Auction Treasure or Auction Bust

[TinCup]

Our local club held our annual Beauty and the Beast auction tonight. In one of the boxes of items I spotted this late 30-31 instrument panel. I have never seen one with this much detail. The ribbed area is well defined and is nickel plated not chromed. When I compare it to my older chromed panel the quality difference is readily apparent.

So is this an original or just a better repro part? Either way I think I got a treasure for 10 bucks.

[LukeDahlinger]

I'd say you did damn good for $10. Is it nickel over solid brass? At any rate it's a late 31 style with the line around the ribbed area.

JMO- It looks original from what I can tell. Post a pic of the backside- it'll yield more clues.

[Ron in Quincy]

I believe it is original, it appears to have the brushed Nickle finish.

There were some late 31 dash cups that were brass; check the back side around where the speedometer mounts and if it has a "B" stamp the metal is brass and most ideal.

Ron

[TinCup]

It appears to be nickel over brass. I can see the brass tint on the backside but no B mark or other on the back. The dash that it will replace is a nice unit that is stamped "made in germany" on the back. The auction dash also does not have the off/on stamped on the ring.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I am of the opinion is is an older repro that was floating around during the 70's.


.

[James Rogers]

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All the original brass panels I have seen have a B on the back usually stamped around the speedometer mount. I agree with Brent, looks like an older repo but, it still looks lots better than the current repo's. The biggest problem I have found with the current repos is the screw holes are stamped wrong and don't fit the mounts. Try it on a tank and see if the holes line up, that's the big thing because it does look good.

[Wick]

The dash with the "B" on it feels heavier then the others.

[FL&WVMIKE]

TIN CUP ...............
You got a REAL good buy ! Several months ago, I sold one, just like yours, on Fordbarn for $55.00. I must have been too cheap, as I could have sold about ten of them ! Mine was not brass !
MIKE

[TinCup]

Is the on/off plate correct or should it be blank?

[Fred]

Blank !!

[Kevin in NJ]

As I recall, the brass dash will not have the line surrounding the area of the horizontal lines.

Not all dashes that are missing the line are brass, you need to find the B on the speedo reinforcement plate on the back.

This is based on my observations and may be wrong as I have not spent any time researching this.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

TIN CUP ...............
You got a REAL good buy ! Several months ago, I sold one, just like yours, on Fordbarn for $55.00. I must have been too cheap, as I could have sold about ten of them ! Mine was not brass !

MIKE

TIN CUP .............
This is the original finish late '31 instrument pabel that I sold for $55.00 and wished that I had more !
MIKE CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE - Twice

[Purdy Swoft]

I have been told that the brass panels were used on the open cars. The other original instrument panels used on the mid 30-31 closed cars were copper plated steel, then butler nickle plated. This may not be absolutely correct but it is what I have either read or have been told. I have bought used instrument panels that had worn spots that showed a copper or brass like plateing under the nickle. The seller would usually point out the worn spot and say, see here this is an original brass panel! After checking with a magnet, would reveal that the panel was constructed of steel. Copper plateing is used as a primer to fill small imperfections in the steel panel before the nickle plating is applied.

[barnstuf]

My late 1931 U. S. Mail Truck was found to have a brass instrument panel when restoration began, and at the time I was in contact with a few other mail truck owners who also had brass panels.

[Chris in WNC]

"There were some late 31 dash cups that were brass;"


our MARC of Originality Coupe is a flat firewall car, April '31engine- it has a brass dash panel.

[Scott NY]

I do not believe Herny used any imported parts for the A. As you can see on the panel it was made in Germany, this was an older reproduction panel

[TinCup]

It looks exactly like the one I just bought.

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

TIN CUP .............
This is the original finish late '31 instrument pabel that I sold for $55.00 and wished that I had more !
MIKE CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE - Twice

[TinCup]

The panel with the made in Germany stamp on the back is the older repo that the new panel will replace.

Originally Posted by Scott NY

I do not believe Herny used any imported parts for the A. As you can see on the panel it was made in Germany, this was an older reproduction panel