Re: 105 Sprint GT dashboard question

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

In AD8-0760 Paul Mitchell writes: "I've recently picked up a '67 Sprint GT,
and will need to refinish the faux wood finish on the instrument panel. Was
this an adhesive applique or a painted finish? Also, is there anyone out there
that offers a service refinishing these parts or providing replacements?"

I've not heard of such a service, but to the best of my knowledge it was a
printed vinyl film technically essentially identical to the appliques used on
the woodless "woody' station-wagons which enhanced suburbia in the USA in the
fifties and sixties, and still available from places like J.C.Whitney. A piece
12" wide x 96" long, self-adhesive, "authentic looking walnut grain", their
stock number 15DY1715N, costs $19.99. (Europa Specialty Spares carries a
similar product in light walnut, dark walnut, and four colours of carbon
fibre.) The vinyl is sufficiently thermoplastic that with a hair-drier or a
heat-lamp and a smooth spoon one could tease it into the recesses around the
instruments after a bit of practice on scrap pieces. You might have a problem
matching a particular species, if that fussy- but few would know the
difference.

However, an option would be to revert to the original version of the dash,
which I assume would have been closer to the designer's intent than the later
'enhanced' version. The Sprint GT/GTC/GTA/GTV parts book has separate plates
for "Instrument Panel Without Veneering" and "Instrument Panel With
Veneering". "Without" (Table 134 for L.H.D. cars) has dash assembly
105.02.63.011.00 used on the GT, GTC, and GTA (which last had another optional
dash) and the number indicates it was native to the 105.02 Sprint GT, the
original version of the car. "With", Table 136, has a dashboard
105.36.63.011.00/01, the number indicating it was first used on the 105.36,
the Sprint GT Veloce, along with a few other second-generation cosmetic
changes - three bar grill, quadrifoglio badge on the 'c' pillar, 'Veloce'
badge on trunk, slightly smaller steering wheel and new upholstery material,
as well as a slightly enhanced state of tune.

So the car appeared first with a painted dashboard - I believe flat black, but
can't swear to it. I would credit the designer with probably having wanted an
understated, non-distracting surface, perhaps tilting toward a subtly elegant
variation, possibly body-color like the Spiders but I credit Giugiaro in his
youth with more taste than Pininfarina. Still, owner's car, and someone who
had wanted a Farina red dashboard could have personalized it. Later, when the
bloom of newness was off the design, somebody - I assume sales, not
engineering nor Giugiaro - added the vinyl faux-bois. If one wants absolute
originality and/or if one likes the effect, by all means go with it, but if
one accepts slight anachronism to hew closer to the original (and I think
correct) intent of the designer and manufacturer, the 105.02 legitimizes
de-faux-boising the dash.

Besides, it's easier.

John H.
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