Sun Visor options?

[bigdaddykarl]

I'd like to find a good, restorable visor to put on my 51 Windsor, but I'd like to stay as true to era as possible. What are some of the manufacturers of visors that I should look for? I believe Fulton is one. Also, any good places to look? I know there's always eBay, curious if there's a better source. Also, estimation on cost that I should be looking to spend?

[55PackardGuy]

There's a chance my buddy with the D24 would like to sell his. I think he should keep it, but when he took it off he said it was too restrictive for most driving. It would make it harder to see some stoplights I guess. I don't know if it would fit a '51 Chrysler though. Next time I'm out to where the car is I'll try to remember to check the manufacturer, and ask whether he wants to part with it. Nice to see you over at "P15-D24"! One thing about that site, after about 1000 posts or around a week they "refresh" the forum and you have to go to the archives to find old posts. Because of that, I copy information that I want to save onto a Word document. It's about 30 pages so far!

[Guest imported_BaronvonR]

You should convince your Dodge friend to keep the sunshade on the car....it is NOT as restrictive as he says and it is WAY kewl looking. I actually added one to my Imperial and love it. It takes very little to get used to it...only place it is a real hinderance is when you are first in line at a light, other than that it is better...especially for low sun...I rarely use my interior visors.

As for types Fulton was the largest producer of them...thats what is on both my De Soto and my Imperial. MoPar also made one...nowhere near as complictated as the Fulton and hence less things to adjust to fit. Ebay is your best bet, unless, of course, you can find one privately...one other place to look is Hemmings or the car swap meets.

BvR

[Jon Robinson]

Baron's right. The Fultons fit these cars really well.

While they are adjustable, there were big differences in car widths from 1940 to about 1953 when they started to go away. I don't know that every Fulton is adjustable enough to fit every car. Also, there were a couple of difference side brackets for them. There's a really good one that was made for the Chrysler products were the ears on the side brakets make several curves and bolt to the body of the car just inside the door jam, and those are the most solid for these cars. Mine just bolts to the rain gutter, and it's not as solid as the others.

There's a center section that the side sections slides in and out of to make it fit the width of the car, and there are two rods with a series of holes that hold it all together, but like the rest of the visor, these rods are made of soft aluminum, and don't be surprised if the holes are stripped or the rods are broken. You may have to do what I did -- set the width where you want it, and drill clear through the center section if four places, and run small bolts through with nuts and washers. When you paint it, you'll paint the bolts, and they look like their supposed to be there.

The truth is that the Fulton visors were not very well made. The adjusting rods and the side brackets absolutely should NOT have been made from aluminum, but a good metal man might be able to strengthen it for you before you put it on the car. If the one you find is all beat up as they commonly are, a body man could fix it, but I would probably take it to a metal fabrication guy who can make new adjusting rods if need be, and he might make them out of something stronger than the junk Fulton used.

The Fulton Sun Shades are really nice once they're on the car, but just be ready to do a lot of work on it if it's any less than perfect. I've already talked to a metal fabricator about making new side brackets for me out of actual metal.

They're nice in low sun, but here in the Southwest, you notice the advantage more in keeping car cooler in the summer. I bought my DeSoto in the fall of 1990, and I found a Fulton visor for it in the spring of 1991. I took the visor off in the summer of 1993 to do the body work on the car, and I was shocked at how much hotter it was in the car. When the sun is high at noon in the summer, there is no sun streaming into the car at all, and the dash is shady and cool. That's what I like about them.

You can also adjust it downward enough that the bulk of the wind is pushing it down on the car instead of hooking under it and pulling it upward. I adjusted mine down to where I could put my arm out the window and feel the vacuum underneath it, meaning that it's being pushed down rather than pulled up most of the time.

JON

[bigdaddykarl]

Great, thanks for the info. I'll start looking around for a Fulton. As far as the fabricating of new parts goes, I may be able to do some of that myself. What measurements are the most crucial in finding a good fit? I imagine windsheild center to end is really the only biggie. Sounds like if it's too big, I can trim it down in the middle and join the pieces to the center bar.

[55PackardGuy]

Baron,

My thoughts exactly. This car looks great with the sun visor! Plus, you and Jon have given me lots of ammunition on the practical reasons to keep it and use it. I always work on a friend's car as though it's my own, because it just might be some day! Also 'cause it's the right thing to do IMO.