Messages

16

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: AC Cobra windscreen demisters

« on: March 31, 2021, 16:04:22 »

This car is a COB car so would that make a difference? It depends if the demisters were fixed before or after painting the body shell?

Good question, I don't know about home market cars.

Color pictures of CSX chassis being unloaded in the USA in the CSX208x range show chassis with windscreens, rear view mirrors, or deflectors NOT installed. All the openings left by vacant installations were sealed with wide brown tape. The perimeter of the tonneau covers were sealed with lots of brown tape.

Some of the chassis designated as intended for racing by special arrangement were shipped via air cargo planes with windscreens and hoods (a.k.a. tops in the USA) installed. Those chassis were normally lacking body body color paint. I cannot tell you if all the "racers" were shipped with heater / demister systems or not. Heaters were not a requirement for racing and right off I cannot recall seeing a Shelby prepared road racer using a heater. The custom ordered drag racer CSX2427 was the 'factory racer' exception I am aware of, it had a heater.

17

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: AC Cobra windscreen demisters

« on: March 30, 2021, 15:31:49 »

CSX chassis, painted body color. The original paint ones I have studied were primed gray (red primer for coachwork to be painted black) all over, painted body color all over, and installed. 

On late cars it appears that chassis completed into running cars in California usually but probably not always, had the bright shiny chromium plated fixing screw heads painted body color before final installation of the deflectors.  If Shelby American refinished a car all over, which was more common that most might imagine, or change body color then the screws heads were certainly painted over as that shop did minimal masking before repairs or refinishing.

18

General Forum / Re: So what are you doing down the garage during C-19.

« on: September 01, 2020, 17:59:03 »

1930 Ford.
Our grandchildren working on my father’s favorite old car. My father died in 2003. We sold all the Model A cars, trucks, and parts except we kept this car he loved.  It last operated in 2009 until we got it out for a project during the shutdown.


Grandpa, it runs but you put too much coolant in the radiator.


Back in a condition it can be driven a little.


Had some 'fun' today. We replaced the 1930s made tires with new made ones yesterday. As we prepared to go test driving today fuel was pouring out of the carburetor. The float turned out to be about half full of fuel. I got a float out of a spare carburetor and off we went.  We even gave some neighborhood friends rides with their grandchildren today.

Dan Case
CSX2310
CSX2551

19

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Engine Mounted Mechanical Fuel Pumps Through CSX2125

« on: May 09, 2020, 15:32:58 »

F.Y.I.…. I learned quite a lot in my survey.  Like most Cobra related subjects this one became more complicated as more pictures of intact installations became available in factory images, magazine road tests of new cars, and old pictures of cars before first restoration.  I found a few cars in each group still intact with their original equipment after all these decades.  I bought a selection of fuel pumps to use as examples and designed a display stand to hold them. I also bought some very old Ford engineering and dealer mechanic service literature to get the Ford engineering details. I found enough information to know what was typical installations for Continental Cars and Shelby American in CSX prefix chassis.  I also documented a few atypical details. What I have failed to find is any period pictures or modern pictures of intact COB/COX prefix chassis fuel pump and ancillaries installations.

My current slide show is forty (40) pages long so you won’t see a copy in a small forum text box. I am posting two slides of the most common Shelby American installations for chassis street and race through CSX2125 and CSX2126 onward.   The sample pump assembly shown for CSX2126 and later chassis is an actual unrestored one installed by Shelby American on a new Cobra engine in 1964.

20

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Which AC/Ford Red paint color is this?

« on: March 01, 2020, 16:03:08 »

CSX 2034 was auctioned as "unrestored", but was also "sent to Tasca for completion", so who knows? I do like this color though.

'Unrestored' and 'original' or 'all original' are not equal terms. One can take a new vehicle, use it any way, and modify it in any way including refinishing and is just unrestored.    Unrestored does not mean exactly as made day one.

Years ago, while CSX2034 was still covered in considerable dust after being parked indoors since the 1960s, red color over spray on parts that would not have been on the chassis at the time at the time AC Cars originally (first time) painted the coachwork in color gave clear evidence of rework end to end. Red body color in locations not normal for AC Cars to paint also raised the question of first paint or not.  The lack of any significant stone chipping of paint on the leading edges of the rear wheel arches also didn’t fit the condition of the rest of the car. 

