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Reproduction switch trim covers


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24 minutes ago, fiatslug87 said:

Nice, Gjeep made his own also.

 

Mine will be a bit different than his. I’m not trying to make a sticker that goes onto the switch housing. I am trying to reproduce the original factory version which will be backlit as well. I don’t believe the factory used a “clear coat” over the decal. Instead it was a reverse printed semi transparent plastic. The black portion may have even been a thin vinyl since, if you scratch it, it comes off fairly easily from the back. It was just enough to block out the light from the small bulb behind each symbol. My goal is to reproduce that same effect, down to the texture and the backlighting. The factory also used a small bit of brushed-on translucent paint for the logo probably to lower transparency or change the color of the glow.

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5 minutes ago, fiatslug87 said:

I think there's some sort of blue layer in there. The regular incandescent bulbs have a yellowish hue and the symbols show up greenish, if a white LED bulb is used the symbols look blue.

Yep, there is a bit of light blue semi-transparent paint brushed on with a small brush behind the symbol/icon. The on/off lettering would glow also if it had a light behind it. I’ll try to recreate the glow to be identical. I’m trying to recreate as close to a factory look as possible. 

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31 minutes ago, Gjeep said:

Yes, mine will do the same. Backlit, all the fun like factory... Just accomplished differently.

Factory was clear with different colors and layers of paint on the back side.

Yep, that’s what I’m trying to accomplish, the layered factory version. Did you use vinyl for the decal? Any chance you could snap a picture of the final installed product? It would be awesome to see it with the backlighting too if you could. Thanks! 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey guys, just providing a quick update. It has indeed been very difficult to nail down the exact material for the switch. It needs to have a degree of transparency, light diffusion and texture which is difficult to find. I have convinced a manufacturer to send us samples of every style transparent and semi-transparent film they produce. We will find as close to an exact match as possible. Hope to have these ready in about a month. I intend to have these truly be “replicas”. I have tracked down every other item, even the bluish green semi transparent paint that provides the right hue for the symbol. I’m focusing on the fog ligh/cargo light and trans/sports bar covers. I would like to add the extended idle as well as the sports bar only for the manual tranny models. If there were ever any other options that you would like to see please let me know. I don’t really want to start producing endless amounts of “one-off” pieces. If there is enough demand for a piece it could be produced though. Will post back when the right top layer material has been selected.

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Can do if you can get me dimensions. Working on second switch trim cover also with sports bar lights and transmission switch. The plan is to produce the trim covers, mud flaps, cargo lights and possibly... tail lights. I will start with the switch covers though. Have to reinvest to keep moving on to larger projects. 

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1 hour ago, 500 MJ said:

The splash guards for front and rear are different widths. At least the rubber ones are. I can get a pic tomorrow morning if needed. 


9.25 is the dimension I received off of an amc splash guard for the rear. Fronts were the same width from the dimensions I received. Let me know what you have. I plan on putting all these files together in the diy section but also plan on producing repop switch covers and mud flaps. Will start another thread regarding where I have made it with tail lights

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Rears are 9.5" wide and fronts are 9.25" wide, parallax makes the measurement look different in the pics. What type of material do you plan to use for the flaps? The rear AMC ones are a rubber material ~1/4" thick, the Jeep fronts and rears are a hard plastic material.

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1 hour ago, fiatslug87 said:

Rears are 9.5" wide and fronts are 9.25" wide, parallax makes the measurement look different in the pics. What type of material do you plan to use for the flaps? The rear AMC ones are a rubber material ~1/4" thick, the Jeep fronts and rears are a hard plastic material.

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was planning on plastic with the anti-splash grooves. Thanks for the pics. Will edit the files accordingly. Working in the second trim cover now

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