Custom Sun Visors

I started off with mid 90's T-Bird/Cougar sunvisors and Mustang sun visors of the same vintage.

Here are the T-Bird sun visors:

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3 Mustang sun visor


My initial thought was that the T-Bird visors (Cougar visors are the same) would work as a starting point but didn't care for the grey plastic latch hardware. The Mustang visors have black latch hardware but the spindle is different and nto compatible. I was suprised to find that the internal construction was different even though from the outwar appearance they looked the same. Note the black plastic latch is glued in with spray foam on the Mustang visor.

I would later find that the spindle can be pulled from the hinge with a twisting motion.

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Grey plastic latch I would not use. Notice how it had a nib inside the metal tube.


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The end of the spindle was gound off with th ebench grinder.

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I had to flatten out much of the underside of the mount. I did this on the mill but a dremel tool would work just fine.


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1/4-28 thread. The die went right on.


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I found on this set that I removed too much material and made another set but this give you the idea. If you do this don't remove any material from the socket that the spindle fits into because it is a tappered fit and you need it to set the preload on the joint. Just remove the webbing around it.

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To make the Mustang latch work I had to remove a=material from it. Again on the mill but you could do it with a dremel tool.


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I made backing plates out of a scrap of sheet metal.


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Pop riveted together.


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The part of this I don't have a picture for is the pin connecting the plastic latch to the metal tube. I turned a piece of 1/4" rod down on the end to fit inside of the latch piece. This is the only part of this projrct that requires special tooling. If you didn't mind the grey plastic you could bypass this but it did make a much stronger assembly.

Here is the mockup to finalize the shape

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Once happy with the shape I removed 1/2" on the table saw to allow for the paper and vinyl cover.

In need of something to support the flexible end of the visor this material worked very well.


I used a rigid cardboard box as backing and a regular staple gun here. Pliers to tighten and fold over the staples and then tapped them down with a hammer.

1/16" craft foam from Michael's craft store.


A heavy artist paper again from the craft store was a very close match the to paper board used on the T-Bird visors. Notice I allowed about a 1/2" over for the wrap and stiching.


Glued the foam.


Then the vinyl.




I used a permanet marker to blackout any area that might be visable once it was together.

I left the sewing to the professionals and it was well worth the $25.00 it cost.

The most outboard original hole was used.


For the layout I machined one of the mounts completely flat on the bottom. If you hadn't already figured it out I went through more than one set of donor visors to complete this project.




The center hole needs to be at least 1/2". You need to be very careful here. If your drill bit catches you could dimple the outside of your car. I used every size drill bit in my index working my way up one at a time. I also figured out that angling the drill along the line of the windshield and reversing it often helped.



This picture is a little misleading. This is the passanger side so don't get confused. The inboard hole is used here for the latch. You will need to open it up a very small amount with a dril bit to allow the post to fit in it. See below. The hole on the right and it's counter part on the other side of the car are the only ones not covered up by the new mounts. I opted once complete to recover my trim in new vinyl to match the visors.


You need to clip just a bit off the post here for clearance .

The finished result is very good and worth the effort. The wider and loger visors do make a noticable difference and the ability to swing them out is really cool. The hinge of the visor has a positive stop that locks them in the up position so there is no worry of them falling down. The hinge is also tight enough to hold them out towards the windshield without issue. I tested them up to 80mph with the windows down and they did not budge. I would do it again if I ever need to.

Steve

Nice job. These are along the lines I was thinking. I have to be careful not to suggest some kind of a nuclear device to you?

I'm thinking that I will probably go this route eventually. One visor is off, laying on the roof waiting for a decision.

I do not like the extra flap on the ends of them. I don't think that is necessary and they would fit closer to the roof without them?

The other thing is, as long as I am building them anyway, why not put the lighted courtesy mirror in the passenger side AND maybe a BACK UP CAMERA SCREEN IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE?

I see you had a dimpling issue on the drivers side?

All in all, a GREAT result! You even stitched the edges! Now you sew too? Can you drive anything?

Johnny Woods would be envious!



I'd like to find something of better quality than the plastic Mustang mounts that you used?

Maybe IPSO will get interested and mill them down out of aluminum billet for the Detomaso cars?

Do the Longchamp and the Mangusta use the same Fiat Spider 124 visors too?

I happen to see a Griffith 200 recently and guess what sun visors the car had in it?

Great Detail; Presently in the restoration process and one of the many questions is what to do with the faded sun visors. Good ideas.

Steve,

Great write up and awesome skills. I like it.

Devin

Ditto ... great work ... Beautiful results!

thank you for investing the time to share the step by step procedure with us.

-G

Nice work

Good thing I'll never have to go through all that hassle, we have too little sunny days...lol.

Well done Steve!

Thanks guys. I enjoy figuring out these projects. If I can do my part by sharing them and help someone else that's even better.

Steve

Great write up ! Thanks for posting this !...

What year Mustang did you get these from?

Doug,

Both the T-Bird/Cougar visors and the Mustang visors were sourced from Mid 90's cars. 94-96 should work and probably more years than that.

Steve

I was just researching and that's a good choice. They are available already in black cloth and there are a bunch of billet brackets already made for that set up.

You had to cut 1/2" off of them because they were to wide and they hit the roof otherwise?

Doug,

The construction of the Mustang visors is completely different to the T-Bird. The spindle that mounts to the car would not be easily adapted to the Pantera as it has no external mount. The Mustang visor recesses directly into the header of the windshield and is held in by one screw and a keeper washer.

That said if you can build off of my work I encourage you to do so and look forward to seeding the results.

I cut the 1/2" off of the pressboard structure of the T-Bird visors because I liked the size of the mockup and didn't want to add an additional 1/2" to that. Personal choice but I think due to the size of the cockpit compared to the full size T-Bird and the close proximity of the visor to your head in the up position it was the right thing to do. For me at least. The T-Bird visors actually sit higher in the up position than the original visors and while they stick out more the higher position gives the feel of more room.

Steve

Just determining what I should be looking for. According to what you just said, it should be a T-bird set up?

I would go along with the 1/2" decision. The stock ones make me crazy especially when I am working on the passenger side leaning forward.

The visor is always leaning just low enough to catch me on top of the head.

Doug,

Correct, the T-Bird visor is what you want to build off of unless you can come up with a better option. I opted to modify and use the Mustang parts to do away with the grey plastic. The black blends into my black interior quite nicely. My car appears very stock to the untrained eye but once you dig under the surface you find all the suttle niceties.

Steve

I am envious! I have never done sun visors. Excellent work. The stitching is exactly how RR and Bentley have done it for years and always looks good.

Are those Ferrari seats? They look very nice.

Johnny

Mr. Woods,

T.Solo did a nice write up on his Ferrari 355 seat install under the "coach forum" - sticky # 3: Pantera Seats.

Here is the direct link Ferrari seat install (about half way down the page)

Devin

All very, very good "stuff". It would all impress anyone.

Steve If I was going to put sun visor in my Pantera I would do it like you did. Great info and good job..!

Devin, I just looked at the seats, very impressive. Ferrari make beautiful seats!

I tried a pair of Porsche 911 (997) /Cayman seats in a Pantera but even with a lowered floor the built in, non removable head rest touches the roof if you try to tilt if forward and they where too wide. Shame because they look nice and are the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in.

Johnny