The beautiful dash lights of the 30s and 40s

[MarkV]

I recently installed my dash light harness on my 1940 Champion and was reflecting how beautiful the dash lights were even in economy models! These are running the original 6 volt but with an entire new harness throughout the car and dash. Share yours here too! 

Edited June 29, 2023 by MarkV (see edit history)

[m-mman]

1942 Hudson Commodore 

 

 

Hudson used ONLY TWO bulbs in the upper corners. These are LEDs 

 

 

Three bulbs - the clock has its own. 

 

 

I believe that Hudson was first with warning lights.  They called them "Tele-Flash" 

 

[marcapra]

Very nice!  I am now wiring my 48 DeSoto dash, so I'll take some pics when it's finished.  The DeSoto dash looks like a chromey juke box.  With lights, if should be nice.  A lot of people don't know this, but Hudson's are fantastic looking cars!  I usually never see them, just as you probably never see DeSotos, but during the San Diego DeSoto convention a few years ago, I learned that there was a Hudson, Terraplane, Essex convention 20 miles north, so I went to it and was stunned.  I've never knew there were that many Hudsons left!  

Edited June 29, 2023 by marcapra (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Wes, I think the pictures above show, not only

that the dashboards are cool, but that you are

an excellent photographer.

[sftamx1]

I was thrilled when I rewired my 32 and also 33 Terraplanes and saw the dash lights for the first time. They were one of the first to use indirect instrument lighting. The '33 used a stencil pattern. These are original type 6 volt bulbs.   Here's pics in day and lit up in darkness.

[marcapra]

That drive range instrument must be something new for that year.  I have a drive range on my 17 Kia Optima, but never knew a Terraplane would have one!  

[marcapra]

Mmmann,  I've never seen an oil gauge and generator gauge just say NO!  Maybe they invented the Nancy Reagan slogan?  

[MarkV]

On 6/29/2023 at 5:26 AM, John_S_in_Penna said:

Wes, I think the pictures above show, not only

that the dashboards are cool, but that you are

an excellent photographer.

Thank you! Just used my iPhone 13 it did a pretty good job I took these at dusk. 

[Graham Man]

1933 Graham at speed... the glass is beveled on the side that is why you see double, love the Flying Lady hood ornament silhouette at night, entire new experiance at night driving

[Brass is Best]

Here are a few. 1931 Cadillac 370-A, 1931 Ford, 1932 Ford, 1936 Packard Super 8, 1937 Cord, 1940 Ford, 1941 Chevrolet, 1937 Cord.

 

[wayne sheldon]

B-i-B, I remember when I was about three to five years old. Riding in the back of the 1941 Chevrolet sedan my dad had at that time, I would stand behind the front seat and look over his shoulder at the beautiful gauges lit up at night when we went places. I still remember the little red light at the bottom of the speedometer that blinked off and on as he hit the headlight dimmer switch with his foot. We would often travel at night, sometimes considerable distances. I would sometimes stand behind his seat the entire hundred plus miles to my grandparent's place past Modesto California (we lived in San Jose). By the time I was five, I knew every turn on the old roads those days, day or night. There was no freeway going there yet.

I have always loved the look of lit up gauges in 1930s and 1940s cars!

[EmTee]

I'm enjoying this thread. 

 

For some interesting dashboard designs of the Buick variety look here: https://forums.aaca.org/topic/311976-the-wide-variety-of-buick-dashboard-designs/#comment-1756749

[Brass is Best]

7 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

B-i-B, I remember when I was about three to five years old. Riding in the back of the 1941 Chevrolet sedan my dad had at that time, I would stand behind the front seat and look over his shoulder at the beautiful gauges lit up at night when we went places. I still remember the little red light at the bottom of the speedometer that blinked off and on as he hit the headlight dimmer switch with his foot. We would often travel at night, sometimes considerable distances. I would sometimes stand behind his seat the entire hundred plus miles to my grandparent's place past Modesto California (we lived in San Jose). By the time I was five, I knew every turn on the old roads those days, day or night. There was no freeway going there yet.

I have always loved the look of lit up gauges in 1930s and 1940s cars!

Great story, thanks for sharing.

 

[Brass is Best]

Here are a few more: 1931 Packard, 1941 Chevrolet, 1947 Chevrolet, 1936 Ford, 1937 Packard, 1941 Cadillac, 1936 DeSoto.

[DFeeney]

The singer Tom Watts used this  phrase in his song "Phantom 309"   and I think it applies here.     The dash was lit up like the "Old Madam La Rue pinball machine.    What a pleasant visual thought.

[1935Packard]

We had a thread on this a few years ago, I think, although I can't find it right now.  Anyway, '34 Packard:

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 hours ago, DFeeney said:

The singer Tom Watts used this  phrase in his song "Phantom 309"   and I think it applies here.     The dash was lit up like the "Old Madam La Rue pinball machine.    What a pleasant visual thought.

 

 Red Sovine did this song as well.  I do not know which was first. Tom Waits was on the east coast, Red Sovine was out west.  Several difference in lyrics to tell the same story.

 

  Ben 

[30DodgePanel]

55 minutes ago, 1935Packard said:

We had a thread on this a few years ago, I think, although I can't find it right now.  Anyway, '34 Packard:

 

 

Is this the thread you were thinking of?

 

 

[1935Packard]

1 hour ago, 30DodgePanel said:

 

Is this the thread you were thinking of?

 

 

 

I think it was an earlier one in 2020 specifically about instrument panel lights. 

[Suarvez]

Wow those really are nice. Talk about some class!

[Den41Buick]

1941 Buick lights at night. Beautiful dashboard during daylight too.

 

 

[vintage1]

Someone should create a coffee table book with just photos of these classic car gauges illuminated.