Did GM paint dash clusters to match door panels?

[Jerblazer72]

I have question for all you factory original gurus. I have a 72 gmc super custom that was originally white on the outside and the interior was a shade of dark blue (steering wheel, column, door panels, visors, etc.) The PO had repainted the column, the glove box and some other items. I am going to repaint the column back to the original dark blue to match the wheel and panels, and visors. The PO had also painted the dash gauge bezel a different color. Now for my question, Did GM paint those at the factory or were they all black? I have bought a new reproduction that is black and I don't know if I should paint it blue to match the steering column and the door panels.

So, the real question is "did the factory paint the dash clusters to match the interior or were they all black with chrome rings"?

Thanks for any pics or comments.

[1956cameo]

I have seen originals and reproductions in black only and black with chrome ring. I have also seen reproductions in all chrome. I have never seen originals or repros in anything other than those combinations.

[sdkid]

I think that you could get the dash bezel in body color in '67. Not 100% sure though.

[powell72]

GMC's had the bezel painted interior color. I'm not a GMC expert but most all I have seen are this way unless it's a Sierra Grande which would have been woodgrain.

[1956cameo]

Yeah thats right, they could also have woodgrain aplique. I was thinking of that when I started my last post then forget to put it in.

[Longhorn Man]

Chevy trucks came with black on silver, black on chrome, wood on chrome, and possibly a few wood on silver.
GMC, had the inst panel color match the glove box door. Sometimes it matched the rest of the trim inside, others, it didn't. Seen some real fugly combos too.
I know they had them in;
BLUE;
(notice the glove box door is darker than the dash)

TAN

BLACK (again, notice the original paint on the glove box door)


I had photos of a green one, and a red one too.... I think they also came in yellow too.

[dave2953]

LHM, are there supposed to be pics? (Oops, too slow)

[Jerblazer72]

I knew somebody would know the answers. It appears that what everyone has said fits into what I have found out. I scraped off the paint that the PO had put on and uncovered a layer of the original blue, and below that it was chrome. I never found a black paint layer.

I would love to see the pics from LHM. Hopefully he can get them fixed so we can take a peek.
If anyone has pics please post, I would like to see what they look like.
Thanks.

[Longhorn Man]

hmmm.... that's crazy huh? Been doing this for years and never had a problem...
oh well, here you go... and good news, found a couple more on my hard drive too!

[1956cameo]

Didn't know that GMC trucks instrument guages color matched the glove box doors. Learn something new everytime I come onto this site.

[sdkid]

LHM...Your pix are showing up as red X's

[Husker]

My GMC is Tan like the last pic above. Factory color
Ron

[powerbench]

Here's my green one

[jrdv]

69 green GMC--- It originally had a dark blue steering wheel.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Learned something new sweet.

[WIDESIDE72]

The 71 GMC in my sig was originally med blue, with a blue instrument cluster like the truck on the right side of Longhorn's post. I have another GMC, a 72, that has a black panel...

[Cyclone44]

Wow, I just learned something too........Andy you know to much.....

[bucket]

thats really strange. i was just getting ready to post almost the same question! my 70 gmc glovebox door is slightly darker than the rest of the dash. i was wondering if that is original. instrument bezel is a black repop.

[Longhorn Man]

one can never know too much man!

[Cyclone44]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

one can never know too much man!

This is true Andy.....You have a wealth of info on these trucks in that head of yours....

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

one can never know too much man!

Knowledge is power>Andy may be the most powerful truck nut on here.Is there a prize for that?

[special-K]

"All" GMC light trucks,except Sierra Grandes,came with the gauge cluster and glovebox door painted the interior vinyl color.Just like the vinyl pieces,not necessarily a perfect match.But,not the body paint color and not black,unless the interior is black.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by special-K

"All" GMC light trucks,except Sierra Grandes,came with the gauge cluster and glovebox door painted the interior vinyl color.Just like the vinyl pieces,not necessarily a perfect match.But,not the body paint color and not black,unless the interior is black.

Gee, I learned something new. My '71 Jimmy has a black interior, so I didn't notice any difference from the lay out on my '68 C/10 Stepside. '67s and '68s [Chevy] had an "India Black" dash with [silver] "Fawn" sides. The '71 has chrome edges. On my '67 Suburban K/10 the glove box door was painted flat wrinkle black, with a transfer case lever position diagram decal on the left side.
And yes, the door panels were originally "Fawn."

[special-K]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Gee, I learned something new. My '71 Jimmy has a black interior, so I didn't notice any difference from the lay out on my '68 C/10 Stepside. '67s and '68s [Chevy] had an "India Black" dash with [silver] "Fawn" sides. The '71 has chrome edges. On my '67 Suburban K/10 the glove box door was painted flat wrinkle black, with a transfer case lever position diagram decal on the left side.
And yes, the door panels were originally "Fawn."

Yeah,the`67 Chevys had the textured flat black on the glovebox door that mocked the gauge cluster.I like that look.

Even the Sierra Grandes have the glovebox door painted the vinyl color.It`s just mostly covered by the woodgrain applique.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by special-K

"All" GMC light trucks,except Sierra Grandes,came with the gauge cluster and glovebox door painted the interior vinyl color.Just like the vinyl pieces,not necessarily a perfect match.But,not the body paint color and not black,unless the interior is black.

That's how mine is painted, but should have the wood grain to be correct (Sierra Grande) but I think they made lots of errors back then.
s/t