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Art & Inspiration Something is just not quite right

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Feb 15, 2019.

  1. The part of the car or truck you stare at day in and day out while you are driving your hot rod or custom - The dash.

    I was riding in a friends car recently and we were talking about the modifications he wanted to make to the stock dash and he came by the house last night to look at the modifications I did to the wagon.

    He thought my dash was stock until I showed him a photo of a original '54 Ford and I got to thinking about all the cars the Hambers have but there must be a lot of you guys that have created some real stand out dash's, so I would be great if you could add a original look dash and your custom dash. HRP

    original.
    [​IMG]

    Our reworked wagon.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. pitman, Texas57, Deuces and 5 others like this.
  3. grimmfalcon138
    Joined: Jan 14, 2010
    Posts: 164

    grimmfalcon138
    Member
    from az

    6173043425_07a8e4890b_b.jpg IMG_20190215_132255.jpg I can't say I'VE made it stand out. But I certainly simplified it.
     
  4. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    All I got!
    Before:
    Pretend those holes aren't there.

    After:
    20181212_024313.jpg

    20180126_095130.jpg
     
    bonesy, Deuces, HOTRODPRIMER and 4 others like this.

  5. harpo1313
    Joined: Jan 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,584

    harpo1313
    Member
    from wareham,ma

    054.jpg 067.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2019
    tofords, Deuces, HOTRODPRIMER and 3 others like this.
  6. I agree. Dashes are an important part of a car & are often over looked. Some of our currant wagon project going together.

    IMG_5752.jpg IMG_5753.jpg
     
    Texas57, kadillackid, Deuces and 8 others like this.
  7. My is in the rough stage....I took two 1959 Chevy dashes and combined them. Now I am making a fiberglass copy of it so I can mount it in my radial 1963 Bird.
     
    HOTRODPRIMER likes this.
  8. Rambler man Dan
    Joined: Mar 24, 2018
    Posts: 40

    Rambler man Dan
    Member

    Chappy nice to see another spitfire owner on here to...


    Here is mine from my 59 rambler wagon. Almost complete except a few switches and some pin striping on the panel opposite of the speedo panel.
    20190130_201352.jpg
     
    Deuces, HOTRODPRIMER and Chappy444 like this.
  9. My 51, after [​IMG]
    Still not quite done, switches to left, gauges on right, indicator lights around speedo, behind perf steel
    [​IMG]
    My 51, before, as I was starting
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I like the ka-nobbies, Russ.
     
    Deuces and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  11. My '39 Deluxe coupe-an original dash, and my re-worked dash (my car is an old HotRod) a previous owner started on the dash, I continued by filling holes, painting it, etc, adding all Stewart Warner gauges, and adding an additional chrome trim at the lower portion.
    201901051731-185121144-32[1].jpg IMG_1931.JPG IMG_2055.JPG
     
    Texas57, VANDENPLAS, Deuces and 4 others like this.
  12. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The best modified dashes don't scream that they have been modified. They look like they should have been that way in the first place.
     
    Atwater Mike, Hnstray, raven and 7 others like this.
  13. Dooley
    Joined: May 29, 2002
    Posts: 2,956

    Dooley
    Member
    from Buffalo NY

    My dash is quiet
    Not quite right though
     
    HOTRODPRIMER, Stogy and hotrodA like this.
  14. rockable
    Joined: Dec 21, 2009
    Posts: 4,429

    rockable
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This is my 41 Plymouth dash. I resisted the temptation to smooth it and sunk the instruments into the original gauge housing. Also kept a stock steering wheel and horn ring. I'm really happy with how it turned out. 0729181615_HDR.jpg
     
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  15. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,709

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Mine with stock gauges

    100_1665_zps62327201.jpg

    With SW gauges mounted in stock panel

    100_1851_zps1b21fbb2.jpg

    Color change to gloss black

    100_2049_zps4150da3c.jpg 100_2050_zps32ab5665.jpg

    Have now added GM tilt column and 67 Chevelle wheel, not shown
    In hindsight, I should have painted the gauge bezels black to hide them better. I'm not happy with the way the dash paint turned out, so it will be redone at a later date.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2019
  16. …….

