Under dash support panel - access, courtesy lights, and heater outlets

[Gumball]

UPDATED 6/28/16 - Well, hot on the heels of the recent post regarding tabs to make the dash panel removable, I thought the next old how-to thread to resurrect should be another dash related topic. So, here's one with the details on the underdash support panel that I used, what's affixed to it, and how I modified it to make access to switches and wiring a bit easier.

Original post follows......


I'm using one of Mike Everson's under dash filler panels (lower dash support), but I've cut a few holes in it for various things. Even with all these, it still has great rigidity and adds significantly to the dash structure.

Just below and to the left (towards the driver's side) of the speedometer, I cut a large rectangular hole so that I have access to the various switches, gauges, and wiring once the car is assembled. I finished the opening with some left-over windlace.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140119_160619_zps121c41f8.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140119_160619_zps121c41f8.jpg.html)

I also mounted a courtesy lamp on each end, mostly centered over the footwell. These are reproduction light sockets from a '65-'66 Mustang. I cut a 1 1/4" hole for the bulb to hang down bare as it would on a car from that period, then fastened the base to the inside of the lower dash panel with a 3/16" rivet.

Also in the pics are the heater outlets. I'm using the FFR / Vintage Air heater, but didn't like the housings that the outlets were mounted in. It turns out that the inner tube and the outer bezel/directional are separate from the housing/bracket and simply unscrew. I then cut a pair of 2 1/2" holes for these and mounted them from the inside of the panel, with just the outlet showing underneath. This will allow me to direct the airflow, but also to close-off the footwell heat and direct the majority of the airflow to the defrosters.

Behind the dash view of the driver's side courtesy light socket and heater outlet - also visible in this picture hanging down from the top dash 3/4" tube are the brackets that I made for mounting the dash - these should make it possible to remove the dash with the body in place:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140119_181646_zps0e9b381d.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140119_181646_zps0e9b381d.jpg.html)

Underneath view of the driver's side courtesy light socket and heater outlet:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140119_181659_zps051df3c5.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140119_181659_zps051df3c5.jpg.html)

The passenger side is much more crowded, with the heater box taking up most of the area behind the dash. But, there was a little room for me to mount both the courtesy light and the heater outlet. Here's a pic with the heater hose in place - just temporarily for the photo... not all the way on yet.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140119_181727_zpse2bb3e00.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140119_181727_zpse2bb3e00.jpg.html)

[MVRight]

Thanks for the pix and ideas.

[Walt]

Great ideas, how are you controlling the lights, and where did you find all the parts?

[Gumball]

Great ideas, how are you controlling the lights, and where did you find all the parts?

Walt - I'm using the FFR light switch that came with the kit (and the Ron Francis wiring harness), but with the knob from a '65 Mustang to replace the generic aluminum knob on the FFR unit. All the rest of my switches are a combination of reproduction '65 Mustang (actually just early Ford parts - they were used on the Falcons, Galaxies, etc...) and Lucas parts. I sourced the Ford repop stuff from National Parts Depot (NPD) and the Lucas stuff from places like **********, Cobra Restorers, and Hillbank (supplier for Superformance parts). My gauges are all Smiths from Nisonger and the heater from FFR. Let me know if there are any other parts you were interested in specifically and I'll be happy to share sources.

[montyals]

If you use a piano hinge to secure Mike's under-dash panel to the frame you wouldn't have to cut a hole in it for access later on. By using a piano hinge if you have to access the wiring after the dash is in and the body is on all you have to do is remove a few screws that you use to secure to the L-shaped bottom edge of the dash board and the entire panel (Mike's under dash panel) swings down and you have full access to all of the under dash wiring.

[Walt]

Walt - I'm using the FFR light switch that came with the kit (and the Ron Francis wiring harness), but with the knob from a '65 Mustang to replace the generic aluminum knob on the FFR unit. All the rest of my switches are a combination of reproduction '65 Mustang (actually just early Ford parts - they were used on the Falcons, Galaxies, etc...) and Lucas parts. I sourced the Ford repop stuff from National Parts Depot (NPD) and the Lucas stuff from places like **********, Cobra Restorers, and Hillbank (supplier for Superformance parts). My gauges are all Smiths from Nisonger and the heater from FFR. Let me know if there are any other parts you were interested in specifically and I'll be happy to share sources.

Thanks Chris, My roadster is supposed to be picked up by Stewart this week, weather permitting, Seeing all the great ideas you guys put on here helps get creativity going for others!

Walt

[Gumball]

Next up on the old how-to TTT is yet another dash-related topic. Hope you guys enjoy this one and get some useful hints for your build.

A few other things that are visible in the pictures in the original post are the flat-stock block I used for the steering shaft bearing, the holes for the under-dash tubes, a hole for a 12v outlet in the under dash support near the passenger seat, firewall stiffener plates for my mechanical throttle linkage, and a piece of angle aluminum that adds a little rigidity to the firewall where the oil catch tank is mounted.

[TouchStone]

Where do you get the clear plastic edging?

[AC Bill]

Chris, is that foot box heater ball outlet a friction fit? Where did you locate that style? Can it be closed as well as being directional?

Also what diameter hole did you need to cut for it?
I need a pair of outlets that will fit 3" holes, and if your using the 2" supplied duct hose from Vintage Air, yours look pretty close to 3".

[AC Bill]

Where do you get the clear plastic edging?

That looks like the same edging that FFR supplies with the roadster parts.

[Gumball]

Al,

I'm using the FFR / Vintage Air heater, but didn't like the housings that the outlets were mounted in. It turns out that the inner tube and the outer bezel/directional are separate from the housing/bracket and simply unscrew. I then cut a pair of 2 1/2" holes for these and mounted them from the inside of the panel, with just the outlet showing underneath. This will allow me to direct the airflow, but also to close-off the footwell heat and direct the majority of the airflow to the defrosters.

Clear edging was from FFR - not sure what it was for, but I made use of it where I had to go around a tight radius as it worked better for that than the windlace material.

[Avalanche325]

I did an under dash panel also. I have most of my switches mounted there. Garage door openers, remote radar detector switches, seat heaters, gauge cal, flashers, etc. Also power points and vents. It really keeps the dash clean, which is something I wanted. I did a piano hinge at the 4x4 tube and have 4 screws on the dash lip. It flips down and I can get to everything. It's not fun, but I can get to everything.