1968 Opinons on an interior modification...

[dalorzo_f]

Have a Wimbledon White/black car. I have been organising the garage and storage and stumbled across a '68 overhead console I forgot I had.

I was going to sell it.... but then thought about adding it to the car. I also have a restored black deluxe steering wheel, so am contemplating doing a deluxe dash to tie into the console. But I'm not sure how the white/black will go with brown accents... the dash is fairly easy in/out but the overhead console is semi-permanent (and will need to be installed with the headliner in, tricky but doable)

I also have a '68 4 speed lower console in the car (over the C4 shifter) and am not sure if these ever got woodgrain too, or were just the stock black/chrome. Do not recall seeing a woodgrain lower console on any '68s but Shelbys.

Thoughts?

 

[franklinair]

I personally like the Black/Woodgrain appearance. I did one on a CS with a Meadowlark exterior (Black stripes).

Neil

 

[robert campbell]

Think it would look great! No wood look on the lower console in stock form to my knowledge. I am sure there were lots of 68 white cars with black interiors and many of the deluxe interiors.

I would do it in a second. heck, that may give you a moment of pause!! Rob the "hatchet man" agrees with you. Look out!!! You are migrating to the dark side!

Rob

 

[dalorzo_f]

Thanks for the photo and input.

 

[68 special]

Changed mine from standard to deluxe also. Never looked back, I love it.

Bret

 

[dalorzo_f]

Would probably not go full deluxe, not a fan of the deluxe armrests, kind of a boxy blob to my eye...

The deluxe door panels are nice but the Aus $ and shipping make them a very expensive add on, but I think you can use the standard armrests with them to pick up the woodgrain accent.... maybe they can fit in my luggage on the way home after my may/June annual visit... along with all the other parts!

 

[franklinair]

+1 on the armrests. With the Deluxe armrests you relocate the aft screw receptacle on the door. With the Standard armrests you just cut a small hole in the Deluxe door panel and use the existing screw receptacle location.
Here are photos of both configurations:

Neil

 

[CougarCJ]

Was talking to a friend of mine restoring/modifying a 1968 fastback. Same scenario, he wants to do the deluxe interior 'a la carte', but will use the 1967 brushed instead of woodgrain.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Does the '67 instrument bezel just "bolt on" to a 68 base housing? Do the differences in the layout require a different backing housing?

 

[robert campbell]

Not to my knowledge. 67 and 68 are same same. You can put a 67 bezel on a 68 gauge housing.

Rob

 

[franklinair]

The only difference between them is the high beam indicator: '67 is a red dot, '68 is a red pony.

Neil

 

[dalorzo_f]

mmm.... know they are very similar, as the basic shape is the same but the turn signal openings are quite different, the '67 screws to the dash on the lower left, which is not on the '68... was not sure if the little "light tubes" that are on the '68 work on the '67 as I think they are different too.... subtle and know it fits the dash opening, just wondering if any of the minor changes make it a bit more than remove/replace.

 

[robert campbell]

Lower left. Do you mean the two screws for the heater control bezel? That bolt through the heater bezel and hold the bottom left of the of the instrument bezel? My 67 and 68 seem to be the same.

Light tubes should be ok in my opinion.

Rob

 

[dalorzo_f]

The hole shown here. Doesn't really affect fit, not sure if it just punches thru the sheet metal or a different clip was used to add the screw. Not a big fitment issue, but one of the 3-4 differences in the '67 and '68...

 

[robert campbell]

To me that hole is not stock, but it looks like it is. My 67 or 68 deluxe (interior décor) cars do not have that hole.

Rob

 

[dalorzo_f]

Pretty sure it is 100% OEM stock. It is in every '67 deluxe I have (3 sets). The photo is a FoMoCo C7 part...

Do a google search on "67 deluxe interior dash" or "67 deluxe instrument cluster" and its in pretty much every photo ...

 

[dalorzo_f]

A couple random examples.. maybe they made two types....

 

[robert campbell]

Should not be a huge problem to drill a hole for this screw in your 1968?

Rob

 

[dalorzo_f]

Yes, it was more on the "they are the same" line, to note there are a few minor differences... I don't think its a big issue, but not keen to tear apart the dash to fiddle with the parts right now as I need to order the right hand side parts.

Now I am thinking a '67 deluxe may look good in the white/black... convert the overhead console.... will contemplate.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[robert campbell]

I have a very nice 1967 coupe upper console. It is aqua in color but could be dyed. Been trying to find it a home for many years. Have not tried very hard.

Rob