65 AC Dash Modification

[Michael M.]

Hi, I have finally found a nice 65 Dash panel or instrument panel for my car. Can anyone post a picture of the modification that has to be made to a non ac dash to be used in an ac car? Thanks, Mike

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Hi, I have finally found a nice 65 Dash panel or instrument panel for my car. Can anyone post a picture of the modification that has to be made to a non ac dash to be used in an ac car? Thanks, Mike

If we're talking about the metal part with the instuments, the cuts and holes on the bottom edge were shown / discussed in a post August 14-20 2008 started by David Duell. My post #10 in this thread shows some pics.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=62917

[John H.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Hi, I have finally found a nice 65 Dash panel or instrument panel for my car. Can anyone post a picture of the modification that has to be made to a non ac dash to be used in an ac car? Thanks, Mike

Mike -

I don't have a template, but it will need two more holes (with crescent cutouts) for the two added A/C control cables, plus the slot above them for the center outlet bezel and duct.

[Michael M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

If we're talking about the metal part with the instuments, the cuts and holes on the bottom edge were shown / discussed in a post August 14-20 2008 started by David Duell. My post #10 in this thread shows some pics.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=62917

Thanks Wayne. I need to see exactly what to cut out of the panel. I am not sure its clear to me in you picts as the collar for the column is hiding most of it. I might post a picture to show mine. Mike

[Michael M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Mike -

I don't have a template, but it will need two more holes (with crescent cutouts) for the two added A/C control cables, plus the slot above them for the center outlet bezel and duct.

Thanks John! But I was the refering to the piece you either break off or cut on the instrument panel housning when using a non air cluster in an air car. Mike

[John H.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Thanks John! But I was the refering to the piece you either break off or cut on the instrument panel housning when using a non air cluster in an air car. Mike

Michael -

There was no difference between an A/C and a non-A/C cluster; they all had both cutouts as-cast. Clusters only varied by the installed gauges.

[Michael M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Michael -

There was no difference between an A/C and a non-A/C cluster; they all had both cutouts as-cast. Clusters only varied by the installed gauges.

John, I bought this from Roger Scott at Corvette Instrument and in his email he stated that it was from a non air car and that it had not been cutout for an air car. I will have to check with him again and get him to explain. Maybe I misunderstood his email. I`ll be back. Thanks, Mike

[Jim S.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Hi, I have finally found a nice 65 Dash panel or instrument panel for my car. Can anyone post a picture of the modification that has to be made to a non ac dash to be used in an ac car? Thanks, Mike

Michael,

I am not sure what you are asking , but here are some pictures of a 66 A/C center panel for your review.If that is in fact what you are asking about! If you are indeed asking about the Gauge Cluster, I do not believe there is any difference betweewn A/C and Non A/C


Jim

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

....I bought this from Roger Scott at Corvette Instrument and in his email he stated that it was from a non air car and that it had not been cutout for an air car....

Mike -- yes the non-air instrument panel has to be cut for the relocated headlight roll switch. IIRC (it's been 15 months since I compared my '65 non-air with my air panel) when you do this step (shown in the AIM, UPC C60 Sheet E7 --- "the tab" is bigger than shown in their diagram) then the outboard hole for the left hand kick panel cable bracket on a non-air car (which is part of this tab) is no longer available; hence the mounting of the LH cable to the right of the steering column [of course, with C60 the RH kick vent is controlled from the center dash panel, by the clock].

I'll try and get a pic on my non-air dash (unfortunately now back in the car). There's a line in the casting, but personally I wouldn't try to "break off" without a lot of experience. Cutting sounds like the way to go.

[Loren L.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

It's been my understanding that the only clusters that did NOT have the second headlight switch cutout would be the first 11,000+ found in 1963s, ala "pre A/C". I know that 10706 did not have it but 15018 did.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

It's been my understanding that the only clusters that did NOT have the second headlight switch cutout would be the first 11,000+ found in 1963s, ala "pre A/C". I know that 10706 did not have it but 15018 did.

Thanks for the info on 2nd headlight sw. cutouts starting (roughly) just past mid-1963 MY and continuing (probably) throughout the C2 run.
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(To all) ... But the inboard cutout is too narrow to accept the simple repositioning of the switch without breaking off the (thicker) tab with the hole for the outboard screw of the LH kick pad vent cable bracket.

The thumbnail pic (w/mirror shot of backside) is from my late '65 L78 (ie. no air, panel ink stamp dated Jul 26 1965) and shows a "step" in the back edge of the panel casting. The width at the edge is what's required for the h/l sw. The narrower / thicker section is that required for the screw (you can see the self-tapping thread marks.

At extreme top of pic you can see a larger factory hole (13/64" dia, no thread marks) which is for the inboard screw (a flat nut goes on topside) of the switch. That big 'Bubba' hole between the two vent cable screw holes was originally the other (inboard) switch hole of the same 13/64" size. The earlier owner probably installed a toggle (kill ?) switch. So where did he move the cable bracket to ? Answer, the unused pair of screw holes to the inboard side of the outboard s/l switch cutout (the pair used in '64 and '65 for the rear compartment blower control on coupes without 36 gal).

P.S. the original (unthreaded) holes on the bottom edge of the instr. panel for self-tapping screws are 9/64" in diameter, and (depending on whether your panel was from a coupe or convertible, certain of those small holes should be virgins).

[Jim S.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Wayne and Michael ,

I Stand corrected!

Here are pictures of two clusters . I had no idea ther was any difference until this posting.

The LA is from a known 66 A/C car I bought from a friend ,and the LD is from God knows where. It was given to me by another friend who thought I would like it ! I was goint to pick the best of the two to use in my restoration of my 66 A/C roadster. Now I guess that question is mute , and I will be restoring the LA one .


JIm

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Wayne and Michael ,

I Stand corrected!

Here are pictures of two clusters . I had no idea ther was any difference until this posting.

The LA is from a known 66 A/C car I bought from a friend ,and the LD is from God knows where. It was given to me by another friend who thought I would like it ! I was goint to pick the best of the two to use in my restoration of my 66 A/C roadster. Now I guess that question is mute , and I will be restoring the LA one ..

Nice pictures, Jim -- now we can really see the differences. However, your LD cluster is the one with the headlight rollup switch tab cutout already done; the LA is the panel for a non-air car, with its cutout still intact.

[Jim S.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Nice pictures, Jim -- now we can really see the differences. However, your LD cluster is the one with the headlight rollup switch tab cutout already done; the LA is the panel for a non-air car, with its cutout still intact.

Wayne ,

Well now I am really confused ! The LA cluster came out of an A/C car. I saw it before it came out , and there was no doubt it was an original A/C car. It is the LD cluster that I had no idea about where it came from . Or so I thought ! I did take the gauges out off both at one time and I guess I must have swapped the back plates. Thanks for saving me some time Wayne!

I guess now I will go with the Ld for my 66 A/C resto.

Isn't this fun ?

Jim

[Michael M.]

Re: 65 AC Dash Modification

Hi Fellas, Sorry it was a pretty day and I was working on my boat but I also did manage to take a couple of pictures of my non air bezel. Thanks to all for the other pictures as I see exactly where to cut mine.