Correct finish for 1929 Series 65 instrument panel query

[Narve N]

I am trying to solve the mystery of how the instrument panel of a Series 65 originally looked like, was it a plain black painted finish, or was it nickel plated or engine turned, and also: did the Series 65 as the Series 75 (partial photo enclosed) have golden paint lettering around each instrument? I do have a very original looking panel with some flakes of Gold paint along the bottom indicating a similar finish as the Ser 75. Anyone know the right answer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2017 by Narve N
Uploaded too many pictures (see edit history)

[Sasha39]

Hi Narve, I think that all answers are correct as with today you can get any sort of changes to the standard finish for a little bit more cash, I think that the standard would have been a black finish but you could get it changed or get an after market part to fit, here is an example of the gold border. Hope it helps.

 

[ch1929]

Black background with a thin gold pinstripe around the gauges. This is from my Model 65 "unrestored".

[Narve N]

Excellent news. The thin pinstripe for Series 65 is then nothing as elaborate as what is found around each gauge on the Series 75. Is the panel's black background also semigloss (as compared to the main dash on ch1929 picture?)

[ch1929]

Yes! And I should have said the stripes are silver, not gold. I hope that helps.

[Sasha39]

Hi ch1929,

 

By your photo it looks like you might have a Sedan and as I'm working on one at the moment any chance of showing us some more photos of your car? 

[Sasha39]

Hey Narve,

 

Managed to get this for you.

[ch1929]

 

If you would  like more detailed photos just let me know.

[Reg Evans]

Oh wow !  I like that extra brake fluid canister.  Does anyone sell those ?

 

 

[Sasha39]

Thank you ch1929, a beautiful original car would love to see what the inside looks like.

Thank you again! this is where I'm at with my sedan

[Vintageben]

Hi all, Im new to this forum and new to the Chrysler game. I have previously always been a Chev man but about 18 months ago I purchased a 29 Chrysler 65 sedan as I'm in Australia this sedan is a little different to the local ones in that it was fully imported from new and has a Hayes body. The car it's self is in fair condition but we have been having a few mechanical issues, thinking maybe an engine rebuild before long. The dash in the car has been painted by the previous owner but I also recieved a plain polished panel with it . I will try and post some photos later if work doesn't get in the road. cheers Vintageben

 

[Vintageben]

Here's a couple of photos of my sedan . I was trying to find the other instrument panel but remembered we packed it up out of flood hieght a few weeks ago and haven't retrieved it yet 

[Sasha39]

Does anyone know what it that triangle on the back wheel guard

is and what does it stand for?

[Vintageben]

Yeah as far as I know it stood for the car having 4 wheel brakes at a time when many 2 wheel brake cars were still on the road this was on the car when I got it and there is bloke up the road with Chrysler 65 and his has it as well.

[Sasha39]

Thanks Vintageben, nice car!

 

[ch1929]

18 hours ago, Reg Evans said:

Oh wow !  I like that extra brake fluid canister.  Does anyone sell those ?

 

 

The canister is the supply tank for the master cylinder. I have only seen a couple for sale at the flea markets over the years.

[JACK M]

Where I live an orange triangle (albeit somewhat larger) is a warning of a slow moving vehicle like a farm tractor or the likes. It is required.

[Narve N]

On 3.5.2017 at 1:56 PM, ch1929 said:

The canister is the supply tank for the master cylinder. I have only seen a couple for sale at the flea markets over the years.

This issue has been addressed in this Forum previously, sift through old posts. It is apparently a still available item for other purposes.

 

[Narve N]

Since we are expanding a bit on the subject, has anyone down-under seen a car with this type of warning sign?

This is taken from "The Autmobile" a few years back and shows an Australian Series 62 displaying a stark warning to would-be thieves as the car is equipped with FEDCO registration. Does anyone have a sign like this to sell me, or to take a high resolution photo of for me to make a replica of? Apparently my blue Series 65 had a sign like this  when new (assembled in CAN for UK market with RHD), judging from the four small screw holes to the left of the instruments.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Narve N (see edit history)

[Sasha39]

Not exactly what you're after, but anyway some examples for you, good luck in finding what you are after.

Edited May 6, 2017 by Sasha39 (see edit history)

[Chrycoman]

 

The tags appear to be the type attached to cars with hydraulic brakes by supporters of mechanical brakes.  The mechanical brake crowd used to push the fact that the fluid in hydraulic brakes were known to leak and thus you had no brakes.  Hence the "You ride in this car at your own risk" attitude..

