'13-'14 brass dashboard trim

[Rich P. Bingham]

Noting that this trim part doesn't appear to be available anymore from vendors, and also the fact that what had been available was meant for a 3/4" thick dash, while the originals were 13/16", I'm hoping our members might be able to offer suggestions as to how to solve this problem. Also, in discussing this detail with friends, an opinion arose that the original trim was not flat, but had a slight radius. I'd be very grateful for your input !

[RajoRacer]

I have a couple repros standing in a corner - I'll check them out & get back.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

If someone has a print, -or has a sample, I can likely duplicate it on my Pullmax. I would just need to make a set of dies.

[Rich P. Bingham]

Brent, that's a very generous offer. I'm afraid the repro part is no longer available owing to lack of demand. Perhaps all the '13 and '14 Ts have been restored that are going to be resurrected ? It's not exactly a wear item that will need replacing. Perhaps this thread will raise interest from folks who would like an accurate reproduction ? I hope so.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Brent, that's a very generous offer. I'm afraid the repro part is no longer available owing to lack of demand. Perhaps all the '13 and '14 Ts have been restored that are going to be resurrected ? It's not exactly a wear item that will need replacing. Perhaps this thread will raise interest from folks who would like an accurate reproduction ? I hope so.

My experiences with similar things such of this is it is not always "lack of demand" but often times is the craftsman that made the item has aged out, -or the tooling is worn and not a good ROI to make another one.

Am I correct that the 13/14 one is flat and the earlier one has some crown? If the earlier style is available, can you modify that piece shrinking the crown??

[RajoRacer]

I'm headed out to the shop in a bit - I'll check mine out.

[Rich P. Bingham]

Am I correct that the 13/14 one is flat and the earlier one has some crown? If the earlier style is available, can you modify that piece shrinking the crown??

Brent, it's so true that many of our enthusiasts who made parts have passed away or quit. Making reproduction items is a labor of love that's usually not very well compensated financially.

If dash trim ever had a crown, it was likely used on '09-'12 cars. ?? I haven't been able to find any documentation in that. Logic would demand the trim for '13-'14 was flat, I'd think. The dilemma for reproduction is the difference between the original dash panels which measured 13/16" in thickness, while the repro dashes that are available are 3/4", using available manufactured plywood.

[TWrenn]

If this helps any, my '11 Torpedo has a crown on its dash brass trim. As I recall my former '12s that I no longer have were flat.

[George Mills]

Just sayin...wow Brent, it must be fun to have an operating Pullmax, eh? Were I to have one, I probably would need vittles sent in for at least the first year...lol.

Not PULLMAX, but many, many, years ago I sort of apprenticed myself to Richard Petty of Elgin Illinois a guy who could create early T cars from nothing...put them in the other clubs Stynoski chase, and have his client take home the award, year in, year out for a while. I say apprenticed, lol...nah...I was the step-n-fetch it, Richard lived around the corner and he always burned midnight oil his garage door was always open, his coffee pot always on.

Dick did home made everything, so it was fun. Some nights, bending steam heated bows...other nights making door steel panels with him being a human PULLMAX working the bead in so it looked stamped! One time there he did a home made brass former for making those dash 'caps'. lower roller, about 13/16 wide square edged, upper roller was a timing sheave with the teeth machined off, but the side alignment rims remaining...maybe 15/16 between the flanges. Dead soft annealed brass strip...turn the hurty-gurty. Brass formed to correct size. Corners were stretched to conform on the firewall itself as a form with his same human Pullmax bumping. So long ago for me...but oh what fun!

[RajoRacer]

Rich - I have 2 repros - both are 78 & 7/8" in length x .865 outside width & .745 inside width. Our '14 was restored back in '67 so I can't verify if it is sporting it's original trim & it is flat.

[Rich P. Bingham]

Thanks Steve. I'd be willing to bet the dash trim that was reproduced was never made for the original 13/16" dashes. If any survived as serviceable items they probably had good trim too.

[Rich Eagle]

Just for reference, here is the repro molding that was available when I did mt '14 at right and some half oval from a brass dealer that I used on my '09.

This was available from Lang's later. It has the curved top.

All are 3/4 as mentioned earlier. The pictures are for those not familiar with them.
I had some trouble finding 3/4" plywood as most available where I was looking was a but thinner.
Rich

[Rich P. Bingham]

Thanks for that, Rich ! That pretty much clears up questions I had. As nothing is currently available new, I pondered the best way to make the trim I have fit my "new" dash. The trim as formed was work-hardened enough to not respond to efforts to "tweak" the channel 1/16" wider to admit the panel I made. I opted to anneal the piece, and it went limp as a spaghetti noodle in boiling water !

Rather a Fred Flintstone approach, I was able to tweak both legs of the channel using the vise and a joint knife.

A strip cut from the panel blank and a mallet made sure of the fit, and straightened up the trim strip.

Lizzie ain't no show car, I believe the trim will be adequate when polished.

[DanTreace]

Just for reference, here is the repro molding that was available when I did mt '14 at right and some half oval from a brass dealer that I used on my '09.

Have there same brass oval edge on my '12 project, you can get this 3/4" from Restoration Supply, www.restorationstuff.com. Part # MOU047.
Just looked at their on line catalog and price for 8' is now $100, but avail. My photo below shows old catalog pricing.

Fit the 3/4" repro dash just fine.

[dean_dorholt]

Rich - I have 2 repros - both are 78 & 7/8" in length x .865 outside width & .745 inside width. Our '14 was restored back in '67 so I can't verify if it is sporting it's original trim & it is flat.

Steve, do you still have one of brass dashboard strips.
I'm working on a 1913 and it came with nothing.

[Allan]

When I bought the reproduction piece for my 1912 van, I had the vendor cut it into three pieces so it could be posted overseas in a tube. I specified two pieces the length of the sides plus enough to get along the top to the windscreen mounting clamps.Besides the shipping benefit, there was another side benefit. I could make the the two mitred corners on the side pieces without fear that they might be the wrong distance apart. When positioned on the firewall, it was then just a matter of cutting the third piece to fit between the side pieces. The joins are hidden under the windscreen frame and the attaching brackets. it even makes it easier to remove when I do a once-in-a-decade polishing job.

Allan from down under.