21

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Which AC/Ford Red paint color is this?

« on: February 19, 2020, 16:21:14 »

Is it original exterior coachwork paint?


In part because of influential owners "original paint" on Cobras and 427 Cobras has morphed to often mean what paint was on the car when the first buyer took possession and or the first owner had done. In the past few years several high profile "original paint" red cars were actually somebody's repaints; even CSX2034 was repainted by Tasca Ford after the abuse it received as a magazine test subject.


So far no “original” paint car I have been asked to express an opinion on from a potential buyer has had exterior paint AC Cars applied new.


There are multiple "original Cobra paint" schools of thought including but not limited to:


Original = what AC Cars applied if they painted the car, not every car sent to the USA was painted


Original = what Hugus, Tasca, FAV, Moon, Alan Mann, or Shelby shops either repaired partially or completely covered over (includes cars repainted to change color on purpose). Great example: CSX2345 was painted and repaired and repainted several times. The last time by Alan Mann racing in a dark sold blue. The car is hailed as an ‘original paint’ car in the modern era.


Original = what selling dealers repaired or completely covered over (which was very common) as warrantee claims or on their own


Original = what the first buyer wanted done before they accepted delivery


Original = what the first buyer wanted done immediately after delivery


or who knows what else. “Original paint” claims are almost as bad as "original engine" claims.



Last but not least. There are a scattered few trying for forge (as in forgery) original paint.  My favorite example:  An “original paint” 427 Cobra on display. The owner was at one end of the car telling anybody that would listen how untouched the car was and what miracle it was to get an original paint 427 Cobra. At the other end of the car was his painter telling anybody that would listen (including me) how much trouble it was to repair and completely repaint the car to make it look like AC Cars did it. This was not a recent event but one four decades ago!

22

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Which AC/Ford Red paint color is this?

« on: February 15, 2020, 20:50:21 »

Digtial pictures tend to look different on every different machine screen.

If you like those shades, take your pick as all have been custom repainted since leaving Thames Ditton.

In the case of Ford "Rangoon Red" it has more orange appearance to it than what AC Cars applied.

AC Cars colors, Shelby American colors, the body shop that Shelby American contracted with at times, and FoMoCo USA colors were all different. Many Cobras ended up being completely refinished between the time they left AC and some buyer drove off with their new prize.  For original red cars Ford Rangoon Red seems to have been a common choice for recoating before or after retail sale. That said, every brand that mixed their version of Ford's Rangoon Red came up with a different shade. That is still true today when several "rangoon red" cars park beside each other and every one is a little to a lot different that the others.

23

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: indicator self cancelling assembly

« on: October 17, 2019, 15:27:45 »

Gerry Hawkridge can supply stainless steel tanks.  His indicator switches are higher-quality VW ones (not the cheap repros), as shown in Dan's pictures.  I don't think he has any with the early switchgear shown - I've never seen one of these.
On UK-market cars, the fragile horn switch Dan refers to operates the horns through a Lucas 6RA relay.

Roger

The Hella® 51/51 assemblies shown in Darrell's images (the original switch for CSX2295) and mine with the adapter collar (original to a friend’s CSX25xx chassis) are ones AC Cars installed during the chassis builds day one.

VW® new cars wise there were multiple versions of assembly line and service switches marked as complying with SAE and European standards in different time frames.  I have had VW assembly line versions marked as meeting 1962, 1963, or 1964 SAE standards.

Since 1983, in my hunts and purchases of most versions of VW production, service, and aftermarket switches the only switch that mates perfectly with the collar adapter AC Cars came up with is the Hella one. Wiring gauges, color codes, and lengths are not the same either.  I have used new SWF® brand replacements on three cars and wished their wires were longer. On two cars I modified the switch body to slip fit over the AC Cars adapter collar. For the last car I repaired I bought a universal one fits all adapter collar from Nick Acton. The broken switch on the car was a used VW assembly that had been forced over the adapter and collar. The marks on the parts indicated that a big hammer was used to drive everything together. After a considerable time trying to remove the switch I resorted to removing the entire steering column and taking it to the work bench. It took a large hammer to beat the offending non-stock switch off. It wasn’t an original and the stalk was broken so finishing its destruction was not a concern. I did have to do some metal work on the steering column because it had been slightly crushed when the VW switch was driven on.

