dash panel

hiball3985 · 2013-03-21 12:48

This morning on EBay I saw a one piece dash panel for the heater/radio/clock. I had never seen one before?

Zapato · 2013-03-21 13:07

can you give us a link? be curious to see it myself.

Zap-

gasman826 · 2013-03-21 13:58

Had one in my car. When I redid the dash it sold on eBay pretty fast.

hiball3985 · 2013-03-21 16:01

Quote from: Zapato on 2013-03-21 13:07
can you give us a link? be curious to see it myself.

Zap-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dash-accessory-panel-for-1957-Ford-Custom-Fairlane-Skyliner-Ranchero-/160994204864?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257c009cc0&vxp=mtr

wildhog · 2013-03-21 16:39

If you notice the lines in the one piece run the opposite direction as the single pieces, I had heard that the one piece was an early production run. I have also been told different assy. plants used different pieces. I don't know.But something even harder to find is a one piece for a town and country radio. I have this on my 57 sunliner that was bought for the Unser family from New Mexico. But that is not an early car.

Zapato · 2013-03-21 18:50

Like that a lot, but it still IMHO only a half ass effort on Ford's part. When you look at anything built by GM in those days the dash trim was always over the top and fancier than Ford. Perfect example is to compare Fords' plain jane 57 dash to that offered by Chev in 55 and 6. That area on our Fords should have been covered with something better than paint from dogleg to dogleg. Which is why the paint stripe on 57Again's car looks incredible. Its a bit of flash where the factory gave us nothing, and in most cars 3 individual pieces that look like something out of a Honest Charley catalog. Of course as I said its my opinion. And we all have one and we all know its worth.

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JPotter57 · 2013-03-21 19:00

Dad's Fairlane 500 has one..Pretty cool, if you have all the accessories that need it...I'd kind of like to have a one piece everything delete panel, too bad they didnt make one.

hiball3985 · 2013-03-21 19:02

I would have used something like that and sacrificed my T/C radio. Better yet would have been one without the radio and clock that you could fill with your own gauges or whatever..

Zapato · 2013-03-21 19:03

Quote from: JPotter57 on 2013-03-21 19:00
Dad's Fairlane 500 has one..Pretty cool, if you have all the accessories that need it...I'd kind of like to have a one piece everything delete panel, too bad they didnt make one.

That wouldn't really be too hard to make, if I ever get power in my shop will have to consider building one of those. Would definitely be cleaner looking than ''the three amigos''.

Zap-

Tom S · 2013-03-22 00:20

I have a 1 piece too. If they are rare I didn't know it.

Came with my '58 Ranchero & is one of the parts I sold the PO years ago. Came off my '57 wagon that I junked in the early 70s. Dammit.

The wagon was bought new here by one of my Uncles.
I would like to use it but want a modern AM/FM radio to fit it. Maybe one that will play disks but nothing expensive. I know they do make AM/FM radios that will fit. Any suggestions?

Has anyone seen a radio like this one? I have ever seen a radio like this in a '57 & do not believe it is stock. The lines don't show in the pic but they are there.
Guy claimed it was a stock radio but I don't think he knows much about his fairly new to him car.

500 4 door hardtop?

hiball3985 · 2013-03-22 07:36

I've never seen a radio like that one either. I'm just guessing that the one piece was early production and then they realized how many people didn't want the optional clock, radio, not sure if heater was an option. I think most fleet vehicles didn't include those and people like my dad wouldn't pay for them

so they changed the design to allow deletes. Weren't the deletes plastic, that's what I seem to remember..

lowrider · 2013-03-22 07:49

I had one of those 1 piece dash panels in my 57. When I installed a modern radio in it, the face plate had lines that went vertical so I had lines going both ways. Picked up a three piece one on fleabay so everything matches again. I'll have to dig out the old one & look it over.

SkylinerRon · 2013-03-24 02:30

If the car was ordered from the factory with heater or a/c, radio and clock it generally had the one piece.
If not ordered with all three it triggered individual pieces and/or blockoffs.
BTW there are 2 different 1 piece plates, with and without T&C radio.
The heater and in dash a/c used the same holes.
Regards,
Ron.

hiball3985 · 2013-03-24 07:44

I wonder what the thought was on making horizontal ribs on a one piece and vertical on individual.

suede57ford · 2013-03-24 22:30

I have a parts car with a one piece and the Town&Country cut outs. First one I had ever seen with the T&C and one-piece. Same D-code car has a power seat too.

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