68 Barracuda Dash Frame - Gloss or satin?

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sydcuda

sydcuda

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I'm repainting the dash frame for my 68, for the 3rd time. I had it painted a gloss black epoxy enamel which looked quite OK, but I suspect the factory paint was a satin black. But if I go with a satin black the dash won't match the gloss black on the tops of the doors. Was this how the factory did it? I'm really in two minds on whether to go gloss or satin. What's the consensus?

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Personally I would use the Satin Black from Totally Auto. Theyre the closest to Authentic Chrysler paints that i use. http://www.totallyautoinc.com/
I've tried to use the satin blacks from Lowes but it drys to be more of a charcoal or lightened version.
By the way is that a right hand drive?? Awesome!
 
Yep, right hand drive, I'm here in Australia. It's my own conversion from left to right although a few 2nd gen cudas were shipped over here and converted to RHD by the factory for local Chrysler execs.

The more I think about it the more I'm leaning to satin black,gloss may be too reflective especially for the top of the dash under the windscreen.
 
Dude, did you know your steering wheel is on the wrong side???:toothy10:
 
Here's what I don't understand about driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Stick shifts. Less than 10% of people are left handed, who would come up with a system that throws a monkey wrench at over 90% of the population?? Tune the radio, turn up the heat, open the glove box, etc.... it's all done with your "weak" hand.
 
Hey I resemble that remark!!! But I must say that even though I am left-handed, my right arm is my stronger arm. Just food for thought. Ever notice most people tend to break the opposite arm of their dominant hand? I have only broken my right arm. I see left arms broken more than right. Just an observation.

And go with the satin black. Gloss will glare way too much in the sun.
 
The original dash paint was flat and very lightly textured. They called it sweude, swuede, swayed, finish I cant spell :)
 
My 68 fish has the suede finish on the dash and the gloss on the tops of the
doors . Gloss also on the metal around the inside of the rear window. It's the original paint I haven't done anything to it yet.
I believe they used the suede paint to cut the glare form the sun coming through the wind shield.:sunny:

It does look good the way have it.
I do have to admit the picture did freak me out with everything on the opposite side. Then I saw where you're from.
 
Yep redfish got it, suede. I ordered mine(aztec maroon) from Mopaint. They sent me what they said was gloss....I ordered 7 cans of it. I ended up with suede throughout the entire interior. I got used to it. I called them and they said that they wouldn't get a run of gloss done for a few months since mine was a rare and seldomly ordered. It is correct to have the upper door frame, rear fastback trim, headliner retaining moulding, lower wheelhouse mouldings in gloss. suede was used on the dash frame, glove box door, and steering column.
 
"suede" thats how it's spelled . I used that high gloss epoxy on my doors but I dont like it. It shows every little smudge and finger print. Factory used a medium gloss. I may just dry spray the exopy over again to knock down the sheen. Still undecided.
 
Go ahead and laugh, but I prepped my frame, primed it, and shot it with Krylon semi-gloss from a distance so it dried with a texture. Pretty good results for a backyard resto.

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The factory service manual has the ditzler codes for all the interior paints.
They will be in the 2nd to the last section (interiors ?). Your local paint store can duplicate the paint from the Ditz code. And yes it is called suede something black. I was just researching this very thing last week.
 
Factory applied was a semi-gloss or low gloss textured paint
unless you have the paint code you'd have to go to an automotive paint supplier and play with reducing the gloss to get it to the correct level of "sheen"
I've had resosnable luck with some semi-glosses spray from 3-4 feet back to allow the paint to dry air born somewhat to give it the texture.
try it on some scrap to get the feel
 
Hey fellas thanks for all the input (even the usual wisecracks about right hand drive cars). So a suede finish huh? That gets me thinking, we have a textured paint over here that is known for giving a textured suede like finish (Vipond Tautflex). Some of the ricer crowd here have used it to good effect on their dashes. I may have to try it.


PS Oh yeh, Redness, I'm right handed but could not imagine shifting a manual car with my right arm. Would not feel natural to me. I guess it's what you grow up with and become used to. Besides, is your left hand/arm so useless that you'd find it difficult to tune the radio, turn up the heat, open the glove box with it?
 
Coverting from LHD to RHD is quite a project. Good on ya. Keep us posted with some finished pics.
 
Cliffjumper said:
Coverting from LHD to RHD is quite a project. Good on ya. Keep us posted with some finished pics.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Seemed daunting at first but turned out relatively easy - just a little welding and fabrication on the firewall and installed rack and pinion steering, mounted rearwards of the K member to replicate factory geometry.
 
This thread came up just in time, I'm about to paint my interior. Didn't really notice the dash wasn't as glossy as the door stuff.

Sydcuda, what gauges are in your dash?
 
There was a ragtop cuda on ebay with a very high gloss red on the dash and door, runs in the glovebox door, looked like crap. None of the interior paint should be high gloss. The doors, a-pillar trim, etc.. should be a medium gloss closer to vynil with armoral on it.
 
RDJ said:
This thread came up just in time, I'm about to paint my interior. Didn't really notice the dash wasn't as glossy as the door stuff.

Sydcuda, what gauges are in your dash?
Click to expand...

Classic Instruments G stock gauges, 5 inch quad and speedo (200), 3 3/8 tach....



.....did u note the omission re: the speedo ... it says 200 but it's KPH ...hahaha

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