Dash gauge bezel chev CMP

[GUARDS]

Hi,
Can anyone help me with some information as to whether the standard 1941 gauge set used from chev cars and trucks in the CMP chev had a Chrome bezel (surround) or whether they were painted when installed in the CMP?

[chris vickery]

I seem to remember the bezel on my 12 cab ford as being painted steel. If I recall correctly, it was already beige in colour when I obtained it. It was indeed a civilian type instrument cluster.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

Chevy Early Instrument Cluster out of both my `41 Pat 12 and `42 Pat 13 Chevy CMP have the commercial instrument groups neither of the bezels appeared to have had any chrome both were painted and may have been lightly galvanized like the rest of the unit.

I have seen these early instrument clusters in unrestored civilian Chevys of the same forties that were painted as well.

Checked the old civilian parts book to see if there was a notation of chromed or not and it didn't show anything different.

But as chrome was expensive I don't believe they would have bothered to chrome and then paint. At the same time I would not be surprised to find a CMP with a chromed cluster that had been painted. Given using off the shelf parts was common production practice.

Hope this Helps

Cheers Phil

Here is my `42 Pat 13 instrument panel as found.

[GUARDS]

Hi Phil,

Thanks very much for the info and posting a photo.
What you have said confirms what I have found with another dash unit in that it appeared to have been as you stated lightly galvanised and not chrome.

Thanks.

[jeff davis]

My Cab 12 Chev had a Civilian Crome version
Regards
Jeff

[Bob Carriere]

Mine was chromed and painted over......

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Guys

Not surprised to see painted over chrome, I suspect that the earlier the production date of the truck the more likely to see chrome painted over. In formal study Patter 11 vs Patter 12 & 13.

when production started on CMPs one of the prime concepts in the design was use what they knew worked and if they had a bunch of it in the warehouse all the better.

In reading the service bulletins you can see the reason for the change over the round military style. Or more exactly you can read about the field problems with dust and moisture getting into the civilian instrument groups.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

and if they had a bunch of it in the warehouse all the better.

Some of the C60 Australian contracts, which remained in Canada when the war ended, were produced in Aug. / September 1944 and had the old 1940 civilian instrument clusters.... they either had a lot of old stock or figured the Australian would not know the difference. Those C60 also had the smaller C15a axles and some had 16 inch wheels.

Phil... do you have a picture of the original dash of your cab 12..... mine has a large black knob, on the left side before the second ignition switch, it is multi function and is from a Southwind heater..... I have NO idea what it was wired to.......

Cheers

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob

Here is a picture of my Pat 12 as found sitting in the weeds. Think the one you are asking about is the main light switch.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

Here is another panel showing chrome.... it is an early C8 saddly rusting into the ground.

Strangely the original painted labelling where still very visible.....

So my gas tank switch was replaced with a surplus Southwind heater switch.

The C8 did not have a socket for an aux. light. Look at the labelks for the 3 toggle switches......

from the left.... heater ( what heater) plate ( I assume license plate) and Panel .... this one makes sense..... and some of the panel switch has a left central and right position.....

How does it compare to yours......


......... Please anybody else with cab 11/12 knowledge wishes to comment...

So many changes have been made during production and later during their civilian lives it becomes confusing....

Cheers