Here's a couple of pics of an overhead switch cluster I'm making. Any ideas on how to finish it?


I heated and formed the plastic around a pipe then fitted and "welded" the face to it. Then using a cardboard template marked the curve of the headliner and cut it out. Final shaping was done on a bench grinder with a wire wheel.
To mount it I'll screw an angle to the headliner on both sides and fasten it to that. Should I try to match the interior trim color with some paint or cover it with headliner fabric? I want to mount some lighted rocker switches on the face and mount the relays inside for the lightbar. Woodgrain for the face and black it out to match the dash? Throw me some ideas.

 

Nice fab work. Keep the pics coming. Would love to see the finished product.

 

Kida glad I picked this sheet of plastic up off the side of the road and kept it as long as I have.

 

HA! That's like the vinyl tent fabric that makes the top and side windows of my custom top. Took it from a show that was closing because they were going to throw the stuff away.

 

Nice idea and great work!

My thoughts - I would not cover it with headliner material if it is going to be touched. The sides and bottom I would probably paint to match the headliner color, so I didn't feel like there was this big blob hanging up there in my peripheral vision while driving.

The control panel end should be something that can take finger wear and smudges since switches will be there. Matching the dash would always be a safe designer choice. But I would temporarily mount it, then look out the windshield like I was driving, and see if the panel end was standing out in my peripheral vision or not. If not, I would go with matching the dash.

As they say, YMMV

 

why not install an explorer overhead console. they bolt right on and look factory with plenty of room for switches and such

 

I got creative tonight and dug out some of my carpentry tools, carved out a moulding from some 3/8 pvc plastic sheet scraps(collected from previous employment) Used hot glue gun to stick it together for now, then robbed the kid's supply of testors model paints and gav a shot at getting the wood grain close...

waddaya think? I have to wait for the paint to fully cure before I can wet sand with some 2500 grit and see if that helps or makes it uglier.

 

I would've done the exploder one if i had one. I seen that post after i started this thread.

 

Wow that's purdy!

I've never seen anyone simulate simulated woodgrain before. You need to tell us how you did it, it looks great.

 

This is mighty interesting I'll make my own console later on, but mine will be a monster, able to fit a 11m radio and a 750w power inverter along with a couple of DC plugs.

 

Am going to use the center consel for my radios, VHF,UHF, 6-160 mtr Ham and maybe some serious juice since I can, 2k watt transmiters/amps draw lots of current!

 

i mixed my own color as close as I could starting with a brown then adding a couple drops of black and red and mixing and testing the color against the factory panel. Sarted by painting the white plastic with black fusion paint for plastic then alternated between the black and brown only wiping the brush off between colors. i found this lets the brown and black blend together nicely without mixing together too much. the testors paint seems to take a couple days to cure enough to wet sand. A 3/8" round over bit matches the curve on the factory panel close enough and setting it a hair lower leaves the small raised stripe I'll paint silver.