Question about Brushed Aluminum Dash and Door Panel Material

[BGlover67]

I recently picked up another '67 (long overdue to be back in the '67 club), and I've noticed that the aluminum dash and door panels have a thin clear coat that is starting to peel off in places.  I've never seen this before.  Do you think someone added it to protect them, or were they shipped that way and someone neglected to remove them?  It kind of reminds me of when I was a kid and visited my Italian grandmother's house and sat on her plastic clad couch.  Always fun on a hot summer day.  The car has a history of being restored in the early '80s by a previous owner using mostly NOS parts.  Did Ford sell their service replacement panels that way back then?

To further complicate the matter, the old man signed the dash panel and I can't tell if it was pre or post rap, not that losing his John Hancock would be all that devastating to me.  Like the rest of you, I probably have 20 other things signed by him.


http://imageshack.com/i/poNfjYyzj

http://imageshack.com/i/pmW6EZ1Gj

http://imageshack.com/i/poVsGkNGj

[Bob Gaines]

I recently picked up another '67 (long overdue to be back in the '67 club), and I've noticed that the aluminum dash and door panels have a thin clear coat that is starting to peel off in places.  I've never seen this before.  Do you think someone added it to protect them, or were they shipped that way and someone neglected to remove them?  It kind of reminds me of when I was a kid and visited my Italian grandmother's house and sat on her plastic clad couch.  Always fun on a hot summer day.  The car has a history of being restored in the early '80s by a previous owner using mostly NOS parts.  Did Ford sell their service replacement panels that way back then?

To further complicate the matter, the old man signed the dash panel and I can't tell if it was pre or post rap, not that losing his John Hancock would be all that devastating to me.  Like the rest of you, I probably have 20 other things signed by him.


http://imageshack.com/i/poNfjYyzj

http://imageshack.com/i/pmW6EZ1Gj

http://imageshack.com/i/poVsGkNGj

Brian ,it could be a few things. The originals were "brite dip" anodized and that special anodizing process can yellow and or flake under certain circumstances. It is hard to tell from the pictures in fact I can't be sure if they are even original panels from the pictures. Is the door panel trim one piece or is it the raised edge and a panel installed in the center section. Of course if it is determined to be two separate pieces then it is reproduction . The brush texture is different on some of the later better repos then original. Some of the better repros used clear coat instead of the brite dip anodizing process. With out seeing it in person it hard to say for sure. From the picture my guess is that it looks like a conventional clear coat.   

[BGlover67]

Thanks Bob (as always) for your knowledge.  They could very likely be repops, and they appear to be "raised edge and a panel installed in the center section" as you asked.  (I took a few more pics.).

The clear coat seems to come off cleanly and the panel below looks ok, it would take some time to due it all.

http://imageshack.com/i/pm1EObnxj

http://imageshack.com/i/pmJymhdSj

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks Bob (as always) for your knowledge.  They could very likely be repops, and they appear to be "raised edge and a panel installed in the center section" as you asked.  (I took a few more pics.).

The clear coat seems to come off cleanly and the panel below looks ok, it would take some time to due it all.

http://imageshack.com/i/pm1EObnxj

http://imageshack.com/i/pmJymhdSj

Yes the insert is a old repro. In regards to the door panel trim you can try and reclear or replace with the   much better looking one piece alternatives sold now.  I can't tell on yours but that style has typically a much courser brush style and if so and replaced with a current better reproduction it will look different then the dash pieces . That is if they all were purchased from the same mfg back when. It might not be enough to bother you because of the space separating the door and the dash. Extra work but you could try a good stripper and reclear them and see how it turns out. Don't try to remove the center panel from the original door panel trim because it will ruin them as in bending them trying to take off. If it doesn't turn out go with the one piece repro panel. you could also side step all that work and just to the one piece repro door trim panel from the get go. I thought I would mention these things so that you can manage your expectations. Best of luck what ever you decide.

[BGlover67]

Thanks Bob

[JD]

Like Bob said, those look like the separate insert pieces that you could apply on top of the originals.  i bought a set and didn't use them, still have them somewhere.