Hot Rods '32 dash ID.

Just got this dash for my new doodlrod project and not sure what it's for, I'm thinking comm. cowl but thought I'd better find out before I make any mods. to it.

 

Roadster pickup, probably also on the commercial open cowl used for custom bodies.
It has swoopier up-and-down with an extra curl at the ends in order to allow commercial customers to bring their kneecaps along.
Rare, but more common than the rest of the RPU. From letters I get I think several people on here are looking for that...

 

Thanks Bruce, can always count on you. I was afraid it may be for that and wanted to ask before I made any modifications which I'd probably have to do for my project.

 

Be sure to find out what it is worth before you start cutting. It might be better to sell it, buy another more common dash, and pocket the difference.

Charlie Stephens

 

If you're going to cut it up, and are apprehensive, I might suggest buying one of those '32-style dashes from Brookville that fit in Model A's. Pretty much the same profile and they are a lot cheaper. You might be able to buy two for the money you could get selling that RPU dash to someone who needs it.

I've got two '32 RPU cowls, but both have dashes. My little brother has a couple '34 RPU dashes, but he might be looking for a '32 for his RPU project.

 

I wouldn't cut now that I know for sure what it is.

 

Now it's step one on an almost impossible quest!

 

I'm building another hot rod/doodlebug and have purchased a cowl (not rpu) when I get the cowl I'll see if I can adapt the dash and if not I'll sell it to someone who needs one to finish his quest.

 

Depends on what it'd cost. I've already "hacked up" one of the '34s for hot rod gauges.

 

My first problem is my gauges aren't going to fit using their present panel, not without some modifications. I could just modify a '32 tunnel and mount the gauges in it but I kind of like this panel.

 

I kinda like that panel too. I have one exactly like it, except that mine has another smaller gauge where your label is. That pinstripe insert is rather rare for these oval panels.

Maybe making a deep dash from scratch is the answer for you. My project with the oval panel required mating the bottom of one dash to the top of another. It added the needed depth. My project is a narrowed '27 T, and I used a '28 Chevy dash top and a '20's Dodge dash bottom. Both dashes were $5 items from the swap meets.

 

I was thinking of maybe chopping up a Brookville roadster dash that doesn't have the oval in it, but I like to use as much original stuff as I can.

 

That is a cool gauge cluster!

 

Thanks, I had one like it in my last modified and had a '32 roadster dash that had already been butchered so I cut along the bottom reveal and dropped the reveal enough to get the gauge panel in then added a piece to fill the gap.