Sun Visors

[HanksB3B]

Need some help. I won (?) these on Ebay and would like to bring them back to life. These are from PowerWagons but the vendor said they will work for Dodge Pickups.

Looking at this source photo, I'm pretty sure the castings and hole pattern are correct, but its obvious I could use some help in the restoration process.

My questions:

1. Would someone that has original sun-visors please measure the following:

(a) width along the top edge ( left side © right side (d) bottom edge

(r1) left hand radius and (r2) right hand radius.

2. Any ideas what might look good. I will bead blast the metal and could either chrome, powder coat or simply use Rustoleum Black Epoxy.

3. Provided I find a close substrate (masonite, beaverboard or the closest material I can find, what do you think about the "original look as opposed to covering with the black (or brown) cardboard (or vinyl) and piping the edge?

4. Is anyone interested in having one of these restored drivers-side visors (in an effort to help offset the cost of having to buy 4 of them, one of which looks like a questionable candidate for restoration)

5. 64,000 dollar question: Does anyone have an extra (ha) passenger side visor they would like to sell or trade for restoration services.

Thanks,

Hank

Edited October 19, 2011 by HanksB3B

[greg g]

If you have an auto upholstery shop around town, see if they will sell or give you some cut off of the backer board they use for door/kick panels. It probably the same stuff as original, then cover them with material that suits your needs.

[Desotodav]

Hank, good job on winning those Ebay visors. I have a couple of upholstered visors that I plan on using as a sample when I have mine made. Although our visors differ slightly in this part of the world, maybe you could use the attached picture as a guideline for what you want to achieve on your visors? My sample visor appears similar to those pictured on page 37 of the Bunn Bible (apart from the mounting block). It would appear that the visors should also be made of the same material as that used to cover the inside of the doors and cab roof.

Desotodav

[Dan Babb]

How's the movement on the ones you got?

I have a driver side visor (without the visor) and it's so stiff that even if I put a visor on it, I'd break it off just trying to move it.

I've tried oiling it and moving it around a lot...even took it off to clean it up...but it's still too stiff.

If any of yours are like that and you figure out how to free it up, let me know.

[ggdad1951]

anyone with a passenger side visor, is it just a mirror of the drivers side? I could model it up and have Bob put up the file(s) if you wanted to have one machined.

[Merle Coggins]

Mark,

If you could machine up some passenger side brackets to make visors out of you'd be a hero. I'd buy one from you for sure. Left side ones are easy to come by, but right side visors are almost as rare as Zeke's 610T radio.

Merle

[Young Ed]

FYI Mark the 39-47 trucks use the same visor so you'd have a market there too. My truck has 0 visors and no evidence there ever was one. Must have been like a fleet option without it.

[geopcanuk]

Bought a pair of replacements from Roberts which the slide over the old visor arms perfectly.Very pleased with the quality.The only problem I have is that the 90 degree elbow in the arms are loose and the visor tends to swing back and forth...I need to come up with some velcrose or clip to hold the visor in place as I can't see that there any adjustment in the arm other than a couple of pressure springs that might need to be replaced.Anyway...just another option if you're interested.

[John-T-53]

Hank,

You're lucky my truck is only about 15' feet from my computer. I popped out the side door, and:

14 3/8" total length

4 3/4" width

Radii are about 1"

The ones you got look like the'll clean up nice with some gentle means: paint stripper, wire wheel, or steel wool. They look like they were cad plated, which really comes to life (after the rough cleanin') with some CLR and very fine steel wool.

[HanksB3B]

Will look into the whys and hows of the visors and hopefully find answers to why they flop around or don't become too stiff to function. (probably what tweaked the last one down of the 4) Nice to know Gary Roberts has something and that the door panel material may work. Maybe machining could produce a casting. All we'd need is a spring and a rod after that. making these available to everyone would be a good thing.

