47 Chrysler Royal dash

[marcapra]

I was admiring this Royal and especially the beautiful dash.  But I have a question on the dash.  Every postwar Chrysler I have seen has a painted dashboard in a solid color.  This one is woodgrained.  I think it has been redone, but did the Royal models have woodgrained dashboards, if anyone knows?  If I can get my 48 DeSoto looking and driving as nicely as this one, I'll be happy.  

 

 

[christianad1156]

The parts books says there was a "french walnut grain" and a "walnut burl grain" for the dash for the various model codes.  The book also lists a "straight double grain walnut" that was only available on the C40.  I've never seen one in person but I've seen original garnish moulding around the windows in one of those options.  The video looks pretty close to what I saw so I would believe it could be original to this car or at least taken from a different car. 

 

I'm almost certain the wood grains wouldn't have been tied to the model (i.e. walnut burl grain is available for C38s, C39s, and C40s)  However, you got me thinking about what they might be a part of...by that I mean I don't know if they were part of the paint code or trim code perhaps.  Maybe there were just another option somewhere.  I just don't see it listed as part of the trim code, paint code, or any other option.

 

It looks like at least one of the wood grains would have been paired with the "neutral mottled" plastic (white-ish pieces like the glove box in the video).  I saw the original window mouldings in a group close to several mottled plastic in a junk yard.  My guess is that they were spares from somebody's project and not a coincidence.  Also, one of the pictures below is from the data book which shows the neutral and wood grain combo.

 

The picture from one of the Crown Imperial Sedan brochure looks to show the plastic matching the other mouldings; specifically the glove box door. 

 

Christian