The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Painting Dash

I am trying to make my truck into a weekly driver, and was wondering what methods there are for painting the dash?

I figure the best method would be to remove everything, blast it with walnut shells, then paint with a sprayer. I am somewhat afraid of taking the working gages apart then something not working when I put it back together.

Has anyone else used a different method and had success in it at least looking semi-professional (no brush strokes/pooling/etc)?

Someone will correct me, if I am wrong, but my guess is that you can disconnect your gauges as units and pull them back from the inside of the dash (without having to disconnect the gauges).

If you have a radio, you can take off the knobs and tape the posts. I do not know about how to deal with the speaker openings in the dash.

The light switch can be pulled back without disconnecting anything from it (if you know how to remove the post and escutcheon).

Throttle, choke, and heater controls will have to be removed and/or disconnected.

Other people will correct me, and/or provide other approaches for painting the dash, with minimal disconnections.

Good luck. Please post photos of before/during/after.

I only have one photo that (somewhat) shows the dash, I will have to get more next weekend. I am not sure how quality of dashes go, but after 64 years I feel this one is in pretty good shape.

My grand plan is to get everything cleaned up enough that it looks respectable, and still have to option for a full restoration in the future if I am able to do that.

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/nebuhr/IMG_0035.jpg

Your dash looks respectable to me

You can get pretty good results with a rattle can
...before...

...during...

...after...

...after...

...rattle can...


Edit: the rattle can is not an exact match of the original color...only kinda close

...rattle can...
Not show quality but good enough for the girls around here.

Those are the results I am looking for, looks like I am going to be busy over the winter. How much of the cab did you paint with the metallic rattle can? I was thinking about keeping everything on the floor/firewall black, then any other exposed metal (non-chrome) will be silver.

Minor disclaimer: That photo above is a little old. I have the kick plates torn out and about to be replaced as well as some other aesthetic improvements. I am just trying to get a feel on what type of work I have in front of me.

I used It on interior , I used ...this... on the column, steering wheel and shifter


I have a few pics in this folder
...link...

Those pics helped a lot. Gives me something to do over the winter... after I make a final decision on the color scheme.

Is there a way to tell the original colors? It looks like silver and black but I do not know what the previous owners have done.

I found original color on the firewall
...pic...

...pic...

also check behind the door post data plate.

Your truck may not have the same interior color as my 50. My 50 was the brownish color.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=367856#Post367856

The color behind my firewall is similar to what you show.

Do you think black door panels/headliners would look alright with the paint you currently have?

It really is a matter of personal preference

I went with the browns
...pic...
...pic...

I think the black will look good also. The most important thing is that you like it.

I think I will like the black, just hard to say without seeing everything together.

Hey Red...love the 9' bed.

I'm going thru the same thing. Left the gauges & knobs. Trying to do careful tape job. Started at back of cab and under seat, then dash and around windshield. Floor, kick panels, doors last.

Grinding, sanding, priming, sound deading in sections. Will paint complete interior to match '04 Buick tow tone seats.

My motive is to relocate gas tank, battery and install full carpet and modern seats.

Doing it in sections keeps me motivated and I see results. Rattle can primer works for me. I used DA with 80/150 grit, wire wheel, stainless toothbrush, scotch pads and elbow grease.

Dads50 looks great BTW.

Some pics in my 3800 album. Good Luck !

Thanks for the input.

I have been trying to keep my projects small while the weather is nice. I like the ability to put everything back together and then go for a drive while the weather is nice.

I had some floor pan problems that I wanted to correct, so I etched and painted it with the KBS coatings. Friday I am going to start to attack all of the rust under the fenders and get ready to weld in new kick plates (new king pins while I'm down there).

I do not have a plan of attack on painting the interior yet. I am leaning towards taking the gages out, but I have not had the time to really look at them and see what all my options are.