I'm in the slow process of gutting my 1940 Chevrolet coupe to do a total frame off rebuild. This is my very first build and I'll be honest, sometimes I get overwhelmed. Anyway, I have been thinking of different things I would like to do to it. For the past several weeks I have been thinking about a dash mod that would incorporate the 1955 instrument bezel and I believe it was a speaker on the passenger side. I think modding the two humps into the dash would look good inside the car because of the curves of the fenders. I had searched on the internet looking for a 55 or 56 Chevy reproduction dash or even an old one someone removed from their car. My original plan was to cut it down to fit my coupe. But, no such luck finding one. My next option was to buy a new or used bezel and mod it to my original dash. But after looking closely at different pictures of a 55 bezel, I think my whole idea may not be possible. My question concerns the bottom of the bezel that connects to the steering column. I don't know what this is officially called, so, due to my ignorance, I'll call it a steering column bracket. I'm****uming that the inside of this bracket was manufactured at a certain angle to match the angle of the steering column of the 55-56 Chevy. I'm also****uming that without re machining the inside of this bracket, the angle of the steering column can not be changed. Would I still be able to mod my dash using the 55-56 bezel and without re machining the bracket, have the steering column at the same angle as it was on a 55-56 Chevy? Some additional information that may help. The entire body is stock. The frame has had three different front suspensions. It has also had a V-8 in it since 1976 and no additional cross members were ever installed. I have decide that this Winter I will be ordering a new rolling chassis specifically made foe my coupe, from Fatman Fabrications. Thanks in advance for any info, advice, tips, and thoughts. Bill
You might look at the 55-59 chevy truck gauge cluster, they have a similar design, but they also have an ammeter and oil pressure gauge, and don't have anything to do with the steering column.
Squirrel, have actually considered this as an option. Not round on top like the 55-56. Plus, passenger side doesn't have one like it as does the 55-56. But I'm sure I could fabricate something similar for passenger side. Also considering the 59 Impala style dash. But first I need to find out if the 55-56 bezel will work. If not, then one of the other two.
I know a guy that put a 55 Chevy dash in his 40 Chevy coupe. If I see him anytime soon, I'll ask him what it takes to get the 55 dash in. Dustin
The dash cluster doesn't really follow the column itself. There is a gap between the column, and the chrome cluster parts. The lower cover is mounted to a tab on the column clamp. These pics might help. also, the part that fits just above the column looks like a separate piece...it is, it snaps in place. You could use the dash with a steeper column angle, if you made your own plate to cover the oblong hole that the column goes thru.
Squirrel, Great Pics!!!! Thank you for uploading them. Actually seeing the underside and especially the pic without the lower trim piece attached, I now fully understand how it all goes together. Now to find someone's old useable dash. It, if all else fails, purchase the instrument bezel and matching passenger side piece and fabricate it into my dash. Good thing my buddy has the metal working tools that I need to do this. One additional question, what is the bezel made of? Thanks again Squirrel!!!
Bill, you didn't ask for my opinion on this but I'm giving it anyway. See if you can find a wrecked out old fordor close by and get the whole dash. You should be able to use a battery powered sawzall to get it out. Now you have all you need to see if this modification can be done correctly. You would have to splice the 55 for sure but the glove box is a good place to do that. The 55-6 dash is one of the nicest looking ever made again in my opinion.
I got my dash for my truck from one of the guys on www.trifive.com. Register and put in a free want ad. I had 4 responses, and bezels are all over the place on ebay and swap meets. Modify to fit. If you can cut and weld a dash, you should be able to fab something for covers.
Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated. Since I wasn't having any luck at all locating a 55-56 dash, I decided to purchase an old instrument bezel on eBay. It should be here no later than Monday. Going to use it as a template to fab a 55-56 style dash. I****ume that the instrument bezel and speaker bezel are the same size because I would like to use the same instrument bezel to fab the speaker side of dash. 325W, your suggestion is actually what I originally wanted to do, but unable to locate one anywhere. rc57, that looks sweet. Would like to see a pic of it finished.
From the pictures it would appear you could use the instrument cluster itself with the speaker bezel. and maybe put a tach in the clock opening. That would do away with the issue of the pot metal oblong hole on the drivers side.
Forming a dash, to fit those '55 bezels is a lot more work than you realize...and I'd bet your metal working pal will nix that idea real fast...BUY the complete dash already...it's easier...!!! R-
99% sure the angle on the sides of the speedo bezel and speaker grille are different. As suggested, much better to get a full donor dash. Cheers, Arnold.
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