Dash Trim on Rangers, Mystery Parts

[f100ranger1969]

Details, Details, its all in the details. Keith this could be a good one for your new page on Trim options too. I currently have a '69 ranger and it has the nice fake woodgrain cluster and woodgrain trim around the ignition and choke bezels, etc. Seems that the 67-69 Ranger trim on the cluster and lower dash as well as the door panels had a particluar woodgrain pattern. If you have it you know what I mean. Then the 70-72's had their own particular pattern, more of a burlwood type pattern, also darker. So here's my problem with this. My cluster is shot, the woodgrain is coming off, the lower dash looks dull and I cant polish the chrome (stainless) anymore. I will get a Dennis Carpenter Cluster to replace what I have BUT the repros only come with the 70-72 type woodgrain, therefore it will not match the lower dash! YES I am that particluar. SO, I tried to get part numbers for the lower dash trim peices, but no parts searches came up with a number that they even existed as a replacement part. I would like get a later model piece so it would match the cluster, but I dont even know what im looking for. First Mystery Part! Then comes another problem: the door panels wont match either. I have no problem getting repro '72 style door panels for a '69, I like them better anyway, they have more woodgrain. Thats not really a problem, I guess, just an aggravation at trying to match whats available with NOS vs reproduction. Heres my second Mystery Part: 70-72 Vanity Panel. I liked the one Keith posted in the "parts needed" page for his project and I considered using one on my '69 but theres no part number or record of such a part in the literature, at least up to my current level of searching. Is anyone else having problems like this, finding parts, matching parts across years, those kinda things? And heck while I'm at it if anyone knows of those parts, or their numbers, and where I can get a hold of some NICE NOS 70-72 woodgrain dash trim, let me know!

P.S. I contacted Green Sales and they couldn't locate the part numbers. Tho they are awesome, I buy stuff from them and it is high quality NOS!

later all,
Jeff

[68F250]

Hi Jeff, I feel your pain!

'69 is the first year they started putting "wood" in the trim. As you've noted, it's unique compared to the wood in the '70 - '72's. I've seen some good '69 wood clusters and dash inserts on eBay, maybe keep an eye open there. The heater modesty panel was a '70 and later thing so they all will have the burlwood look. I've got a part #'s for those somewhere, maybe Keith already does, will keep looking, sorry I'm not much help. What about trying some woodgrain tape?

And you're not being that particular! I did a similar search a while ago for some "wood" for my '69 Mach1. As with the trucks the '69 wood is different than '70 wood and on top of that, there are two different shades of "stain", a light and a dark!

[FORDification]

I haven't gotten around to getting started on the page that will detail the interior trim details yet, and to be honest with you, I'd completely forgotton about the differences you guys mentioned till just now...thanks for reminding me. I'll definitely be sure to make a note of that when I get started on that interior trim page. I haven't researched this out completely yet, so if you have the part numbers handy, it'll definitely save me some time, and I'll include them on that page. Oh, and if you can give me the correct terminology for each style, that would be a big help too!

For those of you who have no idea of what we're talking about, here's the two pics I'll be using to distinguish between the two

1969 style


1970-1972 style

[4x4x4crewcab]

The 1969 style is called "Teakwood" Grain The 70-72 is called "Burl Walnut" both styles are listed for Rangers Pkg's only. Part numbers are as follows:
1969 Ranger Dash Bezel------------------------C9TZ.10876.B
Trim R.H. of column with cargo light------------C9TZ.81044A10.A
Trim R.H.of column w/o cargo light-------------C9TZ.81044A10.B
Trim L.H. of column-------------------------------C9TZ.81044A11.A
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
70-72 Ranger Dash Bezel------------------------DOTZ.10876.A
Trim R.H. of column-------------------------------DOTZ.10044A10.A
Trim L.H. of column--------------------------------DOTZ.10044A11.A
Trim for R.H. pass. side (long)-------------------DOTZ.1004334.A
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FORDification]

Mark: I've said it before and I'll say it again: You're a darned handy guy to have around. Thanks for the help, buddy!

