[1966geeto]

Originally Posted by GT182

Post another if you can taken on a brighter day. From the rainy day photo is looks very very close to my original insert.

Still raining blah getting a little cooler .I used a satin spray poly then steel wool to knock down the shine then minwax to bring the luster back. close as I can come. Dash is finally coming together started installing all the a/c ductwork and the now laughable glovebox maybe 1 inch deep no room with an evap case in the way oh well I have a console so who needs a glove box I had purchased one of the ss radio hide kits but that's no going to work now will have to come up with a different plan.

[leeklm]

Hey guys,

I am in the process of installing the new dash harness... what side of the vertical dash support braces is the harness supposed to be on? Front or back?

Looks like it will be much easier to plug in the lights & gauges with the harness on the front side, but will there be enough room once the bezel is put back in place?

thanks.

[1966geeto]

Originally Posted by leeklm

Hey guys,

I am in the process of installing the new dash harness... what side of the vertical dash support braces is the harness supposed to be on? Front or back?

Looks like it will be much easier to plug in the lights & gauges with the harness on the front side, but will there be enough room once the bezel is put back in place?

thanks.

Mine is on the front side.The top of the harness should have a plastic pin clip that secures it to the back of the cluster above the speedo housing.

[leeklm]

Quick update... Here is how the dash turned out using one coat of "special walnut" finish and the spray-on poly, steel wooled, then a coat of wax. I liked how the bezel looks with SEM landau black, but the killer chrome did not turn out as shiny as I would have liked. I am sure with a little more practice, the chrome could have turned out better. I used the aftermarket chrome rings around the gauges, etc.

[arbys]

That looks real good and I like the trim rings. I don't think that there is ever a way where the spray will ever look like or wear like the factory type chrome (vacuum plating).

[geeteeohguy]

leeklm, that looks better than most dashes, IMO. Well done!!

[Old Blue 66]

That looks fantastic!

[leeklm]

Thanks for the comments, I am happy with the end result. I had the tach and temp gauge repaired as well. It will be nice to eliminate the aftermarket gauges from hanging under the dash.

[arbys]

How did the aluminum backed walnut work out and where did you purchase it? I've got to get some soon. Also do have some close-up shot of your dash showing the killer chrome?

[leeklm]

bought the aluminum backed walnut at ames. very minor sanding around one pod to get it fitted perfect.

Here are a couple of close up shots... edit, just one shot as the other pics keep throwing an error when loading.

[charles bledsoe]

Leeklm-
Thanks for posting!! I will be attempting the same process here hopefully in a few weeks once it warms up a little bit more. The special walnut you used looks a lot like mine, but I need to remove the old shellack that's on there now as it is cracking and flaking off especially around the gauge pods. I'm sure with sanding the old finnish off I will have to re-stain.

[leeklm]

at the end of the day, would you be better off buying a new walnut veneer piece instead of trying to refurb the old one? Would be a major pain to sand and stain around the gauge pods, and would likely ruin the veneer insert if you tried removing it.

[charles bledsoe]

Isn't the veneer glued to an aluminum backing? Wouldn't the backing protect the wood when removing it from the bezel? If not I guess I most likely will have to purchase a new piece of veneer and also a new aluminum backing plate? Can you guys let me know if removing the veneer from the bezel destroys it.
Thanks!!