My buddy has been slow with work so he wanted me to leave the 39 at his shop because he has time to finish up some stuff for me before he gets busy again. I dropped off a 40 Lasalle dash I got from InDaShop. My buddy didn't like it too much so he went and fabbed up what he thought would look better. I like it. Not sure if I should put these gauges in though...if anyone has some "better" gauges they want to part with, let me know. If not, these are going in And in case you don't know what car its going in
Change of plans on the gauges. I'm looking for an all in one gauge so there's only one hole in the dash.
What was wrong with the Lasalle dash? This probably isn't what you want to hear and it's just my opinion, but that looks like a "street rod" dash to me. It could have been billet... It's flat, and doesn't have any flair or design to it. Your car is much curvier and has style. It deserves a dash that compliments the car. I don't see where the dash even works for a single big gauge unit either. Maybe I don't see where you are headed with it. Dan
Lasalle dash was a lot longer than we thought it would be in the car. Where we needed to section it, the center chrome grille pieces would also have to be sectioned. If you saw it, that's a lot of work. I'm missing a few too many pieces to get it to work. The only thing holding up paint on the car was the dash (believe it or not). I think its going to have the two big gauges that has everything I need.
Thomas- I'm so sorry that dash didn't work out!!! I thought that thing would look so bad ass in your car. I like the new dash, I didn't think billet at all, looks more race car than anything. Nice fab skills none the less. I can't wait to see her in her new digs at Roundup. That is if I recognize her.
That is some bitchin fab work, but at this point, I agree that it is not worthy of the rest of the car. Don't settle for that just because your buddy didn't like the other dash. The Lasalle had character. Of course it would need some work... they all do when you change out a dash.
I agree with Django. The dash is nice, but doesn't Flow with the rest of the cars character IMO. Love the Lasalle.
That's what I meant to say. Not billet but more competition styled. It would look great in a gasser. I just think it's the wrong style. Dan
You sure may be tired of my opinions but I have an idea. What if you had Fat Lucky's or another upholstery dude whip you up some pleated or padded inserts to fit in the beaded shape you have there. Maybe white pearl or something that looked like an old custom's interior. Then mount your gauges in a pod set into the upholstery? Just trying to think like an old Kustom guy? Dan
I think you guys are definately right, we're going to redo just the front part....a lot more curves...
I must change my opinion... I say go with the LaSalle... much better style to it... fits the car better... BTW... that shot of the back... just plain beautiful... showed my next-door neighbor Cody , he's only 11 and doesn't know much about cars, asked, "does it have wheels?"... lol... wanted to give him a wedgie for that... but... I didn't... let him know what skirts were... still funny... ~Troy.
thomas - you really need to find an old dash with the deco chrome on it. I can't argue with the excellent metal skills that made the "race" dash...but i'd rather see you still in primer at roundup than see you hurry and settle on a dash.... can you talk with kikinrods about a trade off on the lower 12 bolt control arms? - thanks - kyle
Your car definately deserves more "style". But you've got a good start. I would try to find an interesting shaped speedo/guage cluste out of another old car. Something with style, and some extra chrome. Cut in a glove compartment, or speaker hole. Break up the plain jane lines of the dash a bit. I have used square brass stock to dress up a dash, similar to the old speaker grilles in old car. Tack braze a bunch of them together for a custom speaker grill, glove box door decoration, or to 'frame' a plain round speedo housing. Chrome it to match. You could also carve out a teardrop shaped surround for a large round speedo out of 1/4" aluminum plate, make it with curved edges, and when you chrome it, it will look art deco, like out of an old Caddy, or Packard. Make similar shaped pieces for the rest of the guages, or glove box door. You could sink the guages into the dash, and use round rod to frame out an interesting shape around the guages, like decorative rod around a tunneled antenna. There's a lot you could do with what you have, esp. cause it IS so plain!
for what its worth i think a narrowed 51 ford dash would look awesome in this car. with its aluminum panel left in tact , or maybe two toned. i wish i could find a picture of one. every time i look at this car i whip an empty beer can at mine!
Here's a couple of threads. Do a search using dashes. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50672&highlight=dashes http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32485&&showall=1 Dan
thats the one i was talkin about! im gonna cut the shit out of one of those for my model a. i think that would look perfect in your car.
I agree with some others I love your car and feel it deserves more. Here is a great tech post about a 51 Ford dash in a 42 Ford. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11758 See in the pic what I am using in my 47 A guy down the road has a 49/50 Ford dash I can get for 30 bux but, it is just the metal shell. No gauges or anything else.
I think the shoebox dash would be too busy in the car, I'd like a little something more simple and less busy, like Cole's 36
what about a smoothed off 49/50 shoebox dash? with just the speedo left? Or two welded together with a custom grille in the other speedo hole? I think that car deserves more than that dash, It's not that it's ugly or anything, I just don't think it fits the car..Like Dan said, looks kinda racecar-ish to me..For what it's worth.. Cody
Cody, how about I steal your dashes out of both your shoeboxes?? I'm working on getting a 50 Olds dash from a HAMBer right now.
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