Dash

 

This post covers the dash and under-dash assemblies.  Tremendous amount of work to restore the individual components and then assemblies before mounting them in the dash.

Here is a close up of the heating and ventilation control.  All original including all cables chrome and attaching parts - these were meticulously cleaned, re-lubricated as necessary and reinstalled.  Note the different colors on the cable cover end crimped metal loop retainers, red green, and blue.  These match the colors on the opposite end of each cable.

The chrome heater control bezel looks great after cleaning. Chrome is original.

 
 Under the dash with a great view of the heating and ventilation control cables to the heater assembly.  Also note the other restored original speedometer cable, original steering column seal, and the original restored firewall insulation pad.  This reverse dimple design is unique to this period of production.  The cardboard plenum is such a cool detail.  These are very difficult to find in this condition, and many restorers give up and end up replacing these with a plastic reproduction.  Not here, all original under the dash like the day the car left the factory.

I featured the restored radio a few posts ago - now installed long with the heating and ventilation controls, the beautiful original chrome on these assemblies look awesome in contrast with the correct black satin dash.

 

These defroster tubes are unique to the early cars from the Dearborn assembly plant.  They have a round cross section with the cardboard outlets stapled on.  These are usually torn or crushed with the black fabric tape missing or ripped.  These were in great shape and just required a careful cleaning. Often overlooked detail on restored cars of this production period.

This is the original date stamped dash pad.  Note that the grain is not the sierra pattern on the vinyl seats.  I was able to clean this original dash pad and reinstall it.  Very cool and rare original detail.  The speaker grill was in such good shape, I just cleaned it and reinstalled it with it's original paint intact.

Lastly, before installing the restored original glove box door I re-plated the original hardware and painted the glove box hinge.  The reproduction hardware isn't the same as what was used during this production period.  Turned out great!

Heater Plenum

 

Original restored heater assembly with original dated core was re-cored with a NOS heater core and reassembled with restored original date stamped core housing and cardboard plenum. Ready for installation.

Date stamp on the core housing is Y4FB.  Y is the code for the assembly plant, 4FB is 2nd week of June 1964. All clips rivets, retainers and brackets are correct finished/plated original.

Date on the cardboard plenum is tough to make out (because when originally stamped the stamping device was at an angle over-impressing the top of the stamp) but on close examination it appears to be Y4FC.  Same plant as the housing,Ypsilanti.  

Recreated the original black masking tape with dog eared corners on the heater motor joint as original.

Instrument Cluster

 Been nearly a year and a half since I updated the blog.  Much has been done so the next few posts will get us caught up.

 Restored original instrument cluster.  The gauges themselves were cleaned and the needles were touched up with correct color.  The original plastic bezel was re-chromed and the black camera case repainted in the correct low sheen black.  Lens was cleaned and polished and the original re-chromed Fuel and Temp centers attached.  The original red Gen and Oil lenses along with the red hi beam and green turn signal lenses were used.  This looks just like it did when the car left the assembly line in late June 1964.  Note date stamp of June 16, 1964 on back of the cluster.