Stay tuned,

Hank

[george c]

Mark,

If you could machine up some passenger side brackets to make visors out of you'd be a hero. I'd buy one from you for sure. Left side ones are easy to come by, but right side visors are almost as rare as Zeke's 610T radio.

Merle

If someone has a file I have a small cnc mill.

George

[ggdad1951]

Mark,

If you could machine up some passenger side brackets to make visors out of you'd be a hero. I'd buy one from you for sure. Left side ones are easy to come by, but right side visors are almost as rare as Zeke's 610T radio.

Merle

is it a mirrored part? Anyone? If so, I could prolly have files in a few weeks ready to try out (that pesky work gets in the way of playing ya know!).

george, what type of files does your CNC like? We might have to work out some type of deal!

Edited April 15, 2011 by ggdad1951

[Merle Coggins]

Yes, as far as I know it's a mirror image part.

[HanksB3B]

Mark,

I'm not a machinist but wouldn't a casting that then gets machined be the way to go. First you have to make a prototype. In yacht building I know it's called a plug, from which the mold is then made. I know nothing about sand casting. I guess what I'm asking is how were they originally made.

Hank

[John-T-53]

The bracket is probably pot metal, originally cast in a reusable steel mold tree. I think pot metal's melting temp is pretty low. It might be easy to make a plaster mold from a prototype and cast it in a garage setting from melted down scraps.

Edited April 13, 2011 by John-T-53

[george c]

is it a mirrored part? Anyone? If so, I could prolly have files in a few weeks ready to try out (that pesky work gets in the way of oplaying ya know!).

george, what type of files does your CNC like? We might have to work out some type of deal!

ggdad1951 it's powered by Mach III so usually a Fanuc file is compatible. Sounds like a cool project, I could use a couple for myself.

George

[ggdad1951]

I'm sure the orignals were a casting, most likely pot metal or aluminum.

I'd just machine it out of aluminum, once painted you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from a casting, and a LOT easier to deal with than casting one. I'll get on getting one modeled up and let you guys know how the printed plastic part works/looks. Is there any alpha/numeric detail on the casting that should be on there?

I think we can do this guys! Passenger visors for everyone! Now vote for me for President in 2 years!

[Dan Babb]

So cool to have tools like that at your disposal.

I could think of a bunch of small parts that could be made for my truck and my 68 Camaro if I had equipment like that (and the skills to use it).

[george c]

ggdad1951 you get my vote if you can get a cnc file! I think aluminum is the only way for this project. I have some in stock.

Dan, it's really handy having lot's of tools at your disposal. Not being a real machinist, but using many of these tools in my sign business I have gotten very familiar with them. I still have 3 metal lathes, 2 milling machines, a 4'x8' cnc router, 3 MIG welders, a plasma cutter, saw mill for lumber etc. But I really don't want to do a tool gloat here.

George

[John-T-53]

I'm sure the orignals were a casting, most likely pot metal or aluminum.

I'd just machine it out of aluminum, once painted you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from a casting, and a LOT easier to deal with than casting one. I'll get on getting one modeled up and let you guys know how the printed plastic part works/looks. Is there any alpha/numeric detail on the casting that should be on there?

I think we can do this guys! Passenger visors for everyone! Now vote for me for President in 2 years!

Do you machine it out of solid block? That sounds like a good way to go. Without any effort, I've already thought of a long list of stuff that could be made...

Thanks,

[ggdad1951]

ok guys, I made up sketches this AM and will start playing with the model today in break time mode, I HOPE to have soemthing early next week to show you all. This concept would allow both passenger AND driver side bases to be made for those who want both. And yah, machined out of billet/solid aluminum is the best way to go IMO.

George, is your machine a 4-axis? This part will require that or more unless a secondary drill and mill op for the arm rod and counter bore is indexed and done.

I have access to a local guy who would machine these on a 6 axis for a good price if we need to do it that way.

