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1969 Mercury Cougar Gets New Radio Bezel- Fab It!Want To Get Your Feet Wet With Fabricating? Start Out Small With A Dash Bezel For Your A/C Controls And Stereo. From the May, 2009 issue of Popular Hot Rodding By Ro McGonegal Photography by Courtesy Of Jeff Lilly Restorations
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Hang out while we show you... Hang out while we show you how to update this old '69 Cougar radio and A/C bezel into one designed for 21st-century hardware! Jeff Lilly is a multi-faceted person. He makes his living out of Jeff Lilly Restorations, a world-class auto restoration house in San Antonio, Texas. He also happens to be a fine photographer who maintains an enviable home photographic studio. Naturally, he builds his cars with an eye toward showing prospective customers and DIY fans exactly what's behind his automotive magic. His many vehicle projects are painstakingly documented on his website, www.jefflilly.com, and the project shown here is just one of many jobs he's tackled online. As the economy continues to tighten, more and more of us will be turning (or returning) to our own devices to make what we need to build and enjoy. More of us will be doing things the right way the first time. Here, Jeff guides us through the ordeal of constructing a dashboard bezel, in this case, one holding controls for the HVAC and audio systems. If you plan on building your dream car, you'll appreciate this road map showing what tools to use, how to use them, and the raw materials needed. Find comfort in knowing that the skills and tools used to fab this dash bezel are widely used for other areas of the car; the proper execution of a project like this is practically a graduation diploma from the school of home fabrication!  The '69 Cougar's original...  The '69 Cougar's original plastic radio bezel has a pebble-grain finish on the inside, and a chrome bead on the outer edge. The top of it housed a Philco AM/FM, while the lower opening accommodated the heater controls. This piece is going into a Pro Touring ride as part of a creature comfort upgrade, and must be reworked to display the new equipment.  You'll want to start out rough-measuring...  You'll want to start out rough-measuring the circumference of the bezel. Begin by cutting a 1/2-inch-wide strip of 12-gauge stainless stock (approximately 15-18 inches long), depending on the bezel measurement. You'll use these pieces to restore the chrome bead look of the original bezel, as the edges will be polished before the center portion of the finished unit is painted black. Tip: If a rolling bandsaw is beyond your reach, a cutoff tool will do the job, though the edges will be rougher than the bandsaw cut.  Now you need a little control....  Now you need a little control. Make a simple jig, and secure it in a vise so that you'll be able to bend the stainless strip in the same shape as the original. For especially small items, hand-bending usually offers more control than a power tool. TIP: Make a jig that's as simple as a rock from scraps around the garage. This one has three pieces, an angle-iron base, a tab in the middle of it, and a short piece of pipe tacked to the base to help make the arcs.  On a section of 20-gauge steel,...  On a section of 20-gauge steel, position the HVAC control assembly and plate (in this case, a unit from Vintage Air) where you want it in the bezel. Once centered, mark the outline with a felt tip pen.  Use a small hole saw at each...  Use a small hole saw at each corner and a cutoff wheel to remove the center section, all the while staying 1/16 inch away from the original cut outline. Use a carbide burr in an angle grinder for the trial-fit phase.  Continue fitting and finessing...  Continue fitting and finessing until you're satisfied with the fit of the control assembly. Get the lines down right, like this nice, tight razor-blade gap. Tip: A collection of small, variously shaped hand files will ease the shaping and fitting process.  Now tack weld the pre-bent...  Now tack weld the pre-bent stainless edging to the carbon steel face plate you've been fiddling with on its reverse side, where no one will see it. Tip: The welded side will face the firewall and be completely out of sight.  To produce an "exact" part,...  To produce an "exact" part, make an aluminum buck with holes for the vise grip to hold it in place while you weld it.  Tweaking the edging is easier...  Tweaking the edging is easier with a slew of vise grips holding things in position, and a gentle application of hammer energy. Once the edging is in the exact placement, it's welded on the inside edging that surrounds the A/C bezel.  On a Cougar, you will need...  On a Cougar, you will need a shroud for the lower section where the stereo head will go, but this technique works nicely with other makes, too. As you can see by the template, it's an odd shape. Tip: Always form a paper mock-up before doing anything to the metal. Use regular 20-gauge stock (the thickness of a steel car body).  Once the metal has been cut...  Once the metal has been cut from the template, it must be bent and angled as shown. Obviously, these dimensions are peculiar, and that's where the cardboard template becomes invaluable.  Tack weld your new U-shaped...  Tack weld your new U-shaped piece to the back of the bezel. This comparison promises a sleeker, slicker piece than the old stuff. Throughout the fabrication process, you will continually refer back to the factory piece for inspiration, and to check your fit, finish, and overall shape.  This behind-the-scenes look...  This behind-the-scenes look shows the stereo face plate welded in. The same slight angle at the top of the old bezel is faithfully recreated in the new one for the proper location of the original mounting holes.  You'll need a bit more sheet...  You'll need a bit more sheet steel to make the flat section where the cutout for the stereo head will be. Once it's tack welded in place, you can measure the face plate for the stereo head unit.  Removing the blank section...  Removing the blank section that will display the face of the tuner/CD head is easiest with a bandsaw. Here, the cutting began with a slice through the perimeter (to be welded up later). Tip: You can also make the opening with a cutoff tool and use files for the final shaping.  To secure the head in the...  To secure the head in the bezel, you'll need mounting brackets that look like this. You'll need to make them from 20-gauge steel sheet. Some flush-mount screws hold it in place.  Showin' some style, now boss....  Showin' some style, now boss. The radio head fits tight and flush. Your work is lookin' good! Now is a good time to point out the cosmetic value of having a media blaster around. Note the textured grain of the faceplates. It looks good as is, but also provides an ideal surface for paint to adhere to.  Now, go back to the A/C cutout...  Now, go back to the A/C cutout work. You'll need to form a shroud from 18-20-gauge steel to fill the top of the unit, and as a basis for the mounting screws. The view of the top section shows where the shroud covers the opening.  At the dash opening, the side...  At the dash opening, the side panels on the factory dash are fiberglass. You might need to make a small relief to accommodate a radio slightly wider than the old stock unit. The outer bezel will cover the cuts.  With the bezel in place inside...  With the bezel in place inside the dash and the head unit mocked up, the backside view reveals a tight, right fit.  The completed bezel module...  The completed bezel module will have its outer bead polished and its inner section sprayed with a pebble texture, and then in satin black, or maybe not. It looks bitchin' au natural.
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