Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I was told that the '37 dashboard area where the removable pieces attach was painted brown regardless of the main body color. Does anyone have any information concerning that? If this is true, then what shade of brown and how much of that area was actually painted that color? Was it from the windshield all the way to the underneath, or just a portion thereof? Also was that only for the senior series or did both the junior and senior series have that feature?
Thanks.

The correct backround dash color of the 37JR cars is a deep brown, sometimes mistaken for black,yes its that dark. Many restored cars paint that area, the car color, but that is not correct original, for that area. The steering column(mast Jacket) is also painted the same and if its a 115c, the gear shift lever as well.

Thank you. I had painted my steering column black to go with the chassis, but that can be easily corrected. I appreciate the information.

The 115C Six had a brown painted dash, all other Juniors and Seniors had a wood grained decal dash.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Product

Since 1955 I have never seen any 37 120 with a wood grain dash background or any restored 37 120 finished that way. My late Close friend Dick Phillips had his 37 120 from the 1950,S and was very knowledgeable(He wrote the JR 35-41 section of the Automotive Quarterly Packard book). His had dark brown background dash. He was a person who wanted his car as it was originally made only. I think people are talking about the dash panels and I am talking about the dash background that they are bolted into. the dash panels(the one the speedo was bolted to,the center panel where the 4 gauges are and the glove box door with clock or no clock) were wood grained on both 115C and 120C.

convert, what you describe is how the dash board on my formerly owned 115C Convert Coupe is finished: the panels are wood grained and the body of the board is a dark brown. It is most attractive dash and the subject of many photos when I displayed the car at shows. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of it. The closed cars may be different, but probably not. DF can clarify. JWL

My thanks to you all. Yes, I will paint the dashboard background area where the pieces attach the dark, dark brown and I am already woodgraining the actual pieces and window mouldings themselves. Again, my thanks to you all.