joshh, I think I understand what you are saying. Molded plastics pieces have ridges and webbing cast into them to provide structural strength where needed. And where not needed, there are voids of plastic material. This is because the "one-time" slight increase in the machining of the mold to add these additional areas of material, and more importantly, add the areas, or voids, of material not needed by end product, is small compared to all of the saved product of all the raw plastic material NOT used in a bazillion of produced parts, rather than forming a full, thick plank of plastic that wasn't structurally necessary.

Also what you are saying, is that the aluminum stock, already being a solid chunk of material, makes no sense to pay (or spend the time) to machine out material you have already have paid for and have in place, just leave it a solid plate.

I think some are missing your point that the voids in the plastic part are not necessary to be recreated in the aluminum part for no reason. If we were building the space shuttle...every ounce would count.

Similarly, I think some are missing the point that the aluminum can be machined to have reliefs, grooves, etc, where necessary. As long as there is a mechanical, structural or aesthetic reason for doing so. No one will ever know that it is solid underneath as long as it fits correctly.

 

^ this should be the focal point of the thread imho.

 

The removable black trim pieces on the dash. The door panels you have to drill out the plastic on the back and remove.

 

finally instead of being self centered and only seeing things one way Leo understands what im saying.
So to the original poster im done trying to help and prob will never post on your stuff again
hve a nice day everyone

 

The only problem I can think of with them is the clips that hold it to the dash

 

My bad Logan, my bezel is just fine. I originally thought the broken pieces were like mine. The piece under the bezel which it mounts to is peeled away from the door on mine. Anybody else get the screw mounts for these broken?

 

93 you can machine the tags to accept the clips and epoxy them.

 

Actually both pieces brake.

The black top piece cracks starting at the screw holes. And the under side piece likes to come loose.

I got my block of plastic, found another machinist, just have to go talk to him

 

Is there any interest in them?

 

You image does not work

 

Interest in what FXHSJHU?

 

Has anybody gotten anywhere on this? I would certainly be interested in purchasing a couple. Would be nice to get the dash bezel around the steering wheel re-produced as well.

 

How about making them out of hardwood? Much cheaper raw materials.

 

I am working on it.
Those IP surrounds are made by ford yet and aftermarket.



Not really. The block of plastic I got was $3.00

 

I like the cluster surround idea.

How about we could have a slightly modified version available. The stock pieces are available with mounts for either the 4x4 pushbuttons, the diesel-specific idiot lights, both, or none. I suggest that there also be a version available where that space is left open and provided with 4 screw bosses on the back to mount a plate. Either that or just have that area completely flat instead of slightly curved with ribs. Reason being is that it's a good area to mount aftermarket items, but the curved surface and embossed ridges sometimes make for a not-so-great looking install.

I swapped to a manual transfer case, so on my bezel I removed the pushbuttons, dremel'd out the remaining plastic where the diesel indicators would be, and mounted a flat piece of plastic behind it. This plastic was cut out to accept a ScanGauge II, which I also modified so that it was able to be mounted into a flat panel. I'll post up a pic if anyone wants to see.