OneStopRestoration's Special Orange 69 Chevelle 300 Deluxe Coupe

[OneStopRestoration]

Radio Delete plate is pretty nice, but it was way oversized on all dimensions not allowing it to sit in the dash as I think it should. The plate sticks over the lower chrome strip edge that is exposed. It was also too wide. (first two pictures) All sides had to be trimmed. The one i bought had an original label from the Parts Place.

Last few pictures show how it now sits down inside the recess. Had to make a bracket for function, rather than perfect originallity. Once complete it fit very nice

[cheveslakr]

Here's an NOS '69 for comparison. Fine work you're doing.

[RPO LS7]

Hi Rick, thanks so much for taking the time and effort providing the photos and information, very much appreciated!

[OneStopRestoration]

When you start with a dry state car most items like the astro ventillation emblem just polish up and need fresh paint.

I had a dash pad in storage that i could tell had a nice layer of paint on it, which really helped preserve it. Found it was an original dark green dash, but dyed really nice. I think PPG discountinued the SB12 last year interior dye last year. I stocked up cause the stuff is really nice. Gives the dash a nice sheen.

[OneStopRestoration]

In hopes I can help others and raise some awareness to those that produce reproduction parts im gonna start sharing my experiences with buying and trying new parts.

Im not clear on how many players are in this space, but i decided on the Dashes direct pillar pads. Both of my originals were cracked and I had only found one good drivers side.

Pictured below is the dashes direct piece along side a re dyed original. Top is the repro, bottom is the original.

The repros is washed out in the grain and its just not defined evenly or as deeply as the original. The piece does have a deep thin metal back bone and you can reshape the piece to fit the pillar. The small ear that lays down on the dash has no metal backing and when installed sits up off the dash.

Conclusion for me was to send the reproducitons back and find a usable passenger side.

[OneStopRestoration]

My original knobs have flaking chrome and in buying some 66/67 pieces the knobs are quite good for reproductions in those years.

The 69 piece arrived from The Parts Place. Im unclear on OE manufacture as the box is white labled. Decent piece. I had to sand and polish the black area as it had waves in it from the molding process. What really suprised me was it was about a 1/2" longer than the original and stuck out away from the switch. Its a cheap piece and not worth shipping back so i put it in the mill, recut the notch that catches in the switch, trimmed and shapped the nose to a point, and milled down the shank like the original.

Top Picture Before, Bottom After

Im wondering if others have had better luck with other brands?

[OneStopRestoration]

Got into restoring the heather control, and had to make a new black vynil background for behind the lens.

Had to start with some dark contruction paper and then had adhesive backed vynil that I could dye black with interior dye.

I first did the cutouts as the one pictures is the 2nd one i did after making some mistakes on the first.

I show this really simple thing for the humor, as something like this turns into 4hrs before you know it!

[ragtop]

Rick, thanks for taking the time to post these tips and product details. Gives me the inspiration to tackle a hugger orange 69 Chevelle as well

[Mr70]

On the longer headlight nob,a friend told me he used a heat gun to remove the longer rod once from a repro.Then he cut 1/2" off the inserted end,and re-heated it to sink it back into the plastic nob.
Another mentioned he removed an original shorter rod,and re-sunk it back into a new cleaner repro nob.