Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hello,

I am planning on making more starter bezels. These will be chromed with lettering filled in as original. The senior "brushed" style is optional at no extra cost.

I am offering these well below the market rate, and with a significant pre-order discount as well.

Retail price: $69 + shipping.
Pre-order price: $49 + shipping.

Please let me know if you are interested. I need to buy at least 20 for this to make sense, however I don't need 20 pre-orders. Maybe 5 or so would be sufficient to indicate a decent market demand. I will also be posting this in other places.

Let me know!

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Is it going to have the cut out for the lens . In order to use old lens so light over key hole is operational

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Yes, it will have the cutout, and a new lens cemented in place (not shown in image).

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I'll probably be taking one. 3D printing in metal?

Nope, chrome plated zinc casting with black paint detail and cemented plastic lens as original

I CAN metal 3D print them for, oh, 1/3 the cost but they pretty much look like garbage. I already tried this just to see how it would go. The one installed in the dash is the metal one after it was both heavily polished AND spray painted silver. It looks okay... but only because it's installed in a real shitbox. 😂 It would sorely stick out in a half decent car. And the post-processing needed negates the lower purchase cost.
And you won't be surprised to learn the plastic one shattered on installation.

(Probably obvious but the left bezel is an original one.)

P.S. The font on the old model was not quite right and has since been corrected.

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i would be interested as my bezel is missing the backing hooks that lock the ignition barrel in place.

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Most of them are broken or on their way! A few years ago I tried to put the key into the ignition of my 1956 Clipper only to have the switch disappear into the dash. I’ve already replaced it and even have a NOS one non installed but it won’t hurt to have spares!

Don't worry, I didn't forget about this project. I just finalized the CAD model after a couple of attempts to get it just right. Will send the updated version to my vendor tomorrow.

Total pre orders are two Clipper, seven Senior.

You may interested to know that the original retail price of a starter bezel was... $1. Clearly designed for economy. :/

Aaaaand 5 months from when I originally started, I have my first sample.

The sample is on top and the original is on the bottom, for reference.

You may note that there is a slight difference in the lettering. The factory drawing gives it as 0.156" tall but in reality they are about 0.175" tall. The starter bezel font and height actually doesn't match the other bezels perfectly. So the repops in fact get it closer than the originals did.

So I need some input from my current (pre-order) and future customers here. Is everyone pretty happy with the look of the sample? I am getting a few things touched up just slightly (for example, slightly thinner letters to match the other bezels better) but besides that, does it seem OK? Keep in mind that I'm getting these CNC machined, not cast from an original, so they won't be concours 110% perfect to the micron. But that's why the cost is so much lower, and if we ever need more, I can just get another batch done with my CAD file and drawing, not shipping a mold somewhere.

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