'51 to '50 Dash Swap

[Wood and Steel]

I'm kicking around the idea of swapping the dash in my '51 Plymouth Cranbrook with one from a '50. I'm a bit torn about the idea. I like to keep the car as original as possible, but I've never been a very big fan of the fake woodgrain on the '51. Would a '50 dash bolt right in, or would it require modification? 

[joecoozie]

If you don't like the fake woodgrain why not just paint it

[Sniper]

2 minutes ago, joecoozie said:

If you don't like the fake woodgrain why not just paint it

 

That is what someone did on my 51, with a brush.  All the window trim too.

[Wood and Steel]

11 minutes ago, joecoozie said:

If you don't like the fake woodgrain why not just paint it

I'm just a steward of the car. It's mine for now, not forever. If I end up swapping them, the original can easily be put back.

 

Also, I just really like real woodgrain. 

[JerseyHarold]

Swapping dashes has been done, but I believe the '50 dashboard is a few inches narrower than the '51, so you'd need some creative fabrication to pull it off.

[RobertKB]

My ‘51 Dodge D39 originally had a woodgrained dash. Whole dash needed re-doing so I chose to paint it. No regrets and I personally like it better. I did all the window garnishes the same colour as well. 
 

[Wood and Steel]

2 hours ago, RobertKB said:

My ‘51 Dodge D39 originally had a woodgrained dash. Whole dash needed re-doing so I chose to paint it. No regrets and I personally like it better. I did all the window garnishes the same colour as well. 
 

 

That does look pretty dang good. Did you paint the steering wheel too? What paint did you use? Mine is looking pretty shabby.

[RobertKB]

Yes I painted the wheel. I seem to remember I used Rustoleum RV white which is an off-white and so far has been durable. 

[DJ194950]

50 Plymouth original dashes were also the painted on wood grain on the dark walnut? shade. Also all the window garnishes.

 

Width of the 50 dash may also be narrower, I know the hood of 51 is wider.

 

DJ

 

 

[Wood and Steel]

3 hours ago, DJ194950 said:

50 Plymouth original dashes were also the painted on wood grain on the dark walnut?

 

Are you sure? It looks like real wood to me, but I've been wrong before. I haven't seen one in person yet, but there is one for sale somewhat locally. 

[RobertKB]

Definitely not real wood. It is very nice woodgraining though. 

[Loren]

I have a 49 and a 52.

I have always loved the 49 Chrysler made cars especially the Plymouths.

However the Dash on the 52 is nice if not as elegant as the 49.

Where the 52 goes wrong is that the dash is supposed to be the same color as the body and after 70 years the car is seldom the original color ( even fading hurts ).

Whereas the 49 can be any color and the dash is the same wood grain.

I like original cars but changing the dash in a 51-52 to a 49-50 is not something that will destroy the car, so why not?

Besides I believe it can be reversed. To confirm all you need is a tape measure.

 

I think sooner or later the wood grain dashes will need to be refinished ( as will the body color dashes, perhaps only to match the paint on the body )

A quick look will tell you there is no paint or rust proofing on the back side of the dash ( in an original car ) some thing that has bothered me no end.

A future restorer will want “Japanese Quality Paint” and that changes the character of the car.

At the Harley Museum there is a sign that reads: “You will see unrestored vehicles here. They are originals and will never be restored. A vehicle can be restored many times but an original is an original only once”.
100+ years later nobody knows what an original Model T Ford looks like. I have seen only one and I looked it over very closely. They were awful! Nothing fits right, the paint is terrible and chassis and engine have wash of dull black paint you can see through.

Bottomline: the good old days weren’t as good as we think they were. 
I like the line about Stewardship of the car. Take care of it and if you must change something to suit your taste, make sure some future owner won’t think bad of your stewardship.

[MarcDeSoto]

Changing dashes from one year to another years seems like a lot of work for nothing.  If you are not planning to keep the car, I would keep it original.  If I were in the market for a 51, and I saw a car with the wrong dash, I would reject the car.  But I'm someone who like things to be historically accurate.  I know many of you don't care about that.  And the fact that you think a 50 dash is real wood tells me you know next to nothing about these cars!

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by MarcDeSoto