The definitive dash bezel and gauge thread

[CG]

I don't recall ever seeing a thread on just the dash bezels. Toss up a link if there is one. Otherwise show some pics of your bezels with the specs. Coloring, amount of holes etc. When did they start making the chrome ones? Choke, speed warning, throttle holes ... when were these put on there? Wood grain? Lets see the GMC ones too.

Gauge options would be cool too, just keep them to what was actually offered in the year of the trucks bezel gauge package. I have a gauge bezel set up built for me by a board member that has a clock ... that was never offered so it wouldn't be a pic I would post.

Lets keep it OEM stock please.

[LockDoc]

-
Here is the one I rebuilt for the '70 Longhorn 4x4. I think the lens was defective because the silkscreen lettering has started flaking off of it. I went ahead and put it in the truck but I will have to take it back out and replace the lens.

LockDoc

[CG]

Thanks for getting this thread started. Seems like there were a lot of combos available for each year.

[too much stuff]

Some odd combos for you.

[davepl]

Tach, Speed Warning, Vacuum, plus typical gauges in blue.

This is one I built out of a repro to replace my original; the GMC units in these years were painted interior color (not black or woodgrain), at least one the higher models. Lots of masking followed by DP90 primer then PPG Deltron 2K in DK BLU followed by DCU2060 "Flexed'n'Flat" semi-gloss clear.

Not the best photos, I figured I'd have plenty of time to look at it!

[too much stuff]

More. First one would be 68 with 327 or 396.
Second is a 67 (only reads wipers) with man. throttle hole on right.
Third is a Spanish cluster , year unknow. and
The last is a kilo speedo for 67

[CG]

Curious what years were speed warning an option? What years were the manual throttle offered? Was choke available every year? When did they start offering the chrome bezels? Was the wood grain only offered on Cheyenne's? Did the GMCs only come painted inside? So many questions ... Im sure Ill have more haha

Thanks for the pics TooMuch and dave

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by CG

Curious what years were speed warning an option? What years were the manual throttle offered? Was choke available every year? When did they start offering the chrome bezels? Was the wood grain only offered on Cheyenne's? Did the GMCs only come painted inside? So many questions ... Im sure Ill have more haha

Thanks for the pics TooMuch and dave

Speed warning was 67-69
Manual throttle was available all years.
Manual choke was 67-68.
Don't think chrome bezel was an option.
Woodgrain would have been Cheyenne and sierra or above in 72 and maybe 71?
Most gmc bezels were color matched.

I am not an authority on these so maybe I will stand corrected or more info added.

[CG]

I appreciate all your input, I consider you one of the board authorities =)

Despite the things I've posted in the recent past (hahaha) I'm actually going to get hard into these trucks with some family and friends so I'm hoping to absorb more info.

[68bowtie]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Some odd combos for you.

tach, vac, speed warning, AND choke delete? yowza.

i'd love some info on this one. was this a 3-hole choke delete cluster, or did it have a manual choke with one of the removal tabs with the "choke" letters?

[leddzepp]

OEM 67 bezel. As far as I know, they were chrome from 68-up. The service replacement bezels were also painted silver as I understand it.

[Phildeez]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Speed warning was 67-69
Manual throttle was available all years.
Manual choke was 67-68.
Don't think chrome bezel was an option.
Woodgrain would have been Cheyenne and sierra or above in 72 and maybe 71?
Most gmc bezels were color matched.

I am not an authority on these so maybe I will stand corrected or more info added.

My '72 blazer has a "chrome" bezel. I believe it is what you would find under the cheyenne wood grain bezel. I'm much more of a fan of the scrolling on the door panels to match the seats than the wood panels, so off they went. The truck had the chrome bezel when I bought it. Maybe a P.O. removed the wood.

[Phildeez]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

OEM 67 bezel. As far as I know, they were chrome from 68-up. The service replacement bezels were also painted silver as I understand it.

Ahhh, good to know.

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

OEM 67 bezel. As far as I know, they were chrome from 68-up. The service replacement bezels were also painted silver as I understand it.

I believe you are correct.
The chrome I was referring to was the whole bezel. (face and all) which I don't think ever happened from the factory.

