Dash cluster original color and apperance

[Paul_G]

Can anyone remember the original apperance of the dash cluster and dash vent panel. The colors may not be the same for all years, 71 to 74. I remember them having the black streaks along with the brown color giving it a wood looking apperance. Is that correct? This one I am working on has the black streaks, and I like it. I already repainted the flat black Gauge surround area. Hand painting the chrome look is next, unless I decide to redo the brown wood look.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I have seen diff shades/grades (due the year? Being diff lots?) of the blacked streakes, but all have them.

 

[Paul_G]

Perfect, thanks Nacho. I did not want to paint it a solid color.

 

[Charles Cook]

Use these on the chrome areas.
Hobby Lobby

 

[Paul_G]

Do those have a hard porous tip? I have one, another brand with a hard porous tip. It was not so easy to use and the paint rubs off on your hands forever unless you clear coat it. I sprayed out some light silver paint in to a cup and brushed it on.

 

[Charles Cook]

Do those have a hard porous tip? I have one, another brand with a hard porous tip. It was not so easy to use and the paint rubs off on your hands forever unless you clear coat it. I sprayed out some light silver paint in to a cup and brushed it on.

These pens are awesome for the real chrome look. I didn’t have any trouble at all. 24 hours between coats.

 

[Paul_G]

I will try those next time. Thanks.

 

[Charles Cook]

I use a cap of some sort to keep tapping the tip to keep it wet. Works great.
You have to keep pressing the tip back and forth into the pen itself.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Perfect, thanks Nacho. I did not want to paint it a solid color.

Sure not!

Another reason why we could find diff shades of streakes on diff clusters could be they can be wiped out somehow along the years when being cleaned by owners? Just thinking out loud.

But definitely all NOS bezels you can still find around have them.

 

[Paul_G]

This cluster I am using had a lot of the black streaks. More then I have seen before. The hole that was cut for a single din radio some time in the past was jagged and cracked. I had to fill in some gaps and repair the crack. I used a plastic weld 2 part epoxy product. That came out great, but I needed to cover the epoxy color. I found a bottle of Walnut Gell stain in my wifes craft cabinet. It was an amazingly close match to the brown color of the cluster. I used that around the hole, then brushed it in on some of the black streaks. It all came out surprisingly nice. I did a light brush over on the entire AC vent panel with that stain too. It brightened it up a lot and gave it a mild sheen.

 

[Charles Cook]

Let me know if you don’t get it like you want it.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I’ve had good results with those Molotow liquid chrome pens as well.