57 Dash Color

[Marc W.]

Some of the 57 Corvettes Black (exterior) and Red (interiors)had a solid Red dash, and some had the top dash Red and bottom dash White? What was the reason for this?
Thanks

[Verle R.]

Re: 57 Dash Color

Marc,

The Judging Guide has a chart with exterior colors and trim combinations.

This chart shows the following:

exterior interior dash top dash face steering wheel

black red black red (1st design) red

black red black beige (2nd design) red

black beige black beige beige

Note that all show black dash top.
I suspect some people paint the dash top red for more striking visual effect (I like it). Did the factory paint some that way? I would not be surprised but have seen no documentation for it.

Chevrolet documentation called for the dash face to be red or beige. That could have been changed later and could also have been somewhat to the whim of the painter and what paint gun was in his hand at the time. An awful lot of restorations have the red face, probably because few people think beige or white looks good with a red interior.

Doesn't help much but 50 years later it is hard to get definitive answers. Today, the best we can do is look at unmolested cars and they are getting hard to find. There were three unrestored 57's at Boston, black with red interior. As I remember all had black dash top and red dash faces.

Verle

[Gary C.]

Re: 57 Dash Color

Have been puzzled for years over what 1st design and 2nd design meant on the color and trim combinations chart that Verle refers to in the back of the '57 JM. Have come to the conclustion that 2nd design means; Chevrolet received Dealer and Owners complaints and offerred the 2nd design as an option. Do not have any documentation to support this conclusion. As Verle said, most of the original/Bowtie black exterior red interior '57's we've seen had a red lower dash regardless of VIN no. range. Gary....

[Joseph T.]

Re: 57 Dash Color

My Black unrestored 57 now residing in Austin, Tx. had a red dash..but it looked like it had been painted red over beige...and the eyebrow vinyl appeared to be stained red over beige. I never found out why.

I believe the car is still unrestored...under new ownership.

Joe