Echo Robert Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 i've attached a picture of the instrument panel on m 1929 Dictator. The surface of it is best described as 'rough or bubbly'. Was it supposed to have some kind of inlay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Huston Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) The outer bezel round the instrument cluster was plated either nickel/chrome (not sure which) and etched design around the outer bezel was highlighted with black paint in the etched design. The bezels around the individual instruments was also plated either nickel/chrome. The area between the outer bezel and the individual instruments was painted a very pale yellow. I have a friend who has a restored late 28 Dictator and I can attach a picture of his instrument cluster when I get over to his house later on Friday. In the mean time, I have attached a picture of the unrestored instrument panel for my 29 President. This is the same basic cluster with the exception of an extra opening for the clock.Note: The pale yellow in my picture looks white on the instrument cluster. Edited December 8, 2009 by Mark Huston Added note. (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Mark is correct, see the photo in response #16 in:http://forums.aaca.org/f126/dictator-registry-250878-2.htmlStude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Huston Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I have attached a picture of my instrument panel before I took it apart (am rewiring the car). In this picture you can see the contrast between the pale yellow of the instrument panel and the bright white of the individual instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Since we are talking about instrument panels, I have a question! Does anyone know if the sticker with 'The Dictator' for the 1928 models is available somewhere? It should be above the instrument cluster.I do have a small tag with 'The Dictator'on it, but that is for the 1929 models. Carine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29jester Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I think the correct color for this was called Ivory, which some of the adds or catalogs say was avalable. The sticker for ' The Dictator" or ' The Commander' was on the regal for the Commander and Royal for the Dictator. To my knowlege nobody has made these for the cars but they were a water transfer? put on after the dash was done, but just not sure. I also think the finish was refured to as butler finish which is nickel plated. Lanny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Robert Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Interesting....I'd never heard of "The Dictator" tag. Does anyone have a picture of what it looked like? I found someone here in oregon that refinishes instrument clusters and I might want that included. I do have a 1929 Dictator Royal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Huston Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 The decals with the model name “The President”, “The Dictator" or “The Commander”, was located in the center of the dash above the middle of the instrument cluster. If you look carefully at the picture of my dash in picture #4 above you can see the remains of the decal (looks like a brown scratchy blotch now). They remind me of the water transfer decals we used to apply to model plans when I was a kid. I have not scene a Studebaker of this vintage with one that was complete or in good condition. They either have cracked and flaked off or have been partially removed (reminds me when my kids picked the decal off the front of our piano). I do not know of anyone who has reproduced the decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Robert Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Mark, I see now what you are referring to. Thanks again for the information! Did you restore your own Ins. panel and gauges? I ask as I'm trying to decide (gauge?) doing it myself vs. having someone else work on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Huston Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Did you restore your own Ins. panel and gauges? QUOTE]I have not had the either the instrument panel, or gauges restored. The instrument panel is still original as is the face of all of the gauges. The clock and the speedometer have been repaired, but not restored. I once had a neighbor who was a retired clock repairman. He worked on my clock and got it working correctly internally – exterior is still original. I had a speedometer shop in <ST1:p<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:City>Sacramento re</ST1:ppair the speedometer as best as they could – the trip odometer does not work. The problem with the instruments on our vintage Studebakers is the pot metal (also know as zinc die cast or white metal) that was used in making the instruments. The internal workings of the speedometer is pot metal, as is the fuel gauge. The only thing I have left of my fuel gauge is the face, on the backside the pot metal gauge mechanism is broken away. The speedometer is the same problem; which is why the repair shop could not get the trip odometer working. The pot metal body and internal parts are cracked and swelling which is binding the gears and shafts of the trip odometer. The temperature gauge, amp, and oil pressure are still original and in good working condition. My only suggestion is if you are going to send out your gauges for repair make sure whoever gets them is familiar with working on gauges of this vintage that are made of pot metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Interesting....I'd never heard of "The Dictator" tag. This is what I'm talking about, the sticker is from a 1928 model and the plate is from a 1929.There should also be a plate with 'made by Studebaker' on the dash. Problem with the sticker is that you can probably have one made, but only from a very good original and that's a problem I guess. Carine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Forgot the pics, sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Robert Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 'Good old Days' Thanks for the picture-that helps to see what I'm looking for or have recreated. I might not be able to find the exact duplicate, but I think people in the graphic design world could replicate fairly close - then transfer to some type of decal paper and 'viola' you have your own dictator tag! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 No thanks Robert! My Dictator should have the one on the right, the 1928 one.If ever you get one like that, please be so kind to keep me posted! I want one too! Did you get to see the thread from the Dictator register? I hope we will have one! A good Studebaker year in 2010!:cool: Carine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Pink Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hi, there is a 1928 Dictator on ebay at the moment, there is a good photo of the Dictator sticker above the instrument panel, if anyone is interested. Studebaker:eBay Motors (item 120515415029 end time Jan-18-10 07:09:31 PST)Regards, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Robert Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Thanks Dave, I saw it there also....good straight on picture. The printing places around here weren't interested in the set up that would be required for a one time replicated printing...was going to run in the hundreds of dollars. Must be someone out there with some ingenuity.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Just to give you an idea to get a decal produced economically, about 35 years ago I was an officer in the Chicagoland Avanti Owners Assn and we had a member that was in sales for Meyercord Co. a big at that time decal house. Our member had some inside influence and friends in the production dept so we could get our annual membership window decals for free. The way it was done he would take camera ready artwork to someone in the art dept and they would produce the production art for say a 4 color Gold leaf trim, Red Avanti body, with black text over white background and then run them on the margin of a production job for a paying customer that was having at least those 4 colors in their decal. They would shear them off the production sheets before they customer work was shipped. For years we had the sharpest quality decals around, for free (well maybe not including the cost of a lunch for the production mgr). Stude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I know a guy here who had decals like these made for his toy production. He can do these, too if you like. PM me or email me for his info. keiser31@charter.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Here is the information on the water transfer decal maker for the dashboard decal.....Custom Made Decals and Vinyl Bumper Sticker Printing from PsPrint - Print also Custom Made Die Cut Stickers and Decals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdon Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I just received gauges and speedometer/odometer for a '37 Dictator back from being reconditioned at Bob's Speedometer in Michigan. Superb job. Took a while, and was not cheap. Now that they are back, and look brand new, I am happy with the wait. You would have to Google them, and email them about your particular situation. They were very honest and straightforward with me, and did everything they said they would do, and well. I will not know if anything will work correctly for a while, but sure looks nice. PS: They did not do the 0-100 face for me. It is plastic, and I already have a near perfect one. I don't know if they do that, or what it looks like if they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Robert Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Here is the information on the water transfer decal maker for the dashboard decal.....Custom Made Decals and Vinyl Bumper Sticker Printing from PsPrint - Print also Custom Made Die Cut Stickers and DecalsOkay Dictator owners out there---I'm going to contact the above company to see if they can reprint "The Dictator" decal that's been discussed in this thread. Only problem, I don't have access to a high resolution, straight on picture of one to send to them! Does anyone have access to an 'in reasonably good shape' decal still on their dash that they can take a digital picture of and email me?thanks for your help!Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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