1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?

[Rust-O-Matic]

The subject line pretty much sums up my question. What color was the face of the Deluxe Air heater control lever assembly originally painted?

Mine is black, worn, and appears to be original (the light colored bits aren't fawn paint, they're scratches to bare metal). I have original a/c as well, if that makes any difference. Most of the others I have seen online are the same fawn color as the rest of the dash. Here's a pic of mine, and a fawn one for reference.

Which is correct? If fawn, were all 3 years ('64-'66) the same color of fawn? Or is the color/shade year specific? Why is mine black? (Giggity lol)

[chevylookin]

They were always fawn. That heater panel has been rattle canned at some point in its life.

[Rust-O-Matic]

Originally Posted by chevylookin

They were always fawn. That heater panel has been rattle canned at some point in its life.

You may well be exactly right. Maybe the previous owner decided to paint it years ago while he had it out of the dash to mix up all of the cables and strip all the damn screw holes out. Some people should really just not try to fix stuff on their own.

Good news is, I bought another original assembly this morning online in much better shape, which still has the correct fawn paint. Pic attached. Thanks for the input.

[VictoriaHardware]

Which is correct? If fawn, were all 3 years ('64-'66) the same color of fawn? Or is the color/shade year specific?

'64-65 was fawn, '66 was the darker fawn. Your picture is the lighter one.

[64jmb]

Darker Fawn for 1966.

[Rust-O-Matic]

S.o.b.! So my new (old) one isn't going to match either? It's so hard to tell in pics. The seller stated it was removed from a 1966. I'll send him a message to confirm. I guess I'll know for sure when it arrives.

[64jmb]

Is your 66 C10 truck a factory custom cab or standard cab? I have seen some 66's with the lighter dash too I am pretty sure... mine is a real custom cab and a darker fawn dash... I think they are all dark fawn but some may be lighter fawn too if it was a non-custom cab....

This is a picture of my truck... it is a 66 Custom cab darker fawn... even if your deluxe slider is lighter.. you can paint it to match..

[Rust-O-Matic]

I believe mine is a standard cab, but I still don't quite understand the difference. Mine has the big back window, A/C, deluxe heater, and the rest of the truck came with all the optional stuff like power steering and TH400 transmission. I guess the sail panels that say "Custom" are what actually makes it a custom cab though.

I don't have a current pic, but here's one from a couple years ago when I was test fitting the refinished instrument cluster. It looks more gold-ish than the pic of the controls I just freakin bought. What a bummer...

[64jmb]

ya that is dark fawn for sure... so you can just paint it no biggie you may be able to find a pint like at Home Depot or Walmart or Lowe's that is a close match or just have it mixed and put in a spray can.

[Rust-O-Matic]

I appreciate your optimism, but it is a bigger deal to me than it may be to others.

I bought a lever kit to rebuild my original controls, but then realized what terrible shape they are in. That, and they would need to be painted to match as well. I researched interior paint when I redid my door panels a few months ago, and found multiple paint codes from multiple sources. There are several threads on this forum that can't even agree on the correct name for the shades of fawn used. I got so frustrated, I just painted the door panels satin black.

So, I decided to drop $115 bucks on the controls I bought yesterday thinking that would eliminate all my problems at once. No need to paint, no need to rebuild (they seller already did), just screw it in place and rock'n'roll. Now they're not going to match, and to paint it I would have to completely disassemble it and start over. Which negates the entire purpose of buying these controls in the first place.

So now I've got like $200 into 2 sets of levers for a truck I originally paid $300 for, and neither set is going to match my dash without spending more time and more money.

[Rust-O-Matic]

I just dug this up on the forum:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=539944

Isn't that the same color as the controls in my pic above? These are clearly described as the correct '66 dark fawn. Am I freakin out for no reason?

[64jmb]

Here is a good story for ya.. I totally understand what you are going through.. I did not do my homework on my disc brake set up in the front.... the front springs on my truck were cut... 1.5 coils which is about 3.5 to 4 inches off the spring... set the whole thing up what the stock standard spindles woooops! They were cut so far that now I cannot set the camber with the stock no drop spindles! I have to install new coil springs in the front now with just a 1 inch drop in the spring and buy new 2.5 drop spindles this time reinstall everything to the tune of about $900 OUCH! Then it will be correct for both tow and camber.... I should have researched it more...

[Rust-O-Matic]

I can sympathize. I am still running stock spindles and drums on my C20, and hacked 2 complete coils off the front springs when I first got it. Lol, you can probably imagine how that turned out. Needless to say it has new 3" lowering springs in it now.