[csfields]

I redid my cluster on my 71. I went with a new repro tach and did the voltmeter from ammeter conversion, leaving the ammeter backing. I also did the white out kit.

[CG]

Originally Posted by csfields

I redid my cluster on my 71. I went with a new repro tach and did the voltmeter from ammeter conversion, leaving the ammeter backing. I also did the white out kit.

This is a very nice look, but it isn't stock at all. I would really like to keep things stock so we can all learn a little about what came in our trucks.

[CG]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

I believe you are correct.
The chrome I was referring to was the whole bezel. (face and all) which I don't think ever happened from the factory.

Yeah when I was talking chrome bezel earlier I should have been more specific, I meant around the edges of the gauges and the outer perimeter of the bezel.

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

tach, vac, speed warning, AND choke delete? yowza.

i'd love some info on this one. was this a 3-hole choke delete cluster, or did it have a manual choke with one of the removal tabs with the "choke" letters?

Attachment 1486682

You can still see the outline of the choke tab on your bezel. Not sure why you could get a bezel like yours and add a choke tab to it or if it was choke delete it could get a tab that covered the choke word all together.

And yes, I think the chrome edges started in 68.

[18Z]

What is the best way to clean the lens without scratching it and with what?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

You can still see the outline of the choke tab on your bezel. Not sure why you could get a bezel like yours and add a choke tab to it or if it was choke delete it could get a tab that covered the choke word all together.

And yes, I think the chrome edges started in 68.

Not on my '68 C/10 from Fremont. The edges, outer rim and inside rims around gauges, were painted a silver metallic "Fawn" like the rest of the interior. It was not the hard edged plastic Chrome like on the '71 and '72 Custom trim interiors. Not at all sure when the design change happened but it was later than '68.
On the '67 & '68s Choke was standard, after that, if the original buyer specified a manual Choke, the plastic tab was added. The 1/2'' mounting hole still exists on the cab sheetmetal, and a raised plastic boss is still extant on the back of non-choke dashes, if you prefer to install a manual choke on a later model -- as I did on my '71 Jimmy.
Also on '67-only, the face of the glovebox door was also painted flat India Black, matching the dash face.

Sorry tms, didn't mean to call you a liar.

[72peace]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Not on my '68 C/10 from Fremont. The edges, outer rim and inside rims around gauges, were painted a silver metallic "Fawn" like the rest of the interior. It was not the hard edged plastic Chrome like on the '71 and '72 Custom trim interiors. Not at all sure when the design change happened but it was later than '68.
On the '67 & '68s Choke was standard, after that, if the original buyer specified a manual Choke, the plastic tab was added. The 1/2'' mounting hole still exists on the cab sheetmetal, and a raised plastic boss is still extant on the back of non-choke dashes, if you prefer to install a manual choke on a later model -- as I did on my '71 Jimmy.
Also on '67-only, the face of the glovebox door was also painted flat India Black, matching the dash face.

Sorry tms, didn't mean to call you a liar.

Saw you online and thought i'd as you a question if your there. I've got a 69 with a choke, not sure if the choke was added or not, where on the dash would the choke have gone? Under the wiper or under lights?

Thanks,
Nathan

[engineer_gregh]

The wood grain bezels were Cheyenne Super only and offered in both 71 and 72. There is a board member that can either rework or add the woodgrain. I'm not sure who that board member is but I think Rodz from AZ told me about him.

[Yukon Jack]

Here's the bezel that was in my 69 K20. The manual throttle is below the headlight switch. Pretty basic bezel except for that.

[72peace]

Originally Posted by Yukon Jack

Here's the bezel that was in my 69 K20. The manual throttle is below the headlight switch. Pretty basic bezel except for that.

The small hole in your dash where the ac vent would be is where my choke is now
Posted via Mobile Device

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by 72peace

Saw you online and thought i'd as you a question if your there. I've got a 69 with a choke, not sure if the choke was added or not, where on the dash would the choke have gone? Under the wiper or under lights?

Thanks,
Nathan

On the right. So under the Wipers. I added Manual Choke to my '71 GMC Jimmy and that's where I put it. Looks Factory.