When all AC factory pieces are used assembly is simple, easy, quick, and the wires are sufficiently long to comfortably mate up with the main loom behind the dash fascia.

Maybe 9 of 10 the Hella 51/51 AC Cars production switches I have come across in these decades of hunting were damaged ones removed from American market Cobras CSX2201 and later and early 427 Cobras.  Over the decades I have talked with quite a few people that removed their original Hella assembly because they thought it was not working, tossed it in the trash, and replaced it with either a used VW switch or a new SWF replacement only to find out that they still had not solved their problem.  (A similar situation often happened with the tail lamp relays, i.e. remove, discard, and replace only to still have a problem.)

Some of the VW or aftermarket switches have raised text on the outside of their main die casting.  This raised text is a dead giveaway that the switch is not a production one for a Cobra.  This text can easily be detected in use.  Some owners and restorers will sand away this text carefully and repaint the switch to make it more authentic looking.

Dan

24

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: indicator self cancelling assembly

« on: October 14, 2019, 16:43:51 »

Thank you for this information rr64
DC: You are welcome. (rr64 =Dan Case)

I have cleaned the mechanism and lubricated there was quite an amount of debris present . The cancellation device works fine when turning right but the stalk needs to be held in position when turning left or it just returns to neutral . Any suggestions ?
DC: As indicated in the picture in my post, the grub screw contacts the O.E. cancelling lever one direction only. To trip it the other direction one has to turn past it and come back.  Many long time owners do just that sometime after their turns are completed one way or the other depending on which side there grub screw sits near the cancelling lever. Having the alignment of the grub screw very near the cancelling lever helps make little movement to trip it. (A similar problem can happen with some of the aftermarket replacement switches also.)

You are quite right the indicator stalk is broken but I have seen today in a previous post on this forum that Gerry of hawk cars had some back in july . If I have no luck I would appreciate the details of someone who might help .
DC: Original Hella® 51/51 assemblies are very rare not on a late Cobra or early 427 Cobra. If he has some, by all means get at least one. Otherwise the choices are used or very rare new old stock VW® production assemblies with enough wire leads to do signals and horn or aftermarket replacements for VW service. SWF® is the most common brand of VW service switch you will find. Be aware that to use any VW or aftermarket switch in an original Cobra application you may have to modify the AC Cars adapter collar, the new switch, or both to make them fit together without using a hammer to beat them together.  Parts that people beat into place can be very hard to get back apart. As assembled by AC Cars everything was/is an easy slip fit.




Want more information on this subject, send me private message with your email address. There are three pages with full descriptions and illustration sketches in my electrical file for CSX2201 and later (American market) chassis in my electrical file I have available for owners and restorers. I would send you the entire file.

I would think that any community, town, or city of more than maybe 40,000 or in population would have skilled welders available. Most job shop type machine shops probably have welders in house or somebody they get on contract. They must know that they are being asked to work on a zinc die casting. They can buy filler rod for the job. To get the best results it is best to make a fixture to hold both pieces firmly and in exact alignment. For repairs of rare parts by welding I remove the finish on the parts, make a holding fixture that also allows the welder good access from multiple angles, and prepare the broken ends for fillet welds. The welder’s only function is to do the welding. Even damage to Holley® carburetor zinc die castings can be welded up and once refinished well the repair becomes invisible except via X-ray inspection. Mostly just takes lots of time.

On another related subject my original fuel tank needs replacing it will make a fine pattern , do you happen to know of a reliable supplier of such things ?
DC:
I) If originality is important to you:
A) Is the original tank repairable? The tanks in our cars leaked with fatigue fractured lead solder joints. I desoldered the offending areas and resoldered them but that is at best a temporary fix as lead sealed joints that flex any at all will fracture. After solder repairs I used the tank sealing compound Eastwood® sells. I follow their directions exactly except for every rinse stage I do two more rinses. I did the tank in our black car in the fall of 1997 and had zero issues since using all kinds of street and race fuels street or track.

B) I did drawings many years ago for a friend in want of an original specification tank. He was wanting to replace an aftermarket tank. Two brass bungs must be machined and correct rivets have to be sourced but otherwise any good sheet metal shop that can work to drawings and holotype sample pictures can fabricate a very authentic looking assembly. I would still recommend sealing it as after all lead solder joints will fracture sooner or later.