    I've been weighting for that! Go Dooley (or dually)
     
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  17. klawockvet
    Joined: May 1, 2012
    Posts: 580

    klawockvet
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Started as an off topic rat/street rod from PO. Removed GM tilt column, one piece windshield, vintage air, ugly steering wheel. Replaced stock column and wheel. Modified original shift lever to operate turn signals, rebuilt stock heater, filled radio and ash tray/air conditioner holes, changed transmission from AOD to manual. Modified switch area to space out switches. Happy its done.


    Before.jpg Under contruction.jpg After.jpg
     
  18. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,040

    gene-koning
    Member

    The original dash on my newest project had the original gauges hacked out, with only a rusty thin sheet metal outer surface remaining. The after picture is an in progress picture, the steering wheel has been replaced with an old 15" Superior wood grip wheel, and the under dash wires hanging around under the dash have been tided up, but the paint surrounding it is still ugly. Gene
     

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    41 GMC K-18, Deuces and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  19. Frank Carey
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 574

    Frank Carey
    Member

    20190215_212619.jpg View attachment 4192916 This dash in my '37 sedan has served me well over the 30 years since I put it in. The gauges are nothing special - clustered on the raised portion. In the center I closed the radio opening and ash tray. My 1980s era A/C unit is huge by today's standards and was designed with a large outlet direct from the box that would exit under the center of the dash. I dropped the center of the dash so I could put a radio under the A/C outlet. The Vintage Air controls are early engraved. I painted the engraving for contrast. The left knob is headlights and the right is wipers.
     
    Deuces and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  20. My girl thought the after was a lot better than the before.......
     
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  21. rusty rocket
    Joined: Oct 30, 2011
    Posts: 5,053

    rusty rocket
    Member

    Not to be an ass but some of these stock dashes look a lot better than the after photos.
     
  22. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    I rarely see a custom dash that I prefer or even comes close to the stock dash. But this one I like!




    Bones
     
  23. No before, just the after on my Ford. Fortunately all the chrome just needed a polish. I found new gauge faces to fix up the fuel & temp gauges, added the Summit gauge pack and generally painted everything else. 629-013.JPG 629-015.JPG
     
  24. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    OT dash I have been working on.
    20190102_181540 (2).jpg
     
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  25. J'st Wandering
    Joined: Jan 28, 2004
    Posts: 1,772

    J'st Wandering
    Member

    I see where you are coming from. It is tough to improve on some of these original dashes. They have more going on then a cluster of round gauges. But then again, round gauges are better then LED displays. I don't have a problem with gauges mounted below the dash.
     
    HOTRODPRIMER likes this.
  26. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I usually do not change the dash much,the manufactures spent time and effort to make it flow with the rest of the car and I would most likely screw it up.
     
    Boneyard51 and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  27. MMM1693
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 1,152

    MMM1693
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Here's 3 pics of mine. Sometimes I think I should have gone with engine turned insert, then sometimes I don't, depends on which way the wind is blowing. The gauges are Classic Instruments and kind of hard to read especially at night. I was going to use SW Wings but won these thru P&J which was a deciding factor. 100_3065.JPG

    100_3068.JPG

    IMG_3221.JPG
     
  28. Here is what I made for my '31 sedan. Wanted the shape to look similar to a Model A. Made it from a piece of 1/4" aluminum and engine turned it.
    Gauge Panel - Copy.JPG
     
  29. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    New gauges, late 40s Dodge turn/bright light indicator, glove box door filled and smoothed, and of course custom woodgrain (go figure). The burl on the switch plates was added and of course the V8 'inlay' as well over the filled glovebox door. The radio delete and switch plate/ashtray bezels were rechromed, I'll paint the stripes in the radio delete (not shown) a bright burnt orange to highlight and compliment the needles in the gauges. I don't like the digital odometer but it was a small concession, and I really dig the font on the new gauges.
    [​IMG]
     
    32SEDAN, partssaloon, MMM1693 and 5 others like this.
  30. ROADSTER1927
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 3,127

    ROADSTER1927
    Member

    The dash I built for my Roadster and the Dealer give away pocket knife with a working key in it. Gary 27 roadster dash 002.JPG 27 roadster dash 004.JPG 27 roadster dash 006.JPG 27 roadster dash 008.JPG
     
    deadbeat, VANDENPLAS, Deuces and 2 others like this.

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