Looking for some pictures of customized 47-53 dashes. Not wanting to copy anyone's work, just want to see what everyone has done. Im not 100% sure on what I want to do, so far my plan is: weld up the holes for the radio and weld in a filler panel where the center speaker cover/grill and ash tray was. So far Im keeping the glove box for storage reasons. Basically any holes not used will get filled. Another thing I was thinking of, since I have two 5" gauges (1 speedometer and 1 tachometer) in the stock gauge locations, I was going to mount my 4 smaller 2-1/8" gauges at a angle towards the driver were I weld in the speaker grill filler panel. Then do I either paint the dash or cover it in vinyl...
Let's open up this can of worms! First of all, you know who's paying the bills, so you cast the last vote. You say you're keeping the glove box, so with that said, I would keep the radio grille piece too because it ties into the glove box so well. See Exhibit 1. Now, as far as filling in the radio blank and holes around it, don't. Mount your angled gauges there. Exhibit 2. Lastly, don't put vinyl on the dash, paint it. IMHO, covering the dash with vinyl looks like an "afterthought". Paint looks way cool and more approximates how it looked originally. Get creative and hammer tone it or wrinkle coat it, paint it to compare or contrast. It's entirely up to you. These type of mods, along with your decision to keep an inline 6, (tastefully modified, I might add!) will surely turn heads. Just my 3 cents (adjusted for inflation!) PMP, Ken!
We've done several from mild to wild. I like the original lines with the exception of the radio hole being on a curved surface which makes a modern radio knobby looking when mounted up to it and I really dislike the wiper switch ruining the smooth look of the top of the dash. The wiper switch position was necessary when the old vacuum motor was linked to it with a rod but the switch can be anywhere with electric wipers. I can't find the picture of my favorite wild one but it has a 54 Ford hooded instrument cluster where the top of the eyebrow has a window to let light in for daytime driving and the hidden a/c blows out the radio grill. This 49 still has that %*@# wiper knob but the radio is frenched and the throttle and choke cable holes are used for high beam indicator and turn signal indicator. It also has the quad gauge and matching speedometer that stays somewhat faithful to the old but updates to all modern components. The steering column cover is not on here but the dash does show a mild and smooth update. I like the looks of the ones that are angled both to the right and left of the column center line but figured if you're of any size at all the left wing would be a real knee knocker. If you can work the metal then look in everything, both cars and trucks, at a car show or swap meet and see what triggers your fancy.
Good question, Chris! I wish I had a picture to post, but someone once put in a dash out of a 52 Chevy car! I had one of these once, and really like the way they look. The clock in the center up top makes them look "speedy". It really did look great! I've also seen where someone stuck a dash from an 80ish Chevy van in one of these. All I can say about how that turned out is... ICK!!!!!! I'm sure with your creative flair, you'll come up with something neat!
Speaking of grills... No Andy, you're off the hook~ Can the stainless glove box be ruffed up with a 3M disk and then etched primed and painted with any success? (I want to paint mine all white except for the top and bottom strips.) Or... did they make a stainless grill piece? TIA
I saw an AD on ebay with a 59 chevy dash. It looked good. I saw a 30 dodge truck with a 55 chevy dash yesterday & it looked good. I have seen the ones with a plastic dash and none of them were neat. It works a lot like making a shorty (4 door into 2 door). Just cut out the middle and like magic put it back together.
Chris, Check out Brother Flippers old posts on his dash work, here is a link to a foto of it painted somewhat. https://talk.classicparts.com/showthread.php?p=40408#post40408 https://talk.classicparts.com/showthread.php?t=5845
Maybe I'll post the other pics of that car. It had all kinds of weird/cool gadgets all over the place. I'll try to get them up tonight....Mike
