Dash Pad painting process

[Keith B.]

When was the dash, dash pads and instruments put into the car on a mid year during assembly? Then when were the tabs of the dash painted? I am wondering because I have not seen an original car with mismatched paint in the door jams. You would think that there could be variances in the paint from batch to batch especially if they painted the tabs in another part of the plant. How much of the interior was taped off? Were the tabs painted certain colors before the installation? Would a worker have to find a blue dash, then a red, then black etc... as the different cars came down the line? Are there any pictures of this process anywhere?

[Mike M.]

Re: Dash Pad painting process

Great question Keith, I often wondered this too!!!Are there any differnces from 63-67, is the process the same year to year?????

[John H.]

Re: Dash Pad painting process

When was the dash, dash pads and instruments put into the car on a mid year during assembly? Then when were the tabs of the dash painted? I am wondering because I have not seen an original car with mismatched paint in the door jams. You would think that there could be variances in the paint from batch to batch especially if they painted the tabs in another part of the plant. How much of the interior was taped off? Were the tabs painted certain colors before the installation? Would a worker have to find a blue dash, then a red, then black etc... as the different cars came down the line? Are there any pictures of this process anywhere?

Keith -

The main fiberglass instrument panels were painted separately from the car, and banked by interior color at the instrument panel subassembly operation on the Hard Trim Line. The main panel had the speaker grille/defroster outlet and speaker installed, the color-matched eyebrow pads attached, and the clock bracket riveted, and that subassembly was installed in the car with screws, pop-rivets, and a glob of bond. The instrument cluster and dash harness were installed as a unit further down the line, followed by the radio.

If the exterior color was the same as the interior color, the instrument panel end tab didn't stand out visually with the door open, and didn't get painted - the five pop-rivets on each end showed their black oxide finish. See blue photo below.

If the exterior color contrasted with the interior color, the instrument panel end tab was an obvious visual mismatch with the door open, and it was masked off and painted exterior color in Final Paint Repair, after the car came off the Final Line - its five pop-rivets were also painted exterior color. Maroon photo below shows a typical end tab paint job - some were more accurately-masked than others.


EndTab67.JPGDashRivets.JPG

[Bill W.]

Re: Dash Pad painting process

John . My Maroon with black int. had very poor masking with maroon paint on the trim moldings .