woodgrain dash bezel

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by ETsC10

Trevor, that would be cool.

I've been thinking on this thread since yesterday
and found samples of 3M's Di-Noc Wood Grain Series
lettering vinyls.
I wonder if this might make an
affordable alternative for daily drivers?

That's what CSM uses. #254. It really isn't affordable. It's pretty expensive. I am working on a correct grain woodgrain. I actually have the correct grain in Vintage OEM woodgrain vinyl. The color is a little off, but the pattern matches the OEM interior pieces. I have covered a glovebox door with it and will try to snap a pic of it if I have time after work tomorrow. I have bought several old stocks of woodgrain, and only 2 rolls were the correct grain, but very very very hard to find.
My woodgrain dashes will be like the originals. The original were a really thin piece of plastic with the woodgrain vinyl laid on it. I have verified this with several original production line dash bezels. The main thing I don't like about the repops and CSM's (not calling them out, as they do good work) is that the grain isn't at all like OEM pieces. It's just a woodgrain vinyl slapped on in any fashion. Trevor

[71blksuper4x4]

The hardest thing to make for me, are the thin plastic dash bezel backing plates. OEM dash bezels are different from repops in gauge hole sizes, and there are different styles of aftermarket bezels. Every one that I make, I have to make by hand to fit it to the actual bezel it's going on.
Also, to answer the OP's question, the original Cheyenne Super bezels did have grain on them as well. That's the reason for the thin plastic backing. Something to keep the woodgrain from peeling from the uneven surface, and it is then contact cemented to the dash bezel. Trevor

[71blksuper4x4]

This was just a set of old woodgrain panels I had that I refinished much like CSM's. Notice the woodgrain isn't like original, as I was just trying to get the process down before working with my good stock, plus, I wanted to see what woodgrain looks like on the hard to find 72 Red OEM panels. Trevor

[Zoomin]

Looks pretty good to me!

[ETsC10]

Wow Trevor! That's great!

And, yes, high quality vinyl is getting pricey.
I had no idea these were laminated prior to
application.

Great Job!!

[leddzepp]

Trevor that looks awesome!
As you point out however the woodgrain is different from original...I have gotten over it and am making sure all my pieces just match. I believe I have found a way to get the repop sticker to stick...but as you stated the problem is they do NOT fit the aftermarket bezels properly. Repo part + repo part = no fit I had no problem getting the sticker to line up properly on my OEM bezel....but then again, the chrome on my OEM bezel sucks, so we are back to square one.

[71blksuper4x4]

Yeah, Scott that is some of my woodgrain that doesn't match. I'll try to get pics of the good stuff later today. Trevor

[1972K20]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Trevor that looks awesome!
As you point out however the woodgrain is different from original...I have gotten over it and am making sure all my pieces just match. I believe I have found a way to get the repop sticker to stick...but as you stated the problem is they do NOT fit the aftermarket bezels properly. Repo part + repo part = no fit I had no problem getting the sticker to line up properly on my OEM bezel....but then again,the chrome on my OEM bezel sucks, so we are back to square one.

Is there a way to restore the chrome on an old bezel?

[sameyrasmea72]

Originally Posted by 1972K20

Is there a way to restore the chrome on an old bezel?

You can have them re-chromed. That is what I did. I took a NOS GM woodgrain (painted silver) and removed the wood grain and then had the bezel chromed. Then you can put the woodgrain on the bezel it came off of and it will fit.

Like Trevor said, You can use The GM wood grain but it will not fit on a aftermarket bezel. Not only that, GM used atleast 2 different bezels too.

[VA72C10]

The picture of the dash above your posts is the correct woodgrain.