C) About once a year really nice original tanks come up for sale. Racers don’t want original tanks. One must be aware that CSX2201 and later chassis have mounts for a Stewart-Warner® fuel level sensor and not a Smiths® unit all other chassis used. Again, even if it looked perfect I would seal the inside.

II) If originality is not all that important to you:
A)   There is a company in the USA that will seal an old tank inside and out with a proprietary process and materials. THE TANK WILL NOT LOOK ORIGINAL NOR WILL IT EVER AGAIN.

B)   More than one parts company has available modern made fully welded tanks in either aluminum or stainless steel.

25

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: indicator self cancelling assembly

« on: October 13, 2019, 15:34:15 »

You have an original Hella® switch assembly. It is very possible that the cancelling mechanism is stuck in the collapsed position. The original Hella design mechanism in Cobras is fairly fragile as compared to the very different mechanism in any version of any O.E. VW® or VW service replacement aftermarket replacement switch. Two failure modes are common to original production switches: 1) lack of lubrication. The spring operated return is not very robust.  Without good lubrication the cancelling mechanism has trouble making the device return to normal position again after being tripped by the grub screw. One friend of mine found his was dusty and gritty. He carefully cleaned all the small parts, relubricated them, and the switch cancelling work fine afterwards. 2) Something is broken inside.

Shelby American use to offer a Hella® brand repair kit (“Horn Switch Repair Kit Hella 81/39”). I have no idea what the kit contained. The only person that I know of that ever had a kit had two that he bought from Shelby’s stock decades ago and they have long since been used. Years ago I asked obsolete parts dealers on multiple continents if they had any of those kits and I never found one. I would like to know what the kit contained, did it have horn and turn signal parts or just the horn leaf switch which is also not very robust as originally made.





Original switches not in their late Cobra or early 427 Cobra in any condition are extremely rare now.

I suggest inspection of the mechanism. If intact, carefully clean it and relubricate it.


Your signal operating lever is taped up. Is it broken? Broken levers are not rare as they are fragile. There are people that can do welding repairs on broken zinc die castings. These switches are too rare to discard during restorations just because the lever is broken.

Dan Case

26

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: WTB - Original Cobra Emblems

« on: September 27, 2019, 15:36:22 »

Photo credit for this photo goes to Dan Case.




Actually both are photographs I took. Both emblems are in one of my display cases.  The S1CS-C part is the very first original emblem I collected decades ago. It has not been on a Cobra since 1964 but its actually a mint condition used part. The C3RA prefix one is new old stock. I have posted both pictures in various forums.  These and other emblem pictures made by Rick Wood (for me) or myself have been published in several books over the years also.

Dan

27

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Engine Mounted Mechanical Fuel Pumps Through CSX2125

« on: July 21, 2019, 20:21:45 »

If you own or have access to an unrestored, substantially as built, with its original engine, and original engine mounted fuel pump car before CSX2126 we (me mostly but others are interested and helping) would like you to help add data and pictures to a database.  We are working to collect data on the pump’s manufacturer, casting numbers as applicable, casting dates as applicable, assembly dates, finishes, and fittings.  Real good pictures of the installation in the car would be great to have also.   Maybe you know where an original engine with fuel pump still attached is sitting in storage or on display.

Don’t have a car or access now, did you manage to take some pictures of the fuel pump area on these cars decades ago?

The intent is to add to the open source Cobra engine notes and slide shows I share with owners and restorers.   If you have information or pictures but don’t want them public, that works for me as long as I may add your casting or assembly dates to the known ranges without tying them to you or a specific car.

Thanks in advance for any information you may add to the collection.  Send me a private message through this site if you wish to make contact.

Dan

28

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Help verifying original AC windscreen hardware

« on: July 01, 2019, 16:41:39 »

Bob,
You figured it out, rr64 = Dan Case with CSX2310 and CSX2551. Decades ago when I first engaged in anything on the public version of the Internet I used something simple and easy to sign in various sites that required registration.

