Radio Bezel Paint or Plastic Coating Question

shane96ranger · Aug 28, 2010

Radio Bezel Idea (new title)

I have an idea to make my own Radio Bezel with a fog light switch. I went down and bought everything, but I don't really care for the condition of the bezel's coating that Ford put on them. So I have some questions and hopefully somebody has tried to fix theirs before and will have some input.

Nevermind about the coating questions, I found a better one that is not peeling.

I'll post some pics, I'm pretty sure this is going to turn out like I want it to =). Basically what I did is find one Explorer that had a fog light switch, but since it also had a defrost switch, I just robbed the fog light switch and lighter socket out of it. I then went and found an Explorer with defrost only and put the fog light switch in it's place. So my project is to take the wiper switch and turn it into a lighter/power socket. Then I'll paint over the letters and hopefully it looks how I want it to. I got all of this and a relay for 20 bucks.

shane96ranger · Aug 28, 2010

Here's a pic of what it looks like prior to me modifying the wiper switch hole into a 12volt power source.

This shows that the socket fits perfectly into the wiper switch hole, although it will require trimming with the good old Dremel.

shane96ranger · Aug 31, 2010

I can add a lot more details if this interests anyone??

I can add a lot more details if this interests anyone??But, the radio bezel with a 4X4 switch and a fog light switch are impossible to find in decent shape and a decent price. I thought it sounded like a cool project, so I did it. OK, here's where I'm at:

I had to take this piece out, and I used Xylene to take the old paint and lettering off. I then had to trim some plastic off of it using a dremel. Then I painted it with some flat black out of a rattle can.

I had to trim out some plastic to fit the lighter bung. This is what it looks like right now:

ragajungle · Aug 31, 2010

I did my B2's aweful fake wooden panel with good ole Rustoleum flat black... I wish I wudda done either more coats or a better paint cuz now it has knicks and scrapes a year later... Nice work BTW, you can never have enough power ports!

I wish I cud find a screen printer b/c I had the funny idea to take the engine light icon out and replace it with the word "F*CK!" hehe

Ranger Sport Honduras · Aug 31, 2010

nice idea man
i would love a bezel with the fogs button, but all i find are for 4x4 trucks lol.
and luckly mine has the rubber coating in really good condition

shane96ranger · Aug 31, 2010

I found a 2wd Explorer today. It has a defrost button, so you would need a fog button to replace it. Let me know if you are interested.

backroad101 · Sep 1, 2010

Pretty much exactly what I did when I added foglights except I now have a non functional rear defrost button. I could be mistaken, but I think I tried and I don't think a fog light button will fit in the defrost button slot.

.

shane96ranger · Sep 1, 2010

backroad101 said:
Pretty much exactly what I did when I added foglights except I now have a non functional rear defrost button. I could be mistaken, but I think I tried and I don't think a fog light button will fit in the defrost button slot.

.

I know what you're talking about. How the groove is in a different spot for the two switches, right? I just shaved it down with a razor blade and it went right in. It worked pretty slick.

backroad101 · Sep 1, 2010

Yeah, please do because I have an extra fog light switch and would like to put it in that slot and use for my up coming off road lights

.

shane96ranger · Sep 1, 2010

backroad101 said:
Yeah, please do because I have an extra fog light switch and would like to put it in that slot and use for my up coming off road lights.

That's a really good idea. I hadn't thought of that.

shane96ranger · Sep 2, 2010

Here it is installed:

shane96ranger · Sep 2, 2010

backroad101 said:
Yeah, please do because I have an extra fog light switch and would like to put it in that slot and use for my up coming off road lights

.

The pic I took is for some reason completely black on my phone. I'll snap another photo when I take it back out in the next few days. My dumb ass forgot to get the wires out of the donor Explorer for the lighter socket.

WoodyB2 · Sep 2, 2010

shane96ranger said:
Here it is installed:

HELL ya Dream Theater FTW!

shane96ranger · Sep 3, 2010

WoodyB2 said:
HELL ya Dream Theater FTW!

You know it! My favorite band of all time!

shane96ranger · Sep 9, 2010

WoodyB2 said:
HELL ya Dream Theater FTW!

Sad news, did you hear Mike Portnoy quit DT yesterday (9/8/10)?

Radio Bezel Paint or Plastic Coating Question

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