As for use of machines, it is ONE of the reasons I stay at my current job that I really am not happy at currently (long story involving a few managment structure changes and job descriptions and percieved desires). We've always had a good open culture here, even thru the hard times, as long as you do your job and do it well, "gov't work" is allowed as long as you don't litteraly steal materials/get hurt. It is a HUGE perk to have and I try (so far successfuly) to not abuse the privelige. At work I have access to:

CNC laser cutter

3 axis CNC machining center

50 ton press brake

powder paint line

lots of scrap metal from .030" to .375" (easy to nest in small parts in "dead" areas on the laser)

Vertical mill

Engine lathe

CNC wood router

Spray booth

media blaster

3D plastic media "printer" for prototyping

and all 2 miles from my house.....

At home I have a complete wood shop with all the fun tools there, so the bed rebuild doesn't scare me at all, as I am paying for my truck rebuild by building furniture for sale.

Edited April 14, 2011 by ggdad1951

[george c]

ok guys, I made up sketches this AM and will start playing with the model today in break time mode, I HOPE to have soemthing early next week to show you all. This concept would allow both passenger AND driver side bases to be made for those who want both. And yah, machined out of billet/solid aluminum is the best way to go IMO.

George, is your machine a 4-axis? This part will require that or more unless a secondary drill and mill op for the arm rod and counter bore is indexed and done.

I have access to a local guy who would machine these on a 6 axis for a good price if we need to do it that way.

As for use of machines, it is ONE of the reasons I stay at my current job that I really am not happy at currently (long story involving a few managment structure changes and job descriptions and percieved desires). We've always had a good open culture here, even thru the hard times, as long as you do your job and do it well, "gov't work" is allowed as long as you don't litteraly steal materials/get hurt. It is a HUGE perk to have and I try (so far successfuly) to not abuse the privelige. At work I have access to:

CNC laser cutter

3 axis CNC machining center

50 ton press brake

powder paint line

lots of scrap metal from .030" to .375" (easy to nest in small parts in "dead" areas on the laser)

Vertical mill

Engine lathe

CNC wood router

Spray booth

media blaster

3D plastic media "printer" for prototyping

and all 2 miles from my house.....

At home I have a complete wood shop with all the fun tools there, so the bed rebuild doesn't scare me at all, as I am paying for my truck rebuild by building furniture for sale.

ggdad1951, my mill is only three axis. but I use the manual mill for secondary operations. A jig or two and we're ready to go. I also have a pretty complete wood shop but I don't use it much any more.

George

[ggdad1951]

got the rough model done and will make some tweaks tomorrow to tune it in better. One question to anyone that has totally disassembled one. How deep does the counter bore go for the spring (as I don't want to tear mine down!)?

Edited April 15, 2011 by ggdad1951

[ggdad1951]

ok, I've gotten the file all good to go except for the depth of the spring hole (anyone know that????? ). As soon as george sends me his e-maill address he can get one machined up, and post some pictures. I think we plan to be able to offer the reproduction parts to you guys. Mirroring the part will also give a drivers side if someone is looking. Since the rod seems to be an odd size, we might need to tweak the model a little to get it to work with rod sizes that can be readily found.

[george c]

ok, I've gotten the file all good to go except for the depth of the spring hole (anyone know that????? ). As soon as george sends me his e-maill address he can get one machined up, and post some pictures. I think we plan to be able to offer the reproduction parts to you guys. Mirroring the part will also give a drivers side if someone is looking. Since the rod seems to be an odd size, we might need to tweak the model a little to get it to work with rod sizes that can be readily found.

ggdad1951 I pm'd my email to you. I finally got my visor apart. The counter bore is .575 diam by .525 deep. The end of the rod that passes through the spring ha a taper to it and the very end is bored then peened over the end of the spring holding it all together. The spring is also tapered on the inside to fit the end of the arm. The spring I have at .305 at the top and .315 the diameter of the arm. The spring has a height of .580. I can't measure the inside of the bore at the top by the spring because I don't have an inside mic that small?

If you need any more dimensions just let me know.

George