You have covered the biggest factors in how Cobras were finished. I will list them for other readers for clarity. To have any idea how any particular Cobra (for this commentary COB and COX chassis are not covered) might have been completed you have to know these as a minimum:
1)   Who completed the car?
a.   AC Cars
b.   Continental Cars
c.   Shelby with Dean Moon’s employees
d.   Holman-Moody
e.   Shelby Venice
f.   Shelby LAX

2)   What specification(s) set and or revision(s) the chassis were ordered under? (Example: There was not “a” main chassis drawing but a series of them to cover features that changed.)

3)   What drive train the car was completed with?
a.   XHP-260
b.   HP260
c.   260 2V (1 car)
d.   1963 model year Fairlane HP289
e.   1964 model year Fairlane HP289
f.   1964-65 Cobra only HP289 (only 48 engines made and 42 put into new Cobras as far as we know)
g.   1965 model year Fairlane HP289 specifically made for use with the application specific High Performance C4 automatic transmission (15 cars)
h.   Iron case Galaxie B-W T-10 transmission
i.   At least two different gear sets in aluminum cased B-W T-10 transmissions

4)   When was the car completed and what were the typical final assembly practices of the time.

5)   Were special features requested or installed by anybody for any reason.
a.   Engineering specials for AC Cars
b.   Engineering specials for Shelby
c.   Engineering specials by Ford engineers
d.   Custom orders by original buyer

6)   Design changes in subassemblies for any reason
a.   AC Cars
b.   Shelby
c.   Continental
d.   Ford
e.   Buddy Barksdale
f.   Essex Wire
g.   Cyclone
h.   Halibrand
i.   Dunlop
j.   Goodyear
k.   So on and so forth


I have been around repairing, restoring, and modify old cars since 1961.  As a class it is my opinion that the subject of how Cobras were finished is the most complicated subject there was for new cars. I also believe that as a class they are the most modified type of car ever. I have examined maybe a third of them at one time in some way or another and most have dozens to hundreds of changes from their first day with an original owner.  By 1971 I started seeing a trend of second owners morphing the Cobra they managed to buy into the one they wish they had, a process that still continues. 


Correct, you cannot use a chassis number alone to have any idea what engine it had in it the day the original owner bought the car. Some people have come up with photo copies of documents from AC, Hugus, or Shelby itemizing a particular engine for their car. Some cars received some type 260 engine and then a HP289 replacement before retail sale.


Over the years I have made a list of easier to detect changes in finished cars. It is a work in progress and I don’t have solid evidence of particular chassis numbers in many cases. That list is 15 pages long. I cannot promise to come up with a typical answer for any question for cars prior to CSX2201 but I will share whatever I do have you might ask. Sometimes, even if I don’t have an answer I might have a clue that might suggest where to hunt for information.  (CSX2001 through CSX2188 consisted of a series of significant changes made by every company and team involved.  Nearly complete standardization in CSX2xxx cars did not happen until the contract for chassis starting at CSX2201 where all the changes that evolved in all the groups came together to be repeated  over and over until the planned changes in the CSX24xx range.)


Most technical questions are easiest to answer via email, especially if pictures or data files or drawings are included. rollright64@aol.com

29

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Help verifying original AC windscreen hardware

« on: April 27, 2019, 17:12:28 »

"My experience is that every car is a bit different."
I am not Mr. Bird, but Dan’s perspective:  Between CSX2001 and CSX2200 somebody (AC, Hugus, Shelby, Ford) initiated many  requests for some kind of change in designs and parts. AC completed some cars, Hugus completed some cars, and the balance by one of the shops Mr. Shelby was associated with between Dean Moon place and the LAX facility. Different shops, different teams of people, different general hardware supplies, different specification sets, and yes there were many changes in what landed at dealerships.  Think of groups of specifications for many subsystems being put into play with many over laps  Yes this week’s final product could be very different than last week’s product. It did not help consistency that none of the shops involved used first in first out inventory control.  It did not help consistency that Shelby’s works normally ordered 100 each of most parts and often each new lot had some revision of another.   Some revisions were driven by changes suppliers made to their products independent of anything the final assembly shops did and that includes small changes even suppliers like Lucas® made.  I have worked on a list for years of changes that have been documented. The current list covering the CSX2001 through CSX2100 cars is three plus pages long.  In contrast the cars in the last contract CSX2501-CSX2589 I have just four specification changes listed and two of them are what exact engine assemblies Shelby obtained from Ford.

