65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

[William H.]

Hello Painting my 65 Dash Cluster Bezel,
Painted with SEMS Black Trim paint as recommended here. Looks great
However I am removing the paint from the areas that are supposed to be chrome.
And I noticed on the two clusters I have access to Currently there is a difference
One has the trim on the headlight warning , turn signals, brake warning and odometer openings painted and one has them chrome!
Which is correct? when I look in some of my reference books I find them both ways. Was this a running change made sometime or is it just differences in the way they have been "Restored"?
Thanks
in Advance
Bill

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

The trim in the areas you have circled were originally black, as in your picture.

[Dan B.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

All the ones I have known were painted black in those areas, looks good as it is to me. I'll let others correct that if need be. Dan

[William H.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

Thanks Jim and Dan for your quick replies. Ill wait and see if anyone else responds. As I said I have one where the chrome is exposed and also there is one in MF Dobbins "Fact Book of the 1963 to 1967 Stingray" on page 214 which appears to be a 66 dash!?!?! THe one I have may be a 66 too it is dated 1965 on the back but I cannot tell what month.
Thanks again.
Bill

[Joe R.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

All clusters from 63-67 had the areas you pointed out painted from the factory. There were no exceptions.

JR

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

Thanks Jim and Dan for your quick replies. Ill wait and see if anyone else responds. As I said I have one where the chrome is exposed and also there is one in MF Dobbins "Fact Book of the 1963 to 1967 Stingray" on page 214 which appears to be a 66 dash!?!?! THe one I have may be a 66 too it is dated 1965 on the back but I cannot tell what month.
Thanks again.
Bill

MF Dobbins book is 30 years old and has many mistakes. I have owned 2 very original 65's that were painted and if that's not enough, here's a picture of a 65 with 15K original miles, multiple National Top Flight car that also has the received the Duntov Mark of Excellence award. Case closed.

[William H.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

Thanks SO much for your Help! Ill leave it painted!
Bill

[Dick W.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

MF Dobbins book is 30 years old and has many mistakes. I have owned 2 very original 65's that were painted and if that's not enough, here's a picture of a 65 with 15K original miles, multiple National Top Flight car that also has the received the Duntov Mark of Excellence award. Case closed.

Unfortunately there were many mistakes in all of Dob's books. He tried hard though

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

Unfortunately there were many mistakes in all of Dob's books. He tried hard though

His books are a decent source of info. but should be taken with a grain of salt. Unfortunately there are "internet experts" that have ZERO experience examining/owning original cars or even restored a Corvette that swear their car, that was modified to match an erroneous photo in Dobbins book, has to be original. Even after showing them irrefutable evidence, consisting of REAL original photos and documents written by those that were there actually building these cars in the 60's, they are still in denial. I guess you can't fix stupid. This is not directed at the O.P.

[William H.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

I guess on the other side of the coin. It's a picture of a book from 30 years ago. Before Half the cars in the world were restored to match an NCRS Judging guide that may or may not match all original cars.
I just saw the one in the book. And the one that I bought at a swap meet that appears to not have been modified and I thought well maybee in 1966 the factory changed it. So that is why I asked. Not because I was going to modify my car to match the book and the other original I have. But, because I wanted to learn if there was a change somewhere. The 2 c2's I have came from someone who thought the NCRS was stupid and that cars are only original once. One of them is very original though and he mostly left it that way (The 65) the other is completely un original and he mostly made it that way.
Thanks again for all the help
Bill

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Dash Cluster Chrome Vs Black

Bill, I admire your search for the correct info. on the way they were actually built. That has been my goal for decades. Unfortunately, some/many, modified their original cars to match what someone writes in a book with no regard to how they were actually built (and that includes the Judging Manual). I build my cars to replicate what I've seen in my 45+years of owing/restoring them, not what I've read in a book. Bottom line, leave your dash the way it is and disregard what you've read elsewhere.