[68F250]

Thanks Mark!

(man, he's a machine!)

[f100ranger1969]

PART NUMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I've died and gone to heaven. Strange that the NOS parts warehouse couldn't ID these parts. And geeze even the names. I never would have guessed Teakwood, but I'll pat myself on the back for guessing that the 70-72 was Burlwood.

Let me give a big thanks, this helps out a lot!

Jeff

[4x4x4crewcab]

Just an idea? It would work although I don't know if you could get a wood pattern that would look good on the interior?
The station wagons used the woodgrain sides in the 70's and 80's or at least the Fords did. They had sheets of woodgrain decals availabe thru the parts dept. These were used as replacement sections and sold to body shops for repairing these cars. If you could find a pattern you could live with,order a sheet of this and cut pieces for your trim and then they would all match.

[f100ranger1969]

Thats a great idea Mark. The only thing I could think of for sticky woodgrain decals was contact paper for shelves. But anyone whose ever used it knows it DOES NOT stick. One of the other reasons I was going for complete replacement of the lower bezels was because the stainless steel is dull and wont polish out. It just looks like thats the way it is. I tried everything on it, I even wiped off the Cargo Light Warning Sticker. (which ticked me off). It just seems to be the way the parts came from the factory, my dash trim around the glove box is the same. It's just naturally dull, not "chromey". I did manage to get some excellent used trim for around the dash and it has the nice high polished "chrome" look!
Jeff

[69F110]

Here is a thought...I bought a silver paint pen when I was home in May and did the entire bezel of my Dad's 80 F100. I know it is not the same bezel, but that silver flippin paint pen made the thing look brand new. I called him last night to see if it was still looking good and he said it hadn't run, smudged or anything. I did the entire portion that was originally silver and I bought the paint pen from Wal-Mart in the crafty section for like 3 dollars.

[69Ranger]

OK. I'm just gonna jump in and give my thoughts. This is a little spendy but will look great, Why not get a piece of veneer that matches the woodgrain and glue it to the panel in question. Most cabinetry and custom hardwood places have acess to any and all wood veneer at a price. My friend is a furniture maker by trade and has shown me soom nice veneer and it can be cut with an exacto knife and used with any glue to apply it. Just a thought.

[f100ranger1969]

Also not a bad idea. I know custom wood dash trim is avilable. At Spring Carlisle last year I spoke to a guy that does this and if he has a good template it can be done. Let me ask this then: can the stainless steel parts be chrome plated? ( if thats what these pieces are). I dont know a whole lot about plating and what metals can be plated.

Jeff

[Rockstar922]

The switch trim pieces aren't Stainless. They are made of thin Aluminum, then factory clear coated, then a wood veneer applied to the front. I removed my burl walnut ones yesterday and spent the evening trying to polish them, with mixed results. Some of the clear coat wore off over time, some didn't, giving it a half ass look. Plus mine were dented very bad around the Ignition switch. So tried to knock out the dents with a small body hammer, but still looks like crap.

I also scraped all the peeling burl walnut off my gauge cluster bezel a few weeks ago. After 2 hours of scraping with the tip of an exacto knife, I managed to remove it all. It appears to be REAL wood veneer.

My plan is to reapply real burl walnut veneer to the gauge cluster after painting and accenting by using the silver/chrome paint marker method. Then maybe shop on ebay for new switch panels which aren't dented as bad.

Not sure what the best method for removing the old clear coat would be on thin aluminum. Airplane stripper? Once I get another pair, I'll have a old pair to test with.

[TNIceWolf]

That clear coat is probably actually an anodized coating. If so it almost has to be chemically stripped to get it off before polishing will be even. The most common stripper is believe it or not..... oven cleaner. This will dull the metal to an even darker shade. But once dulled the part will polish nicely and much more evenly. Just be sure to use the correct protection for handling a caustic chemical and rinse with water to the point of excess. It may... or may not.... require more than a single treatment.

[t-waits]

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =6&t=63449

Although not specific this worked great on mine, thanks to a generous fellow poster for his left overs. I bet the same people make a burl wood pattern.