1969 Dash Carrier Restoration Source

[abiddle]

Very nice Hans. This makes me want to rip mine out and send it there for restoration! 

[Sauron327]

Years ago my friend sent his bezel out for his L-78. After plating, it was my job to mask and blackout. It is not really difficult if one has tenacity and an ability for detail work. Give it a shot. Built, not bought.

[z28z11]

I noticed on the IS site that they have a limited supply of PPG Duracryl Suede dash paint, black and mixed colors. First I've seen of that in a while -

Great job on the restored panel, too -

[HawkX66]

Well, all I can say is the support bracket was there on the bezel when I disassembled the dash and had the correct code "NN".  It's an original console/gauge car and this bezel is original to the car. And being a Z, no AC.   My car is very similar to Tim's.   04B, Van Nuys, 69-69.     

Here's a pic of the bracket before restoration:

The brace is original, but you might be missing a wiring "hook" attached to the brace behind the tach. Absolutely beautiful work. I'd love to have them do mine at some point. Would you mind giving me an idea what I'll be looking at price wise? You can PM if you don't want to post it publicly. Here's my original:

[z28z11]

Nice butchering in the radio faceplate area. Common to have that to repair on almost every one I've ever seen, to some degree. I'm fortunate to only have one to repair out of three (X77) - and I'm considering having these guys take a shot at it.

Repros are pretty good, but you can usually tell them from originals -

Regards,
Steve

[HawkX66]

Nice butchering in the radio faceplate area. Common to have that to repair on almost every one I've ever seen, to some degree. I'm fortunate to only have one to repair out of three (X77) - and I'm considering having these guys take a shot at it.

Repros are pretty good, but you can usually tell them from originals -

Regards,
Steve

Yep, someone hacked in a radio back in the 70s. Shame, but it's what I have to work with... The rest of it is in good shape. I'm tossing around the idea of just going with it and cutting it out cleanly and putting in a single din modern head unit. Also thought about grafting a repro radio area on to mine. It wouldn't be hard to do if I had the piece. We'll see...

[z28z11]

Keep your eyes peeled on eBay - I bought a broken carrier that had a perfectly intact radio area on it for $20 bucks, even got a good used fuel gauge with it, plus the clock face plate. I figured it was a good donor, something that a company like IS may be able to piece mine back together with. Be patient -

Regards,
Steve

[HawkX66]

Keep your eyes peeled on eBay - I bought a broken carrier that had a perfectly intact radio area on it for $20 bucks, even got a good used fuel gauge with it, plus the clock face plate. I figured it was a good donor, something that a company like IS may be able to piece mine back together with. Be patient -

Regards,
Steve

Great idea. I haven't gotten to the point of putting too much thought into the carrier yet. Now I'll start keeping my eyes out for one so I'll be ready. Thanks.

[KurtS]

The brace should be on any 69 dash with a center gauge (clock or fuel). It's needed for stiffness.

[z28z11]

Pic of what I bought. A little banged up around the edges, but the radio area is reasonable. If I could only figure out how to graft it -

Regards,
Steve

[ko-lek-tor]

The brace should be on any 69 dash with a center gauge (clock or fuel). It's needed for stiffness.

This brace thing is a puzzler ,at least to me. I found it in the AIM pg. M35 A10. Yea, that is the first place I look for instrument cluster parts is in auto trans section (sarcasm)!?

 My BB car has a clock, no tach. It did not have a brace, at least when I took the car apart. I bought a cluster eons ago because the radio hole was uncut to replace the butched OE one in the car. It was a non-clock, non-gauge,  AC piece with a brace. Recent parts car has a decent cluster, again, non-clock-gauge car. No brace there either which aligns with Kurt's assessment.
To summarize: 1)OE-w/clock-no brace,2)no-clock, w/AC-had brace,3) no clock-no brace. If I get a chance I will check out the other 2 cars...it may be awhile before I check, this old man does not stand on his head looking up at dashes too well anymore.
On a side, I was sweating bullets cutting out the clock hole and rear defrost hole on replacement dash I am using. It turned out real well. I even transferred the old dash sticker onto the new unit and replicated the insp. crayon mark.

[69pace]

I'm still amazed on how great the radio location damage was repaired. You know how many dash carriers have hit the dumpsters that could have been saved.

[basecoupe#79]

Did you ever find a restorer that you were satisfied with Lloyd?

I saw this company talked about on SC site:

http://www.vacuumorna-metal.com/content/restoration

[Edgemontvillage]

Did you ever find a restorer that you were satisfied with Lloyd?

I saw this company talked about on SC site:

http://www.vacuumorna-metal.com/content/restoration

I am increasingly impressed with the carrier restoration work by instrument Specialties (IS). I have discussed my specific needs with them and they have been helpful and responsive. There are other companies who are capable of doing expert carrier restoration work and those who do plastic chroming, however no others I have seen who perform the quality work IS did for Hans.

[69only]

  There is a guy on ebay (dberrytfa) 252072649966  would is selling restored dashes.
I need one for my restoration and talked to him on the phone, seemed knowledgeable and his work
looked good in the pictures. I am running a tach with center fuel gauge, he said he would set one up with the correct cut-outs.
I will be talking to him again this week, and probably using one of his units. I will post pix immediately.