Wood grain vs paint

[Don Jordan]

Since there never seems to be a lack of opinions on this board I thought I would solicit some.

My car is ready for the sand blaster and the guy doing it asked me what I wanted to do with the dash. I've gotten quotes on the wood grain look - about $800 - I really like the look, I would really like to go for stock, but $800 on top of everything else... seems excessive.

Is there a pro or con to this? Does anyone have a picture of a painted dash? I've read posts about how "easy" the wood grain is to do but I'm not that good with my hands. I've got till Wednesday to make a decision.

BTW: would the dash be painted the same color as the car?

Help me guys -

thanks,

d-

[steveplym]

I personally like the painted look. Wood graining is nice, but like you said expensive.

Once my car is repainted I plan on painting the dash and window trim body color. I think it will add a different look. After I saw pics of 47heavens dash being painted body color I was pretty much sold. I really like that look.

[RobertKB]

I painted the dash in my '48 Dodge D25 many years ago. I did it grey because the interior is dark blue as is the car and the grey gives some contrast. I have always liked it but have thought about eventually woodgraining it but it's not high on my priorities. I did pay someone to woodgrain the dash in my '38 Chrysler and am glad I did. It cost around $800 and I feel I got a good deal and nice work. I guess it comes down to what you personally like. There will be those for and against woodgraining but you have to do what you are comfortable with doing.

[BobT-47P15]

Have seen dashes and window frames painted both ways....matching the body and matching or complimenting the interior. Mainly depends on what you like best.

The 46-48 P15 convertibles are supposed to have a body color dash....but I

wanted mine to go with my maroon interior instead. So, this is

what I did. (Body is yellow) Suits me, anyway.

[Young Ed]

This is the new look for mine. Side mouldings will be painted just the tan color to match.

[Brendan D25]

Don, maybe check with David Maxwell,who posts on this forum. I think he has a number of dashes that he has woodgrained. Go to the members profile page for him and you will get a link to his site with lots of nice pictures. Does the price of $800.00 include all the window frames? If it does, it might be a reasonable price. My car dash and frames are identical to Robert KBs and I think it looks good. Brendan.

[JerseyHarold]

This month's issue of Skinned Knuckles magazine has an interesting article on how to do inexpensive woodgraining.

On a semi-related topic: Does anyone know whether the dash boards and garnish moldings were woodgrained before or after they were stamped? Just curious.

Harold

[47heaven]

Don...I went with a painted dash because I was told that graining was in the $3000 range...way out of the ball park for me. I really didn't want to stear away from the original look, but when I found out on here that the convertible and woodie P15s came with a solid painted dash and trim, then I knew that I couldn't be too far off. So since I planned to go with gray tones, I looked up what gray Pymouth offered on the P15 and found Airwing Gray to be the color of choice. It turns out that Airwing Gray was also the original color of my car exterior when it was new, even though I painted it a 1946-48 Chrysler green. Also, I just couldn't see a brown tone wood grain with gray interior. If I had to have woodgrain, it would be in gray tones.

[Don Coatney]

Darin;

Was your transmission in your car and connected when this picture was taken? Your gear shift appears to be way out of position.

[47heaven]

Don...yes. The former transmission was connected when the picture was taken. I always had thought that is was correct until someone brought it to my attention on here once. I now have the Borg-Warner O/D in the car and think it's probably in about the same position in first as it was in this picture. How does one adjust the linkage so that the lever is in the right position? Do you have any pics of what position the the lever should in the different gears?

[martybose]

If you look where the transmission rods connect to the shifter shaft, there is a slotted section where you can loosen the bolt and readjust it. On my car, first gear is about half way between where yours is and horizontal.

Marty

[Don Coatney]

This looks about normal. Picture reposted from this thread.