View single post by colinw59
 Posted: 02-14-2006 05:50 pm
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colinw59



Joined: 02-14-2006
Location: Bloomfield/Hebron, Connecticut USA
Posts: 147
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A late response to your question, but I just joined JHPS. I'm nearing the end of a ground up restoration on 74 JH #15851. On taking the glove box out I was shocked to find that it was in poor shape and it was made or cardboard! So I fabricated one fron 1/32" sheet aluminum. However I had an intact original from which to work, using it as a master.

I  first took pictures, something I would strongly suggest, no matter what you're doing on the car, except perhaps an oil change! I dissassembled the glove box and de-riveted all the joints. I layed this development over the 1/32" aluminum sheet (Home Depot) and traced around the perimeter and marked the bend points. The sheet was then cut to the perimeter lines and scored at the bends. This sheet was then bent at the appropriate points to form the irregularly shaped box. After comparing it to the original and making sure that the front wooden panel would fit, I  pop riveted the box together. When it was all together, and therfore rigid, I measured ,from the original, the position for the hinge bar that runs left to right across the underside of the glove box. I then test fitted the partial assembly. To simulate the matt black mottled finish of the original, I first primed the box then patiently applied several coats of Transtar's aerosol undercoating (#TSA4363), which matches the original finish very well. I lined the interior of the box with some black material that I can only describe as a soft wool like carpet material from a fabric store, adhered with contact adhesive. I used black door edge trim on the three edges of the of the box (the edges near the securing straps and the one opposite the wooden facia). After installing and adjusting the lock latch and hinge bar position the box fitted perfectly. It's stonger than the original and will not deteriorate with age as the cardboard ones do.

The whole fabrication took around 6-8 hours. However I have an engineering background and as with most jobs, it was more difficult than I have made it sound here. But with a bit of though and some inginuity it's very do-able. I can send some pics of glove box in-place if anyone is interested.