 

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Narve N]

Excellent replies. Could it be that this is an early sort of insurance disclaimer? The driver will not take responsibility of whatever occurs with the passengers?

Edited May 7, 2017 by Narve N (see edit history)

[Chrycoman]

It is more of the "You put your life in jeopardy if you ride in this car", not whether or not the driver will take responsibility for his passengers.  If the owner of the car has insurance covering his passengers, the insurance company will cover them.  If not, the passengers are on their own.   Also, it seems a strange item for a car owner with no insurance to place on his car.  Those plates were riveted on the car and not easy to remove if the owner, or next owner, decided to get insurance.

 

Must also remember back then most, if not all, states / provinces had no requirements that car owners had to have insurance.  It was a totally different world for cars, and car owners, before WW II.    

 

Bill

Vancouver, BC

 

[Narve N]

"You put your life in jeopardy if you ride in this car",

that sounds a bit strange compared to any other known car sales talk or general pride of ownership. No dealer or owner would like to claim that their car was rubbish and dangerous to ride in?

[Spinneyhill]

1 hour ago, Narve N said:

"You put your life in jeopardy if you ride in this car",

that sounds a bit strange compared to any other known car sales talk or general pride of ownership. No dealer or owner would like to claim that their car was rubbish and dangerous to ride in?

 

Maybe it also is a joke on the driver - are they reckless or careful or a maniac or a wannabe racing driver or ?

[keiser31]

Probably more of a gag thing. I had a similar one in my '68 Road Runner, but it was a sticker and not a plate.

[Chrycoman]

 

Auto manufacturers were serious about the dangers of riding in cars with hydraulic brakes.  In the mid-1920's there were numerous ads extolling the virtues of steel-to-steel mechanical brakes and the dangers of hydraulic brakes that leaked.  Hydraulic brakes did have one positive effect on car manufacturers wedded to mechanical brakes - the adoption of four wheel mechanical brakes.  In the early 1920's mechanical brakes were installed only on the rear wheels/axle, or in several cases, the driveshaft. 

 

In 1921 there were 84 makes in production and almost all had the service brakes external contracting on the rear drums and internal expanding emergency brakes on the same drums.  Some, like Cleveland, Jackson, Lexington, Maxwell and Nash, had the emergency brake at rear of the transmission, while Franklin, Holmes and Mercer used that driveshaft brake for their service brakes.and the rear wheels for the emergency. 

 

By 1925 there were 60 makes in production, 10 with 4-wheel mechanical and 16 with hydraulics.  The rest with 2-wheel mechanical.

 

For the 44 1928 makes in production, the following 18 cars had hydraulic brakes - Auburn, Chrysler, Diana, Dodge Brothers, Elcar, Franklin, Gardner, Graham-Paige, Jordan, Kissel, McFarlan, Moon, Paige, Peerless, Reo, Stutz, Velie, Wolverine,  The remaining makes had 4-wheel mechanical brakes - Ford was the last to drop 2-wheel brakes with the arrival of the Model A for 1928.  Of the hydraulic users, only Chrysler, Dodge Brothers, and Graham-Paige built more than 50,000 cars a year.  One make, Hupmobile, used hydraulics in 1925 and dropped them in 1926, not switching to hydraulics for good until the 2nd series 1935 models.

 

All other makes switched :  Buick - 1936; Cadillac - 1936; Chevrolet - 1936; Ford - 1939; Hudson - 1936; Hupmobile - 2nd series 1935; Lafayette - 1936; LaSalle  - 1936; Lincoln-Zephyr -  1939; Mercury - 1939; Nash - 1935; Oldsmobile - 1934; Packard 8-120 - 1935; Packard - All models - 1937; Pontiac - 1935; Studebaker - 1935; Terraplane -  1936; Willys (except model 48) - 1939.

 

So, yes, the anti-hydraulic, pro-mechanical, brake push was neither a joke nor a gag being played on other motorists.  There were some large, serious players in the auto industry trying to kill off the hydraulic brake system and preserve mechanical brakes in the mid-1920's.  The largest manufacturer of mechanical brakes, by far, was Bendix.  Midland was a small second player in the market (Durant, Hupmobile, and some Nash models) .  Bendix eventually came up with their own hydraulic brakes which were used primarily by General Motors, Hudson, Nash and Packard.

 

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[28 Chrysler]

There was a group that were against 4 wheel brakes of any kind. 

The logic was a car could not be steered with the brakes applied, the rear wheels would not have as much traction when the front dived and the rear lifted