Art & Inspiration Something is just not quite right

^^^ like highlanders!!-doing a 39 woody-dash is also woodgrained and same gauges AC vent behind speaker grill

 

HRP that dash is quiet nice, i mean quite nice

 

With the dash in our wagon I am sure Ford did a exemplary job with the design but I like to see what the engine is doing and not depend on idiot lights to come one when there is a problem, I do like the machine turned panel and knew I wanted to retain that look but the gauges were a must.

Relocating the headlight and wiper knobs to ether side of the steering wheel where the fresh air vent cables one resided helped clean up the machine turned insert also doing away with the clock improved the look.

I filled in the ashtray to improve the symmetry of the heat & air vents trying to make them look like they could have been done in 1954. HRP

 

This is the dash in the '50 Chevy I just bought. Way too street roddy for me, for sure!! (I bought it because the price and the outstanding quality of the build, in general, won me over.) I'm planning to put back much of the Art Deco gingerbread and a bouquet of switch knobs will be added. The steering wheel, the column, and the speaker kick panels are also getting the ax. Actually, the whole audio system is gon'na go or be tucked away. (Note the head unit between the seats.)When the budget allows, there's a manual trans on the wish list. It might make better sense to do the column when the trans is done if I can stand it that long. Stay tuned for updates.

*I keep thinking of things* I want a color change on the red to a chestnut brown.

 

Thank you sir. HRP



A lot of hammer work to make a flat vent fit in the concave portion of the dash.

 

I totally agree.

 

I don't have mine back together yet but I will be making this slight modification. I did not like the idiot lights for OIL and GEN. I decided to black out that section of my dash pod and instead replace the clock and tach with "dual" gauges.

 

I generally prefer to keep a stock looking dash in my old rides. But in the case of my '51 Plymouth I went further and made a new center section to replace the stock radio area.

A stock '51 -



my restyled one -

 

This one
This one is hanging on my garage wall.

 

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Looks like a lot of engine set back, what are you running? HRP

 

This dash is for my 34 roadster. It came with 6 holes drilled in it for dolphin gauges. I filled all the round holes & made new ones where necessary & sold the gauges. Cut out & made the glove box from poster board & covered the insides. The door was made from an old speed limit sign(scraped by the county) & insulated with a piece of foam,then a back was made & it was folded on the door. Then I found some hot chick's leather short skirt @ the thrift store for $.50 & I covered the dash with black leather from the skirt. The gauge insert was made from the same sign. & 4 studs & nuts were added to attach it from the back. Undecided on the finish of the door & gauge panel. Might just have a try @ engine turning on them.
pic of earlier 6 gauges.

 

This one is outstanding!

 

I agree for the most part, we can use my '39 I posted earlier in this thread as an example.
PO had already altered it, didn't finish it, but was beyond restoring to original '39 Deluxe look.
Stock '39 Deluxe dash's are beautiful, and I would have prefered that, but each cars build dictates which path to take..my '39 is an old HOTROD, 283, three deuce, 4spd, old lacquer paint, etc, so it seems to really fit my no frills basic HOTROD theme, I've got going on with it.

 

The thread title hooks you in like it's going to show you something wrong.
But all I see are wonders of creativity.
Usually, the early rods get the lion's share of attention, with their plaque-like gauge clusters. It's nice to see the scales tipping toward the 50s, plus or minus a decade, in this thread.
Keep the pix coming, keep sharing.

 

There is no doubt in my mind a original Deuce dash is a thing of beauty but when I added a overhead V8 I went with the next best thing, the ensign boat dash insert. HRP

 

I too believe that the dashboard is one of the most important things to build right, to the owner’s taste. I spent hundreds of hours doing the dash and steering wheel on my 1929 Ford cabriolet.

A Model A dash is basic and one was already posted, albeit modified. Mine is a deuce sheet metal panel with a 1928 Chrysler instrument panel mounted from behind. Two switch/lever holes are filled with Amber rhinestone blinkers. I made two smaller panels for switches. I spent half a year practicing to do the wood graining.

Below is a Harrison- 1937 Oldsmobile heater box, barely seen.

 

Russ B. Your time was well spent! Your dash and wheel is simply stunning!

 

Bob, to me that is the “ traditional “ dash. That’s what most of the guys did back when I was in high school and that indicates a “ full set” of gauges done right. I like it.

Edit. Also the aftermarket floor shift, comes right out of the sixties.

Bones

 

My old '46 Ford Business Coupe with a Bitchin' Product's dash...



My 1951 Oldsmobile's dash...

Think that I'm going to leave it pretty much stock!

 

Here is my Deuce dash and glove box door.
Followed by my 38 Chevy.
Followed by a 32 wall hanger dash that I bought on Ebay.

 

Simple 36 PU, make plate, drill holes, paint, use

 

radio speaker grill panel on my 40 Ford, engine turned panel from speedway, controls for a/c, heated seats, cruise control, switches below for ign, lights, wipers, power point

 

Here is the dash from my 1948 Olds 98 convertible. It looks mostly stock, radio and speaker are gone with a different radio, and A/C vents added.

 

The original in my '40 Plymouthwas really beat up when I started so I felt no pain in customizing it, I still wanted to keep the old car feel so I "borrowed" gauges and trim from other years and makes that I liked.
Much better shape stock

My version

 

Somewhat improved bitchen in my 48

 

Russ B, Where did you get the perforated metal and those beautiful dash knobs?
Thanks