"Parts were sourced from several vendors, especially fasteners."
Dan:  See above, multiple shops with their own general hardware preferences and supply chains.

"Buddy Bar Casting was pretty faithful in providing value covers and manifolds, but Shelby bought parts from lots of folks." 
Dan: See above, batch to batch specification changes. Buddy Barksdale’s company supplied five different versions of aluminum ‘COBRA POWERED BY FORD’ rocker arm covers in 1963 alone.  Designs were changed for some reason often.  There were two different versions of ‘COBRA’ safety clutch bell housing during 1963 alone. I could make a very long list. There are patterns though.  You might find a part released in March 1963 in any Cobra finished thereafter but not late August 1964 item in a car sold to its original buyer in July 1964.

"The use of Stewart Warner gauges has been told us Cobra guys as an outcome of Shelby’s opinion that Smith gauges were unreliable. Thus, around CSX 2200, they changed to SW, adding the Rack and Pinion steering, changed out the steering column, and used a early Ford Fairland wiring harness to replace the Lucas system. This made the car more serviceable by Ford dealerships in the States, and eliminated many of the demons found in the Lucas system."
Dan: Many changes in chassis and finished cars CSX2201 and later were initated by Ford Motor Company. Ford became Mr. Shelby’s boss at CSX2008. (The original and revised contract in 1962 is very educational.) Ford tested CSX2004 and started using CSX2008 to test things like a Ford electrical charging system before converting it into a concept car.  CSX2126 finished before CSX2080 was a test car for most of the changes that got implemented at CSX2201, including the new Ford-McCord cooling system components, Ford American style wire looms (There is nothing Fairlane about Cobra wire looms. Said another way, no amount of modification of a Fairlane's electrical system will come up with a Cobra unique system.), and Stewart-Warner (SW) instruments.  The SW tachometer sender, tachometer, tachometer wire loom, and temperature sensors were all unique to CSX2201 and later Cobras under Ford Motor Company drawings and specifications.  I will stop there as my electrical system list for CSX2201 and later street cars is 33 pages long.  Many of the parts started off as a Ford drawing or specification. Most were made in the USA by Ford top tier suppliers.  We have found Ford components made in America dated in the summer of 1962 installed by AC in chassis CSX2201 and later. Ford worked on electrical components for a long time, it just did not happen by accident.

"at this point, but many of us in the US accept the fact that every Cobra is a little different from the others."
Dan: They certainly are but almost entirely due to owners, especially after CSX2201. I very large factor driving changes is buyer morphing the car the bought into the one they wish they had.  We interviewed a fellow at one convention that was planning to change his super original unrestored late CSX21xx car into a replica of a CSXsomething car Mr. Shelby had on display at the event. He took his car to the event specifically to see what all he had to change to make his very nice car mimic a replica fitted with many modern updates. He was planning on cutting out the welded in side vents his car came with and installing fastener fixed replicar ones that would make repainting the car easier. Ouch!

One of the things I do is help current owners come up with educated guesses as to how their car might have been day one no matter what it is like currently. I have many subject specific files, windscreen frames is not one of them.  Between pictures of mostly unrestored low mile cars and parts plus data files I have collected around 15,000 files.  I have data I have collected since circa 1971 as to why is this Cobra different from that one.   Yes it was confusing back then as CSX2144 and CSX2465 were parked about a mile apart and they were very different in components. I learned why over time. To have any idea how a new Cobra might have been day one is you have to know when AC Cars finished the rolling chassis, which shop and in some case which employee set finished the chassis into a running car, when by date was the chassis was completed, what type of engine was installed, and the serial number of that engine, and what was ordered for that chassis.  In some cases you need information from the AC chassis ledger.  Factory pictures help as do some of the new car road test pictures and text.

30

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Battery isolation switch

« on: April 03, 2019, 23:23:36 »

I wanted a small panel to be able to install two switches under the dash fascia without drilling more holes in our old red car that has many extra holes already courtesy of former owners. I drew up a bracket to be made from sheet aluminum, formed, painted camera case (a.k.a. crinkle or wrinkle) black, and fixed in place by two worm gear type stainless steel band clamps. See below.

Not having the sheet metal working equipment Nick Acton fabricated it for me from my drawings of the flat blank and formed part.

Works for me, and I like it.  The basic design could go full width between the scuttle hoop supports.