Just finished up 36 dash in a 31. I have always thought they looked awesome in these cars. Tried to keep as much of the " upsweep" on the dash corners as possible. Sexy.
This car came with an interesting Chrysler dash cluster and homemade dash when I got it But I'm a bit of a weirdo with wanting the gauges in front of me.
Using what I have in my garage but do need an appropriate speedo other than this GPS unit. This cluster housing was called the "Aristocrat" and was an aftermarket item, sold around 1931 for easy gauge add-ons on the A's. I changed it up a bit for my AV8 build and will keep searching the swap meets to improve along the way. Tach looked great mounted on top of the dash with this cluster.
Thanks, they are still being made and sold today, although kind of pricey for what they are. There are some early versions made from a heavy gauge steel, I'm hoping to find one eventually. I used a piece of pearloid (guitar pick guard material) as an inlay/backing, which allowed me to reconfigure the mounting holes slightly as needed. The blower motor and wiper switches will be located on each side of the fuel guage. http://www.vintageford.com/sect_search.cfm?Line=Model A&Category=Dash
Here's mine, its a work in progress and far from done. The brass is leaded to the dash, the dash will be painted black to match the car, brass will remain unpainted. I made the waterfall last week and still figuring out if it is right or not, it isn't leaded in as yet and held in place with those 2 bolts thru the switch holes. The three raised features are for switches, lights on the left; ignition/start on the far right & push-pull turn signals in the middle - it has a steering shaft, no column to mount turn signal switch and I'm having a time of it figuring out how it should go.
Dashes are great, but be mindful of those instruments!!! There ain't nothin' more wholesome than a graceful dash stocked with period gauges. Boss man said it best on the first page; Nothing makes or breaks a period-style hot rod more than those whirly-gigging gauges. I feel that...my collection sucks compared with many of yours, but I get it...and my hat's off to those of you that do too!
OJ, I like what you're doing. '26 -'27 T dash panels need a lot of help to make them look right! I'm doing a '26 rpu and did a mirror image upsweep on the right hand lower edge. Using a 3 3/4" dia. Smiths gauge cluster with its matching speedo. Not completed yet. A 2 B, I contemplated GPS but talked to the folks at Dakota Digital and will spin the speedo with one of their ECD-100 cable drive adaptors triggered from the transmission.
Got my dash finished out and sealed. Will lose the triple gauge set filled with the summit super sal sunpro gauges when I get the 36 gauges working. Hoping to have this one roundup ready. It's close. But taxes are due and the baby needs shoes and I'm busted. Cotton is down.............
I want for simple cheep back in 1959 when building my "A",I had to replace my broken SW with some crap,but they do work 4 now,tell I can find SW's with chrome rings again,but my son did more a few years ago in his "T"
My dash in 32 pick up now in england built by cornhusker R & C, 32krylon on here , 31 cadillac insert with herb martinez striping done in uk
Finally getting closer to finished. Dash is still waiting for some pin stripping and a cover for the top of the steering wheel. Dash is a 34 Chevy Master with a filler across the top to meet the windshield with louver for defrost venting. Gauge insert is custom made aluminum. Trim strips in center are custom stainless. Indicator lights vintage Lucas prism lights. Gauges are all early 60's SW. Tach is a NOS 765 SW. Canuck
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