I've been looking for a plastic shifter plate for my 84 5spd it has the little bump style finish. I have one but when I got my car the shifter was toast so there is a piece missing. Well I found a way to repair it. So when I was done I thought I could make a model and make some new ones. Anyone instrested in this? I also thought about make in some molds of other plastic parts anyone have somthing that is hard to find that would help us all out? Just some ideas I had thought I'd check and see if there was any need for this or other plastic parts.
While you're making a new shifter bezel, how 'bout fabbing some up with no shifter hole (or perhaps, dare I dream, cupholders)? They'd be popular for those doing console swaps but retaining their column shift. Ford made 'em, but they're rare for 85-88 cars...
Well I can tell you tthat I just held the 84 piece up to the 85-up piece and they are a little different. If you hold the rear edges at the same level the front right corner sticks out more on the 84 than on the newer one. Just a small difference I found. I've also got a the cover for the auto floor shift. I'll have to look into the cup holders. I've also seen the column shift that have some sort of tray in the center.
those were available on the later mark viiis. different 5 lug pattern though.
Yes, the 85-88 piece is shaped slightly different - when I installed the '83 Cougar console into my '88 I had to grind the tray down some on the right hand side to fit the dash. They also have a different grain patternn (the 83-84 is much rougher), and the color is different (83-84 = black, 85-88 = dark grey). I got tired of looking ast the not-quite-matching tray and tracked down the correct 85-88 piece. It was quite hard to find, which is why I suggested making them :D
What about a cupholder in place of the rear ashtray on the console?
I can't even wedge my coffee between the seats and the console any more and juggling that and shifting is just not fun. I've thought about a clamp-on thing to one of the roll bar tubes :p
I'm actually thinking about pulling the center console out of my 93 cougar and using it as a mold for a new center console. I'm gonna cover it in either saran wrap or aluminum foil, make the new one out of fiberglass and cut out the ashtray section (from the fiberglass i'm not gonna cut original parts atleast until my custom works), then use a cheap truck floor cupholder that i will cut up for the mold for the new cupholder. Hopefully this works well and i'll be sure to keep you all posted. i hope this has helped give you ideas.
I know a part (parts) that need reproducing,the little door handle "cups" that fit around the interior door handles.I can't remember the last time I saw one intact.
I have one! It's minty fresh new too! I have a great stash :grinno: :shakeass:
You do realize that molding actual plastic parts takes a GIGANTIC press-like thing that costs a LOT of $$$ and the molds weigh a couple of hundred/thousand pounds right? Sure you can make resin or fiberglass much easier, but actual plastic?
Yes I do and I have actually decided to make them out of fiberglass.