color would clash with the colors of my truck but that pink zebra that may work


Not .......
Dave ----