Art & Inspiration Something is just not quite right

McMaster-Carr has the perforated metal in various patterns/sizes/materials. They also have a limited selection of embossed metal, although I think that is limited to aluminum.

 

Not so stock vs stock.

 

Does the key have the same treatment as the switches? That would be really cool.

Done a few mods to OT dashes to clean them up, add much needed gauges, make a gear shifter(AT) 'go away' because I find most column shift levers and gear select indicators annoying. I forget about some of these mods too. Had a bud want to borrow my OT GM truck. Chuck him the keys he starts it up and is sitting in the driveway for a few minutes. Nice of him to let it warm up. Until the cab is rocking, lights are flashing on and off, etc. Finally he gets out. 'How do you put it in gear?'
Whoops.

 

I just made a polished aluminum 4 hole accessory gauge panel. I wanted my 56 to look like it would have been done about 1966 when I graduated high school.

 

You did it! Looks great!




Bones

 

Is that the Crown Vic Wagon?

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

My 1948 Ford Tudor

 

I made the knobs myself turning them on a small wood lathe, not too difficult for an amateur like me. The plexiglass colors and thicknesses I wanted were found on the internet, and bought in small sheet pieces. The solvent/glue was found locally.

The perf metal has the same hole specs as the original 51 Ford dash, and I found it in stainless steel. I had to buy a sheet larger than really needed. I think it was from McNichols. A couple lessons: polish the metal before you cut any holes, don’t expect typical hole saws to cut the needed holes with ease. Probably cutting holes carefully with sheet metal hand shears would work fine.

 

No. But I did make more bezel cover pieces after that photo. I thought some about doing a key with the turned laminated plastic, but am not that ambitious, and have not thought it through. Still need to do one more bezel piece. I might do the window crank knobs too some day. Now I am slowly working on a modified steering wheel and steering column (1953 Buick). I hate the look of a GM tilt column, but they are so convenient to use.

 

Stock dash in my 50 Stude.



55 Dodge dash, now

 

Dashboard in the Cameo

 

Very clever alteration. Looks like Edsel designed it. Lots of people won't know the difference.

 

I believe they have embossed metal in stainless as well

 

Not much change, just built this small dash extension out of stainless so I could monitor the engine a little better than stock.

 

Favorite Calif. dash insert material:
Hard aluminum sheet, 'Maximum Speed Limit 55 MPH'
Engine turns nicely, very shiny when polished.

 

This is on my 57 Ford

 

The dash for my 37. Can you see any of the changes

 

What did you use for the insert

 

37 Chevy - gotta have dashboard Virgin Mary and cue ball shifter ball!

 

I bought a sheet of SS with the same hole pattern as the original '51 Ford dash, from McNichols. polished it and cut it to shape.

https://www.mcnichols.com/perforated-metal