1966 F100 Short Bed Styleside Metal/Body/Paint Work

[theastronaut]

The last time the owner visited he brought a set of reproduction knobs and bezels for me to graft onto the Vintage Air switches.




The switches have M7-.75 threads and the original retaining nuts had a small enough ID that they could be drilled/tapped to match. The shaft of the switch is 15/64ths, and the new knob's ID were smaller with enough material so they could be drilled out to match.




Retaining nut drilled/tapped, then shortened.






Knob insert drilled oversize.




Test assembled on the VA-supplied backing plate.








The original switch holes were dimpled to clear the bulge on the back of the bezel. The new holes I made earlier weren't, so I had to add those.






I used a large washer for the OD of the dimple, and marked the center of it with making tape to center it behind the switch hole. This was clamped in place with a plate behind it to set the depth of the dimple.






Another piece of tape with a center hole was marked to locate a 1/2" socket. I used a large C clamp to press the socket into the hole of the washer to create the dimple. A 1/8" hole was drilled for the locating tabs on the switch.






Switches mounted.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

The last time the owner visited he brought a set of reproduction knobs and bezels for me to graft onto the Vintage Air switches.




The switches have M7-.75 threads and the original retaining nuts had a small enough ID that they could be drilled/tapped to match. The shaft of the switch is 15/64ths, and the new knob's ID were smaller with enough material so they could be drilled out to match.




Retaining nut drilled/tapped, then shortened.






Knob insert drilled oversize.




Test assembled on the VA-supplied backing plate.








The original switch holes were dimpled to clear the bulge on the back of the bezel. The new holes I made earlier weren't, so I had to add those.






I used a large washer for the OD of the dimple, and marked the center of it with making tape to center it behind the switch hole. This was clamped in place with a plate behind it to set the depth of the dimple.






Another piece of tape with a center hole was marked to locate a 1/2" socket. I used a large C clamp to press the socket into the hole of the washer to create the dimple. A 1/8" hole was drilled for the locating tabs on the switch.






Switches mounted.

Sweet!