I got a message back from the seller of the control panel, and he says it's out of a '66 without a doubt. He also said it's the "lighter color", and that he's seen both in that year. So, still no idea if it's gonna match, but it doesn't sound good. Guess I'll find out in a couple days when it gets here.

[64jmb]

Were you about to get the camber set with a 3 inch drop in the springs? Or are your wheels at a slight angle?

[Rust-O-Matic]

I haven't got it aligned yet, so I can't vouch for how far off the camber is. It drives great, and the geometry looks much better than it did with the hacked coils, but that doesn't mean much without a printout from the alignment shop. I'm getting new tires before long, so I will find out then.

[64jmb]

Ya, I would make sure it will align before you buy the tires. You don't want to ruin your new tires...

[vince1]

For the light fawn color I use Nissan sunlit sand from a rattle can. I am not even sure what should be painted light or dark fawn but it sure perks up the pieces that I paint in the cab of my beat up farm truck.

[Rust-O-Matic]

Sure enough, wrong freakin color. Maybe I can sell this thing or trade both of mine for a correct colored one.

[Rust-O-Matic]

Originally Posted by vince1

For the light fawn color I use Nissan sunlit sand from a rattle can. I am not even sure what should be painted light or dark fawn but it sure perks up the pieces that I paint in the cab of my beat up farm truck.

Just the dash would be the dark, flattened fawn apparently. My dash/glovebox/ac vent/ashtray etc. is darker than the rest of the interior.

What's not clear is if all '66s had the dark dash, or if some still had the normal light fawn dash. If the seller I got the new controls from is honest, it would appear both were available.

[1966 K10]

Im in the same boat. My 66 has dealer installed A/C and used the earlier kit with the fawn control and vent bezel. The part number Ive found shows 65-66 3385187 with no difference in number for the dark fawn color. I have seen both colors so know they exist.

Anyone know if there is a difference in the A/C bezel color for 66 as well?

[VictoriaHardware]

Originally Posted by 1966 K10

Im in the same boat. My 66 has dealer installed A/C and used the earlier kit with the fawn control and vent bezel. The part number Ive found shows 65-66 3385187 with no difference in number for the dark fawn color. I have seen both colors so know they exist.

Anyone know if there is a difference in the A/C bezel color for 66 as well?

The Dealer-installed A/C Kit was intended to cover '64-'66 as a FUNCTIONAL system- not necessarily 100% FACTORY CORRECT. A lot of Service parts are like that. They don't want to stock so many variations that all function the same. Apparently it was decided to include the Light Fawn control face and outlet bezel. The Dealer did not use the wrong kit and get a color mis-match, the truck is correct.

If you're trying to restore the truck to it's "Day 1" state (as it left the Assembly Plant), then it should have no A/C at all. If you're trying to restore the truck to it's "Day 2" state (as it left the original Dealer), then you may want to leave the existing Light Fawn control & bezel in it. It will give the truck a little unique character.

[1966 K10]

Since the original engine is not in the truck 100% restification is not a priority. I do need to rebuild the control assy and searching around I noticed there definitely is a dark fawn version of the control. Im trying to find an explanation of why there are two different color controls with the same part number ( according to the parts manual)

Looking at this thread there are owners showing what looks like a dark fawn A/C bezel. The parts manual shows the bezel as N.S.S. so no part number to see if there is another number for a DF bezel.

Is it fair to say that factory installed A/C or deluxe air was the only way to get a dark fawn control and vent bezel in 1966?

[1966 K10]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

The Dealer-installed A/C Kit was intended to cover '64-'66 as a FUNCTIONAL system- not necessarily 100% FACTORY CORRECT.

I thought 64 had its own special kit

[66C10LB]

My heater control (pictured here) that came with the truck is made of a composite (non-metal) material. The height seems to be slightly short (it measures 6 inches). Has anybody else seen this type before? I'm thinking that I should replace this with a more original version.

[oem4me]

This is news to me on the bezel color difference. That is, that the dealer installed in-dash a/c systems in 1966 were all installed with the old color controls and bezel. As far as I know, the dark fawn, duller dash came about in '66 because of a safety concern for reflection issues within the drivers field of vision. Same year change for dull finished windshield wiper arms as opposed to the polished stainless from before.
Seems crazy that dealers would put outdated stuff in a new truck. I would like to see more evidence of this as a common practice, before buying the idea.