Dash Modification

[Big Blue 72]

When I modified my truck with aftermarket air conditioning I had to come up with a way to run the vents to the dash. My solution was to fabricate a one piece aluminum strip that runs from end to end that not only held the air vents but turned out to be a good place for all the aftermarket gauges and switches.

I had some scrap aluminum in my shop that I experimented with. It's 3 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick so it's good and sturdy. The top part of the aluminum was in the shape on an "L" so it had a natural "lip" that allowed me to attach it to the underside of the dash. I had to have a friend who knows how to weld aluminum "double up" the 3" inch area where the dash drops down towards the steering column, then I hacked on it and tweeked it until it fit all the curves of the dash, including around the sterring column. The right side of the panel was blank and seemed to be "missing something" so I attached a "Sport Custom" emblem to that area. I probably could have put another vent there but the two vents in the center and the one under the dash are more than enough to heat or cool the truck.

Anyway, I'll attach a couple photo's. I'd be curious if others would be interested in installing something like this. Maybe there's a market for it. I'm just a backyard hack, so I don't think I could replicate what I did but maybe it's something Ranchero 50 would like to experiment with. I'm thinking maybe he could come up with a "blank" that people could drill holes in depending on what they wanted to install in the area.....gauges, air vents, a radio, knobs, dials, clock? I don't know how cost effective it would be though. Just a thought....

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[Big Blue 72]

More photo's....

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[Big Blue 72]

Last three....

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[SoCalExile]

That looks awesome. I like the badge too.

BTW what's that hanging off the right side of your dash next to the door?

[Sparx Macgyver]

Looks like a spot light handle. Similar items are seen on Police vehicles, security vehicles, and volunteer fire vehicles.

[Happy_Camper]

Excellent craftsmanship! That really looks good.
I also really dig that you were able to keep the right side fresh air vent (my "factory air" system eliminates it).
Your truck looks super clean.
A+ work!

[Big Blue 72]

Thanks. I took a left side fresh air vent and turned it around and installed it on the right side of the truck. I had to seal it in there pretty good to keep the water out but it worked good.

And yes. Those are spotlight handles you see. They were on the truck when I bought it from the original owner. You can still get the exact spotlights if you want. They still manufacture them right down to the brackets needed for our trucks. About the only difference is that there's a new style rotator handle on the new ones. My original spotlights were pitted when I bought the truck so I replaced them when I restored the truck. I pulled the nostalgic rotator handles off the old pair and put them on the new pair.

Here's the website where I bought the spotlights. I could probably find the exact part numbers if anyone wants them.

http://www.unityusa.com/Default.htm

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[taylor351]

love it, may have to change my plans now.......thanks



Keith

[Sparx Macgyver]

I have toa gree with them. Fine craftsmanship indeed. I wish I was that good at it. Nicely done. The only thing I can quip about it is that it makes it seem like theres less room for the legs, but that could just be my eyes. I'm still going to look at something like this for my truck, when I get to that point.

[Big Blue 72]

I thought about that too. Before I did it I thought that dropping the dash may impact how my legs may hit the modification piece when I pushed in the clutch, shifted or was just a passenger. I can assure you your legs will in no way shape or form hit or get in the way of modification piece. It's basically like it wasn't even there. There's plenty of room.

[1969FordMan]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! Its AMAZING. I plan to add AC to my 1969. Did you buy an aftermarket kit?

[Big Blue 72]

Yes. I bought a system from "Vintage Air". I wish I could tell you exactly how it was installed, but a friend installed it and it turned out to be quite a chore. It works GREAT, and everything fits, but there was a lot of fabrication involved.

[1969FordMan]

http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air-co ... em-293.php

This is the system I am looking at.

[robroy]

Good evening Big Blue 72,

That custom panel looks absolutely fabulous, and highly functional too.

Your truck's one of the nicest I've yet seen! I notice and admire the way you've blended stock and after market components, instead of replacing a greater number of the stock components.

Has the thought of making and selling those panels crossed your mind? I'm sure that if they were feasible to produce, you'd have buyers through FORDification.

Robroy

[Big Blue 72]

Dang 69 Fordman! Where was your post when I was installing air con in my truck a couple years ago!! That's EXACTLY what I was looking for but I swear it wasn't on the market back then. Maybe it was and I just missed it. I definitely like how mine came out but I had to gut my entire system and there was a ton of fabrication needed to make the "Vintage Air" system work.

The only thing I see about your unit is that it drops down quite a bit further on the passenger side than the way I installed mine. Mine basically stays three inches below the lower dash line all the way across the dash. Yours sure looks like it'd be an easier instal though! I would've bought it had I known about it....