Custom Mopar ????

[Old Iron]

"Now that both cars are in the garage we probably won't get anymore snow."

Ha Ha yeah right

 

[Torchie]

Snowing like crazy out there right now. [ddd
Torchie

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I told her I'm getting her fixed up for her next husband.

Just now, I heard the ping of a cast iron frying pan.

.

 

[joedoh]

And winter, slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of spring
And I, the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing

tuck it away torchie, we can wait! [cl[cl[cl

 

[DozerII]

Good timing Torchie.

 

[Torchie]

Only been a couple of weeks since I put it outside and I'm already armchair customising on the Dodge
Todays subject is dashboard choices.
1 Pic is of a 1955 mercury. I have the chance to get one of these next spring when I can get back up to my friends farm.
Pros. I like it because it's a tie in to one of my favorite former cars. My 56 Merc. (basic same dash) and the price would be right.
Cons. Going to take a fair bit of mods to make it fit.
2nd pic is a 50 Ford Shoe box dash.
Pros. I have a cut up one in my shop that has all the gauges and trim, so the price is right. It would need the least amount of modifying to fit I believe.
Cons. Kind of overused...perhaps.
3rd pic.1957 Merc Turnpike cruiser.
Pros. I really like the way it looks. Kind of rocket ship looking.
Cons. I might have to buy the whole car to get it. Most likely scrap prices.
Really going to take a lot of modifications to make it fit.
4th pic.
The stock 49 Dodge dash.
Pros. Bolt in. My local yard still has a complete one in a car.
Cons. BORING.... [ddd
Ok Gang. Lets hear your opinions.. I have other options at my friends farm as well but Bare in mind that I like to keep my custom builds to a specific time period so the 57 Merc is right at the outer limits f that time period.
Thanks for helping out....
Torchie

 

[Skip]

I like all the FoMoCo dashes. The 57 Merc is almost as radical, in its own right, as a 59/60 Chevrolet. Which is also done quite a bit. The Dodge is also nice, but you see a lot of them in Dodges. [ddd The 50 just makes me miss my 50.

 

[Neto]

This is outside your range of years, so no go, but when you say 'rocket', I think of the 1962 Chrysler Newport that was my first car. Here's a picture from the internet.

 

[Torchie]

I like all the FoMoCo dashes. The 57 Merc is almost as radical, in its own right, as a 59/60 Chevrolet. Which is also done quite a bit. The Dodge is also nice, but you see a lot of them in Dodges. [ddd The 50 just makes me miss my 50.

Yes. The 57 is a bit radical Skip. And truthfully with the mods done to the Dodge at one time it would have been called a radical custom as well.
The Thing about the stock Dodge is that now that the car has been streamlined the Dodge dash just seems to flat to me.

This is outside your range of years, so no go, but when you say 'rocket', I think of the 1962 Chrysler Newport that was my first car. Here's a picture from the internet.

I love that Dash Neto. My Grandfather had a 62 Imperial LaBaron. What a luxury liner that was. But like you say it's a bit beyond my time period. Although I love the idea of the "Push button" trans.
In truth. Dash transplants in customs is a newer fad. Most if not all old OG customs had stock dashboards that were either chromed and or embellished with colored lucite knobs and trim.
Thanks for the comments. Keep them coming.
Undecided Torchie

 

[MercuryMac]

Or you could keep the Mopar dash and paint or pad the top section and leave the face woodgrain. You would be 'unboring' it.

 

[Bamamav]

I vote for the 55 Mercury. You know it’s what you really want, even if it’s a bit more money and work.

 

[Torchie]

Here are a couple of better pics of the stock Dodge dash board.
Not sure about padding the top, Mac. You usually need a dividing strip of chrome to give it a finished edge.
tu-tone is possible though.
I guess boring isn't the right word. May be dull??? [ddd
Keep the comments coming.
Torchie

 

[Torchie]

I vote for the 55 Mercury. You know it’s what you really want, even if it’s a bit more money and work.

I do have a soft spot in my heart for it , Bama. It would be free minus the effort to get it.
It's about a days worth of time and travel.
The stock one could be nice with a tuck and roll panel covering the inset for the gauge area and the glove box. Add some custom made knobs and "Bob's your uncle".
Torchie

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

'53 Desoto

'53 Olds

.

 

[Torchie]

Don't get me started DR.
The ones I listed are ones that I have easy access to.
Olds Made some of the dashboards.
Just for Giggles.....
Here is a 49 DeSoto dashboard. This would be a direct bolt in.
Torchie

 

[Burgerman]

Agree with Bama. I think you're gonna install the Merc dash Torchie. Cool reminder of fun times in the past.

 

[BillM]

I'm inclined to agree with MM, if you did a two tone paint job on the stock dash I think you could "unboring" it. I like the square gauges.

 

[Neto]

I know this one is also not on your list, but when I was a kid in HS, there was a 49 Nash in a salvage in Collinsville, Oklahoma. I wanted that car..... (Wouldn't grab just everyone, but it DOES have a sort of space ship feel to it to me.)

 

[MercuryMac]

I'm not agreeing with BillM, just to be agreeable, but I also like the square gauge clusters on the stock dash.

 

[23crate]

always liked the early 50's plymouth dash