Ugly Dash Panel

I just tore into my dash panel on my '68. I thought sure it was aluminum and all I had to do was buff off the old paint and repaint. Boy am I surprised to see it is made out of paper. It looks like it may have been fake wood paneling at one time.

So now it looks like I have to draw it in autocad and have a panel shop cut out an identical sized piece of 1/8" thick aluminum with properly sized and placed instrument holes. I think I can have the CC logo engraved along with the names of the switches.

This will be a lot of work and I hope someone knows a good source for dash panels that are close to original. Anyone?

(And I gave up going to the river today to make quick work out fo repainting my dash!)

I shouldn't be too hard to make up a panel, it looks like what you have would make a good template. Wood might work out better because aluminum turns to white powder when it gets wet and starts to corrode, unless you alodine it followed with paint. Teak would look pretty trick with some new fuse holders (or circuit breakers) and stainless steel screws. Harbour Freight sells cheapie hole saws for your electric drill that work good-won't work for your tach though.

You might be able to really spruce up a piece of wood with a router! You should put in a digital depth finder in that 4th hole if you have some cash to burn! That a great upgrade for any boat.

How about Carbon Fiber. That would be SWEET!!

laying up some carbon fiber to form you a sheet and then cut, finish and install. Could end up looking pretty trick. Just a thought.

A trophy store could do the brass plates and should have many styles of plates. They may even have some kind of plastic plate that has some sort of laimenent.
might be an easy way to solve this.


You could check with your local wood workers store I'm sure somebody does this type of engraving.
                         Clear lake,indiana

if you have a Boat/US nearby they have a section of plastic engaved placards, they may be able to make you brass. I know they cut custom decals for boats all the time, might be worth giving them a call to inquire. I think West Marine does the same.

I wish there was a gas gauge. There is a mechanical gauge that can be viewed through a window in the back. I have to shine a flashlight through the window to see my gauge.

By-the-way, to get the boat back in the water this week-end I sprayed the panel with flat black. It's amazing what a little paint will do - it looks better and even OK from a long distance away. This will give me more time to build a new panel. It's just time to head to the river, know what I mean?

Thanks for the idea Tom. I have been living with the painted dash all year. It does not look embarrasingly bad. After I get the '66 restored and in the water I will resume restoration of the '68 including the dash replacement.

Where do you get wood lasered? I would like to know. It sounds like lasered teak would look sharp.

I'm actually going to redo my dash in Carbon Fiber when I finish with the rest of my boat. I think it will look sweet!