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MG MGA - Wood Dash?

My 59 roadster has a wood dash, something I've not yet seen on another car, but I'm pretty sure there must be others out there. The PO says he found it in a junkyard, liked it and installed it and disposed of the metal dash. No indication of who made it, or when. Some type of hardwood with an interesting grain pattern. Perfectly made for an MGA but it's quite thick and that poses some interesting challenges for mounting instruments and switches. I've had it out of the car, refinished it and installed a new harness. I think it lends a nice character to the car. Anyone else have one? Anyone know who might have made these?
Thanks,
Gerry
G T Foster

Hi Gerry,
I sent a Birdseye maple wood blank to Scarborough Faire several years ago and had them machine it out when they had some of theirs done. All the holes for the instruments and switches are machined down to approx. 1/8" thick which makes installing everything reasonable.

Chris


CM Harter

Gerry - I saw a wood dash complete with wood knobs for all the switches on the car that one Premier at Seven Springs, very unusual "root beer" color, owned by a gal named Liz. That dash was hand made by a previous owner.

Others I have seen were less ornate. Perhaps purchased from a vendor like VictoriaBritish. The offer a wooden dash in their online catalog:
http://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/mga/full.aspx?Page=22


- Ken
Ken Doris

Ken, Except for the wooden dash part, most of what you remembered is correct. Here's a photo of Liz's car dashboard....Dennis


Dennis Suski

Ken,
Thanks for the input. My dash has no glove door and, in fact, was machined to accept the standard blanking plate. Just for grins I've included a photo just before I put it back into the car (the day before leaving for GT35)

GTF


G T Foster

Gerry - the dash looks GREAT!

Will you be at the Glen for Vintage Race Weekend?

- Ken
Ken Doris

Nice looking dash Gerry.
Andy Bounsall

Gents,
Thanks for the compliment.

Ken,
Yes, I will be at the Vintage Festival/race. I think the BARC Boys tent will be up again this year. We are usually located near the paddock/garage on what I believe to be the South side. Please stop by if you can. If not, maybe I'll see you at the Seneca. We are once again staying at the Harbor Hotel by the lake.
Cheers,
Gerry
G T Foster

These always make me shudder a bit, but Gerry's dash is a good looking one - there are many tacky ones out there. Gerry - you have to lose that ugly MGB blanking plate! It lest the whole image down. get one made up in wood so that it mounts almost flush and it will look classy instead of tacky!
Bill Spohn

How 'bout stripping the black crackle finish off the blanking plate and painting it the color of the car, white as I remember....
G Goeppner

Well I think Gerry's black blanking plate looks smart, but I'm English so what do I know about American aesthetics! Still, it's given you something to think about Gerry, we can't have other people making your mind up for you, or maybe you should put it to the vote?
P.S. I do like Chris's Birdseye maple one (also with a black blanking plate!).
Lindsay Sampford

Bill,
I'm crushed! I worked so hard just to make the darn mounting arrangement for that thing just hours before leaving for GT35. Sob....

OK, I'm over it...I do like George's idea and thanks to Lindsay for the support! I am concerned that matching the grain on the dash would be very difficult.
Cheers,
Gerry
G T Foster

I honestly think a wood blanking plate would be too much Gerry. I always think that contrasts make features look even better. If you had a wooden blanking plate, where would you draw the line? You could have wood veneer faces to your dials, wooden switch knobs, wooden cockpit rails, wooden gearknob and steering wheel, and it would look absolutely dreadful! Don't be crushed, what you have got there looks great, and looks right, not over the top.
Lindsay Sampford

This thread was discussed between 13/08/2010 and 18/08/2010

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