2000 Ranger 518VX - Looking for trim piece

[charles012663]

Hey guys.  Have a 2000 Ranger 518VX.  The woodgrain trim piece around the toggle switches is worn and cracked.  Ranger does not have them in stock any more and they have told me that the company that used to make them doesn't make them for them any more.  Do any of you have any suggestions?  I thought about having it wrapped to match the rest of the trim, but I'm scared to death to try to take it out for fear of tearing it up completely.  Are there any other vendors that will make something like this, a salvage yard with Ranger boats??  Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. 

[Bigwrench]

Hey guys.  Have a 2000 Ranger 518VX.  The woodgrain trim piece around the toggle switches is worn and cracked.  Ranger does not have them in stock any more and they have told me that the company that used to make them doesn't make them for them any more.  Do any of you have any suggestions?  I thought about having it wrapped to match the rest of the trim, but I'm scared to death to try to take it out for fear of tearing it up completely.  Are there any other vendors that will make something like this, a salvage yard with Ranger boats??  Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the UB family Charles , do you remember who you talked to at Ranger parts ?
I actually asked about that same switch panel on mine when I talked to them a few years ago on my deck extension (which I was first told wasn't made anymore for a SVS) once I got ahold of the right person on the deck extension I was told I could send the switch bezel in and they would make me one . This guy specializes in making parts that are no longer available , let me dig through my old emails and see if I can find the contact info.
  Also if your not against a custom replacement I have several contacts that can help with that, mostly aluminum billet replacements. Just message me if you'd like the info.

[charles012663]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I've talked to three different people in Parts @ Ranger, and they all say the same thing.  I also tried to order the black bezel piece that goes at the bow (holds the trim switches and navigation switches as well as the plug for trolling motor) and was told the same thing.  They actually had the wood grain cover piece for that though, so I'm just cutting a thin sheet metal support piece to put under the bezel and using the new wood grain trim over the top.  I'm working on that today, so I'll send you a picture when complete.

As for the wood grain switch panel, I'm open to anything.  There are only three pieces on the boat that have this trim (bow, gauges on the dash, and rocker switch panel).  After next week, I'll have two of the three replaced. 

I'm open to a custom aluminum replacement as well.  I imagine I could match the color and have it wrapped.  If you can find any of your old contacts, it would be greatly appreciated.  Happy Thanksgiving.

[Pferox]

I don't know where you are located but if you need to fabricate something for it you might want to do what we did.

We had an old Boston Whaler that they used every day for getting water samples, all the woodwork was shot. (Yea, it was that old)  There was a guy that had a saw mill and sold us Cypress cut to our specs.  That stuff was hard, and tough to work with, but it was strong as steel.  We sealed the wood with this plastic stuff for that purpose, don't remember the name, sorry.  There is a tinting you can add to make it any color you want, transparent or opaque so you can match the boat.  We found it easier to work with than trying to cut plastic when we made the dash plate.