'67 dash knobs

[Alexander D.]

Were all the dash knobs for '67 made of pot metal?

The chromed outer part of my headlight knob recently started to 'peel'. Looking at the knob more closely, I discovered it to be made of plastic. Looking at the other knobs on the console these all appear to be metal, not plastic. Perhaps my headlight knob is a replacement?

So, was the original headlight knob made of plastic? Which knobs were originally metal?

[Leif A.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

The instrument control knobs (lights, wipers and cigar lighter) are chromed plastic. The waterfall knobs (radio, heater, fan, A/C (if applicable) are chrome plated metal.

[Alexander D.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

The instrument control knobs (lights, wipers and cigar lighter) are chromed plastic. The waterfall knobs (radio, heater, fan, A/C (if applicable) are chrome plated metal.

Thanks Leif.

Why would they make only the waterfall knobs from metal? Was this the case in earlier years too?

I once owned a '65 and I believe all the instrument cluster knobs were metal, not chromed plastic.

Perhaps the creeping 'plastic-ization' of car interiors was in its early stages by 1967. I think the move to predominantly plastic dash panel pieces happened in earnest with Corvette with the new C3 for '68.

I also once owned a '68 Cadillac Eldorado. It had all metal dash knobs and the bezel was also metal, etc. all carried over from the '67 model. But, for '69 Cadillac moved to using mostly plastic in the dashboard (and many other places). These plasticky interiors did not age nearly as well as the interior fittings of earlier cars that used metal pieces.

[Alexander D.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

The instrument control knobs (lights, wipers and cigar lighter) are chromed plastic. The waterfall knobs (radio, heater, fan, A/C (if applicable) are chrome plated metal.

Hi Leif,

The replacement headlight knob and rod came in yesterday from LICS. Their knob is made of metal. The old knob on my car was chrome plated plastic. I'm glad the knob of the LICS piece is metal, as it feels more substantial and will likely outlast any plastic piece.

Out of curiosity, I checked the windshield wiper/washer knob, and the lighter knob on my dash. Both are metal, not plastic. The knobs on the center waterfall console are also all made of metal.

I suspect that some vendors have been selling chromed plastic reproductions for some or all of the dash knobs.

All this to say, in the absence of more info, that all the dash knobs were METAL from the factory.

Thought you'd like to know, in case you have some plastic knobs on your dash...

[Brian T.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

Original wiper, headlight, and lighter knobs in 1967 were plastic. Reproductions are metal. All original radio, heater, and air conditioning knobs in 67 were diecast with painted black centers.

[Leif A.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

Alexander,
I should have made my original comment in post #2 a bit more clear.
"The original instrument control knobs (lights, wipers and cigar lighter) are chromed plastic. The waterfall knobs (radio, heater, fan, A/C (if applicable) are chrome plated metal."
As Brian stated, reproduction knobs for the instrument cluster are metal.

[Alexander D.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

Original wiper, headlight, and lighter knobs in 1967 were plastic. Reproductions are metal. All original radio, heater, and air conditioning knobs in 67 were diecast with painted black centers.

Thanks Brian, and Leif - thanks to you I learned something new today!

Out of curiosity, were the original dashboard knobs on earlier C2's also made from chrome plated plastic?

Or, was this something that was introduced with the '67 model year?

[Joe R.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

All dash knobs from 63-66 were metal. As stated only the lights, wiper and lighter were plastic in 67.

JR

[Alexander D.]

Re: '67 dash knobs

Thanks Joe,

I can only assume GM decided to go with plastic for those knobs as it would be cheaper?

Why would they only do the 3 dash knobs in plastic, and not also the knobs for the heater, A/C, and radio as well?

Recalling the C3 was meant for release in '67, and the added safety features mandated by law for the '67 model year, what would explain why they went with less expensive (I assume) dash knobs for the '67 model?