Instruments

The starting point:

I've been looking for ideas for the dash.  After looking at a variety of dash inserts, I've concluded that I prefer an unadorned dashboard like this 1932 Ford dash.  I think this is the direction we'll take with this car.  I'd like to use vintage convex-glass Stewart-Warner gauges similar to the ones shown here:

In the latter part of 2010, I began having some second thoughts about having such a "busy" instrument panel.  One day I was envisioning the dash of my great uncle Jim McLaughlin's 1936 Plymouth.  On this

car, there was a single round central gauge housing with a speedometer that was surrounded by the fuel, water temperature, oil pressure, and ammeter indicators.  I found an image of one which proved that my recollection was correct.  I also recalled that the 1940 and -41 Lincoln Zephyrs had a similar integrated display.  I decided to find one of these combined gauges to use in the center of the Plymouth roadster's dash.  I really had no preference as long as I could find one in good condition.  As luck would have it, the first one I located (through the H.A.M.B. by the way) was a reconditioned 1941 Lincoln Zephyr unit.  I acquired it and will now have to figure out how I want to integrate it into the dash.This is the 1941 Lincoln-Zephyr speedometer/gauge cluster I acquired.

This unit is 7" in diameter.

Another Change of Heart...

8-1-2011 - As I considered what it might take to mount a large speedometer/gauge cluster or a series of large individual gauges, I decided the original dash panel was simply too nice to cut up.  I also decided that the expense of crafting a completely new dash panel, with its compound curves and multiple reinforcement weldments, was more than I was willing to undertake. 

I recalled seeing a polished aluminum dash insert specifically for the Model PB Plymouth on an eBay listing.  I looked for the listing on eBay, but the item was no longer available.  I proceeded to do a Google search on "1932 Plymouth dash insert" and found a listing for Williams Street Rods in Humboldt, Illinois.  It turned out that they had exactly what I wanted.  In fact, I had planned to buy a polished insert and then "machine turn" it myself.  Williams offers the machine turned finish as an option.  They also allowed me to specify the diameters of the speedometer and instrument openings to accommodate the modern gauges that I intend to use.  Here's what the custom made insert looks like just resting in the dash with no instruments installed --

It's now 17 July, 2012.  Deron sent me a photo today of the view from the driver's perspective.  How cool is this?!