Continuing work on my 69 383 Formula S fastback - interior/dash
so far, i've installed the borgeson power steering box and the mopar mini-starter and a nice OEM replacement positive battery cable.
i've restored and repainted the replacement OEM power steering column and it is ready to install. it's now a nice factory looking flat black.
now, i'm tearing up the interior starting with the dash. one of our fellow FABO fans had a BEAUTIFUL and "NOS" factory tach that i snatched from him off of the classified ads here the moment he advertised it. it was a bit expensive, however, the FABO guy was a straight-shooter and nice to deal and he sold it to me for what he had paid for it. it's a sad thought, but you really do have to spend money on these cars to get them to look the way they did when new or to be "authentic." i've posted a picture of the NOS factory tach and one that is currently available from "Herb's Parts" and there just isn't any comparison. if you want your old mopar to look "right", i suggest saving up and getting the best OEM parts you can find even if it takes you longer to finish the car and you can only buy one or a few parts at a time. i think you will see how dramatic the difference is from the below pics between an aftermarket reproduction A-body Tachometer and the "real deal" OEM 1969 Plymouth Tach.
i have also posted pics of a new reproduction dash speaker i purchased from Classic Industries. i thought the price was fair ($60.00 i believe) and it is a direct replacement for the factory 4"x10" original dash speaker. however, the new speakers CANNOT be used with the old radios! apparently there is an amperage difference between the old 60's parts and the electronics produced today. i am going to buy one of those "modern conversion" AM/FM radios that several vendors now have. unfortunately, those radios are pretty expensive, so i will probably not get that until next month.
i'm also doing a new dash bezel - probably from Classic Industries. i am going to compare prices from one of the other vendors that are selling these. these dash assemblies are also VERY expensive! but given that my car is an original, numbers matching 69 Formula S fastback 383 4 speed, the car is worth investing money in for good parts. it's just painful to see the big prices for nice parts deducted from my bank account.
my original dash assembly had two electric board pegs broken so i had to replace the main circuit board. you'll see that there are two different colored boards. apparently Plymouth must have changed vendors sometime during the 67-69 run for the Barracudas ending up with dash circuit boards of different colors. fortunately, i was able to get all the parts i needed from my own "parts bin."
here are some pics of everything...
View attachment 1715638292
View attachment 1715638293
so far, i've installed the borgeson power steering box and the mopar mini-starter and a nice OEM replacement positive battery cable.
i've restored and repainted the replacement OEM power steering column and it is ready to install. it's now a nice factory looking flat black.
now, i'm tearing up the interior starting with the dash. one of our fellow FABO fans had a BEAUTIFUL and "NOS" factory tach that i snatched from him off of the classified ads here the moment he advertised it. it was a bit expensive, however, the FABO guy was a straight-shooter and nice to deal and he sold it to me for what he had paid for it. it's a sad thought, but you really do have to spend money on these cars to get them to look the way they did when new or to be "authentic." i've posted a picture of the NOS factory tach and one that is currently available from "Herb's Parts" and there just isn't any comparison. if you want your old mopar to look "right", i suggest saving up and getting the best OEM parts you can find even if it takes you longer to finish the car and you can only buy one or a few parts at a time. i think you will see how dramatic the difference is from the below pics between an aftermarket reproduction A-body Tachometer and the "real deal" OEM 1969 Plymouth Tach.
i have also posted pics of a new reproduction dash speaker i purchased from Classic Industries. i thought the price was fair ($60.00 i believe) and it is a direct replacement for the factory 4"x10" original dash speaker. however, the new speakers CANNOT be used with the old radios! apparently there is an amperage difference between the old 60's parts and the electronics produced today. i am going to buy one of those "modern conversion" AM/FM radios that several vendors now have. unfortunately, those radios are pretty expensive, so i will probably not get that until next month.
i'm also doing a new dash bezel - probably from Classic Industries. i am going to compare prices from one of the other vendors that are selling these. these dash assemblies are also VERY expensive! but given that my car is an original, numbers matching 69 Formula S fastback 383 4 speed, the car is worth investing money in for good parts. it's just painful to see the big prices for nice parts deducted from my bank account.
my original dash assembly had two electric board pegs broken so i had to replace the main circuit board. you'll see that there are two different colored boards. apparently Plymouth must have changed vendors sometime during the 67-69 run for the Barracudas ending up with dash circuit boards of different colors. fortunately, i was able to get all the parts i needed from my own "parts bin."
here are some pics of everything...
View attachment 1715638292
View attachment 1715638293
