Looking for dash piece - Help?

[wurgerd9]

I am looking for the black dash piece that holds the headlight and exterior mirror switches. Can anyone point me towards a new or like new replacement piece? Are the failure of these common? Both my contours needed new ones. But the last time, the dealers still had them sourced. This time I'm not sure where to go. I'm also new to this forum... should I post an "item wanted" in classifieds or something like that? Do I need or can someone supply the Ford part #? Thanks all...

 

[SVTcontourSVT]

PM svttour

 

[BrApple]

Yes post in the classified forums when allowed.

 

[amc49]

That part breaks easy as spit, it is made of polystyrene and heat makes it warp to crack. Virtually every one I ever found in a scrapyard was broken too but I took a couple of the better ones and then glued them back up using backing reinforcement plastic from a hobby store. They glue well with model airplane glue but mounting the headlight switch to them is what breaks them. I got mad and remounted the headlight switch into the main dash proper and then ground off all the inner cover threaded bosses and now it hasn't broken one in years, the repaired one is doing fine with no heavy loads on it. Two locating pins are molded inside it, they break easy too, I drilled the hollow center just enough to set the holesize to the drillbit and then glued the bit in with epoxy to make a superstrong pin that will never break either. Cut bit off even when glue cured.

 

[terryford8]

AMC49 Outstanding post that also has helped me. That same headlight piece kept cracking on me.As its Walnut from 99 merc mystique hard to find. Installed new one..JC it also split- felt sure i must have hit it with my knee or something.Your post now solves the puzzle.The crack drives me crazy so i am going to reinstall my old unit that i had beefed up with plastic kit from my motorcyclde windjammer kit.