Top of dash paint question?

[old Chevy guy]

When I gutted the cab that I rebuilt I noticed the top of the dash was flat black. I didn't really think that much of it thinking somebody spray bombed it or something But now as I'm robbing parts off my parts trucks to put this cab back together I notice that none of them seem to be color matched on top of the dash. Is that on purpose to limit glare from a glossy surface off the glass or what? getting ready to put in the glass and the dash pad so if I need to paint that area now's the time. Any info and paint color recommendations is appreciated , thanks.

[CUSTOM/10]

I have seen them both flat black & the cab color but YES a matte finish to reduce glare ! My dash was light olive poly matte finish from the factory and I had the body shop duplicate it when my truck was painted.

Gary

[slomotion]

The flat, or matte color is a good thing to do. With the dash pad you won't see the the top of the dash from the driver's position, but you will see it as a reflection in the windshield. If you paint it with gloss I think the reflection may be a distraction.

[CUSTOM/10]

Pictures before & after

[davepl]

Here's some trivia for you: it is NOT, from the factory, just the body color flattened. In the 2169 Dk Blue trucks (1970 at least) the blue is the same as some of my other blue cars (like a light blue Camaro). I -think- it's called GM Blue "Blue 13" flattened, but that's only from having looked at a faded one.

Now if you look at the PPG "interior colors" sheet it does just say body color flattened. This is the type of thing the NCRS guys care about, but I'm not -that- picky about. I still used the right blue, but had to point it out and get it redone before the glass went in. That interior sheet is 'incorrect' in a number of ways. For example the injection-molded console is not really body color, but the repaint code is just body color.

I can't verify this for all of the dash colors, just the blue. For all I know it was just cost savings since they already had that blue for other vehicles rather than one additional color in the plant. And it could be only some of the plants too. I know Oshawa and wherever my truck (F?) was built seem to have done it this way.

[michael bustamante]

my 67 orange truck had red interior and the top of dash was painted a matte red to match the dash pad and the vents. I guess theres no orange interior

[old Chevy guy]

My truck is white so I think the glare is a very real problem even if it was flat. My work truck often has papers on the dash and it is a big distraction with the reflection.'unless somebody has better advice I think I may go with a matte black.
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[SS Tim]

Generally they were painted a close match the color of the dash pad/interior in a zero gloss, flat paint. What trim color are you going with on your truck? What trim level is it?

There is another thread on why to use real paint and not just spray bomb this area.

[FirstOwner69]

My 69 is maroon with a black interior and dash pad. The dash paint is flat or matte black between the pad and windshield. Of course, the rest of the interior paint is maroon.

Jim

[RenoKeene]

Body color, wet sand to knock the gloss off. Easy as pie.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

I have seen them both flat black & the cab color but YES a matte finish to reduce glare ! My dash was light olive poly matte finish from the factory and I had the body shop duplicate it when my truck was painted.

Gary

In your before picture it appears that the foward dash is a faded dark olive color similar to what your roof was and would be the expected dash color with an olive interior. Do you have a picture of the original dash paint where it was covered by the pad?

[DeadheadNM]

Example of the OEM black dash as found in my K20

[Custom/Ten]

I always assumed that my dash was just sun faded. Thanks for the info guys!

[CUSTOM/10]

SS Tim,

No those are my only pictures, and the roof color was a repaint at sometime.
To me the dash appeared to be the light olive poly, but just dirty. When I got the truck there was no interior, it had been completely gutted out, I'm putting a black interior in.

Gary

Originally Posted by SS Tim

In your before picture it appears that the foward dash is a faded dark olive color similar to what your roof was and would be the expected dash color with an olive interior. Do you have a picture of the original dash paint where it was covered by the pad?

[dfwright]

My dash was painted to match the sandalwood dash pad. The truck's been in our family since it was new, and I'm pretty much certain that it came that way from the factory

[old Chevy guy]

The truck was a custom deluxe so it had the vinyl covered door panels with the scroll work. The dash pad and the column was light brown what I think might be called saddle. The "new" cab had a black dash pad and Column and the top off the dash appeared to be flat black. When I got it ,it was a freebee on Craig's list and there were no seats or doors so that's all I know about the inside. The outside was that medium kind off red. Im going to put a black dash pad in and I have a Black pair of Buddy Buckets from a 67 Im going to use. My steering wheel was already black so I'm just going to paint the Column to match. My old door panels are all beat up and have speaker holes cut in them. I have a good pair of metal ones I was thinking of painting black. I also have a set of good black seat belts. The whole thing is kind of a Hodge podge , The base truck was a 71 but the new cab is a 72. It had the 70 grill in it for a long time because that's what I had a good one of and liked it better too. It was going to be just a reworked work truck but the whole thing just got out of hand, its still going to be a work truck after its all done just nicer then I had planned and it wont be all accurate as far as year and options.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by michael bustamante

my 67 orange truck had red interior and the top of dash was painted a matte red to match the dash pad and the vents. I guess theres no orange interior

My 68 C20 is referred to as bright red in the GM documents but it is every bit of Hugger orange inside & out. I guess they didn't have a better name for it in 67 & 68. They had another lighter orange that is more of a pastel color that they called orange so it wasn't that simple I guess.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

SS Tim,

No those are my only pictures, and the roof color was a repaint at sometime.
To me the dash appeared to be the light olive poly, but just dirty. When I got the truck there was no interior, it had been completely gutted out, I'm putting a black interior in.

Gary

Thanks for the reply. Was going on the fact the cab looked to be a factory 556 med olive with a dark olive roof. In any event as before generally the forward dash is a flat dark color that matches the dash pad in most cases.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

My 68 C20 is referred to as bright red in the GM documents but it is every bit of Hugger orange inside & out. I guess they didn't have a better name for it in 67 & 68. They had another lighter orange that is more of a pastel color that they called orange so it wasn't that simple I guess.

No the colors can be problematic.
The 514 Light Red often fades and photographs to an orange hue.
There have been many a truck I've found that I "wanted to be 524 Hugger Orange/Red Orange only to have the SPID confirm it was a 514.
516 Orange being a true orange is always clear.

[GASoline71]

My 1972 GMC has flat black paint between the dash pad and the windshield. It's rubbed off in areas and the original green paint shows through. I assumed it was one of the PO's that did it since it looks to be a cruddy job.

Gary

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by old Chevy guy

...The "new" cab had a black dash pad and Column and the top off the dash appeared to be flat black... Im going to put a black dash pad in and I have a Black pair of Buddy Buckets from a 67 Im going to use. My steering wheel was already black so I'm just going to paint the Column to match... I have a good pair of metal ones I was thinking of painting black. I also have a set of good black seat belts...its still going to be a work truck after its all done just nicer then I had planned and it wont be all accurate as far as year and options.

Overall it sounds like a good combination of parts and in a very factory scheme. Flat black forward dash, gloss black column and door panels will give you a good looking white truck.

Here is a fairly good picture of a 71 Custom white/black metal door panel truck if it helps any.

[old Chevy guy]

Looks good, about what I had envisioned. Only problem is now I want a spot light and flashing red light. I'm guessing that truck must be an old rescue or some type of fire apparatus ?

[Chuckin]

Just cover the dash with shag carpet to reduce glare.
And hang disco ball from your mirror to go with it.

[SS Tim]

VFD brush truck.