15.03.2018 UPDATE : Photos Added .1967 Chevelle SS Dashboard

[1972coronet]

Been making progress with the c.1990 issue of the wonderful 1967 Chevelle SS 396 (Revell) . 99% finished with the engine ( complete with "aluminium" heads , and a first-for-me "weathered" finish on said engine ! ) , and pics will eventually be attached here .

I've hit a bit of a impasse : I can not find good photos of how the dashboard looks ! I've seen seemingly-conflicting images : woodgrain , black , and / or "brushed aluminum" finish of the embellishment / gauge surround .

Which is correct ?

All ?

One ?

The vintage brochures are no help ---- images are either illustrations , or the interior shot is at such an angle that the dash is a bit obscured (perhaps an artifact of all of the brightwork ?) . Ostensibly , the base and 300 models' dashes are not obscured , owing to their unfettered , interior-colour finish .

Anywho ... share some pics , please . "1:1" and , preferably , 1/25 scale , are welcomed .

[mrmike]

John, I Googled "1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 instrument panel and found many pics of the dash.  Here's one I found to be consistent for the SS396.

 

[oldnslow]

Looks like the dash is black , with a black vinyl pad across the front , the radio and pocket are silver , BMF ? , and the instrument cluster is flat black . This is a restored SS.

On a lower model the dash is body color with the black and silver trim .

Looks like from Mike's post the dash could be any combination of the two .

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by oldnslow

[1972coronet]

Thank you , Mike and Robert ! I can work with those photos ; I'll likely go with the black top / chromed-and-aluminum version . 

[Snake45]

The wood trim upper part as seen in the third (blue) pic might have been an option, or it might have been a Malibu thing (see nameplate on the glovebox).

[espo]

1 hour ago, 1972coronet said:

Thank you , Mike and Robert ! I can work with those photos ; I'll likely go with the black top / chromed-and-aluminum version . 

There are many variables on the Chevelle interior trim. The picture provided by mrmike would be the standard dash board, notice the extra cost clock isn't present and it has an after market radio. The black dash trim is part of the SS package. In the picture that oldnslow shows the optional gauge package in the black interior. If it should matter the gauge package could be had with or without the tach. The blue interior is in Malibu trim which would have the wood grain strip and the nicer seats and door panels as part of the package.   The base Chevelles would have less trim and a plainer looking seats and door panels. Not that it would matter since your building an SS, but the gauge package could have been ordered across the model line, it's just that very few ordering a basic car cared about having gauges. I look forward to seeing pictures of your build.   

[unclescott58]

1 hour ago, espo said:

There are many variables on the Chevelle interior trim. The picture provided by mrmike would be the standard dash board, notice the extra cost clock isn't present and it has an after market radio. The black dash trim is part of the SS package. In the picture that oldnslow shows the optional gauge package in the black interior. If it should matter the gauge package could be had with or without the tach. The blue interior is in Malibu trim which would have the wood grain strip and the nicer seats and door panels as part of the package.   The base Chevelles would have less trim and a plainer looking seats and door panels. Not that it would matter since your building an SS, but the gauge package could have been ordered across the model line, it's just that very few ordering a basic car cared about having gauges. I look forward to seeing pictures of your build.   

I may be misunderstanding you here. Reading what you wrote above makes it sound like the Malibu came with nicer interior trim than the SS. The Malibus and the SS-396s came with the exact same interior trim with three exceptions. The wood grain strip versus black on the dash. The 2-hardtop, "Sport Coupe" came with cloth seat inserts on the bench in the Malibu. The SS-396s and the Malibu convertibles also came with basically the same bench seats, but upholstered in vinyl. Vinyl bucket seat were available as an option on all 2-door Malibus and SS396s. The only other difference would be the model identification emblems on the dashboard. So basically, in 1967, the SS-396 is basically a Malibu with a big block engine, and no 4-door or wagon models. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

36 minutes ago, unclescott58 said:

I may be misunderstanding you here. Reading what you wrote above makes it sound like the Malibu came with nicer interior trim than the SS. The Malibus and the SS-396s came with the exact same interior trim with three exceptions. The wood grain strip versus black on the dash. The 2-hardtop, "Sport Coupe" came with cloth seat inserts on the bench in the Malibu. The SS-396s and the Malibu convertibles also came with basically the same bench seats, but upholstered in vinyl. Vinyl bucket seat were available as an option on all 2-door Malibus and SS396s. The only other difference would be the model identification emblems on the dashboard. So basically, in 1967, the SS-396 is basically a Malibu with a big block engine, and no 4-door or wagon models. 

Scott...you often seem to know a lot about what options were available on what cars, and quite a bit about automotive history in general.

Can I assume you have access to period sales brochures and other high-quality historical reference materials?

[Snake45]

3 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Scott...you often seem to know a lot about what options were available on what cars, and quite a bit about automotive history in general.

Can I assume you have access to period sales brochures and other high-quality historical reference materials?

"Period sales brochures" are a good and helpful reference, but far from authoritative or definitive. Most of them were produced and printed up in summer, long before the first cars were anywhere near the showrooms. All kinds of things would be added during a model year run, likewise other things could be dropped or changed before production even began. Just sayin'.

[unclescott58]

You are correct Bill. Besides a vast library, including much original material, I also have a college degree in automotive history. The info on the '67 Chevelle interiors above were checked by me, mainly using the '67 Chevrolet Facts and Features manual. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

22 minutes ago, unclescott58 said:

You are correct Bill. Besides a vast library, including much original material, I also have a college degree in automotive history. The info on the '67 Chevelle interiors above were checked by me, mainly using the '67 Chevrolet Facts and Features manual. 

Good to know, Scott. I thought that's what I remembered, but I wasn't certain.

I know very little about what's factory-correct for most US cars, so it's nice to know we have an authoritative source here on the board.

[espo]

22 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

I may be misunderstanding you here. Reading what you wrote above makes it sound like the Malibu came with nicer interior trim than the SS. The Malibus and the SS-396s came with the exact same interior trim with three exceptions. The wood grain strip versus black on the dash. The 2-hardtop, "Sport Coupe" came with cloth seat inserts on the bench in the Malibu. The SS-396s and the Malibu convertibles also came with basically the same bench seats, but upholstered in vinyl. Vinyl bucket seat were available as an option on all 2-door Malibus and SS396s. The only other difference would be the model identification emblems on the dashboard. So basically, in 1967, the SS-396 is basically a Malibu with a big block engine, and no 4-door or wagon models. 

Sorry if what I stated was misleading to you. What I should have said was that the SS396 package included the Malibu trim also. The bench seat was standard for either one. I'm not 100% sure that the SS396 would have the cloth bench or not, but the Malibu would have had the cloth standard. If you sat inside the car and didn't know which model you were in the Wood Strip would tell you it was a Malibu. In the SS option they went with the black dash strip. If you knew your way around the order book you could create an SS without the 396 engine and I know of a few who did. My avatar is a model I built of my personal '67 El Camino. I ordered it with the Malibu vinyl bench seat trim. Remember at that time Chevrolet didn't have an SS396 El Camino stand alone model, but you could build one using the option book. So your looking at an El Camino with Malibu trim and bench seat. 350/396 engine with a close ratio 4-speed and posi rear and F41 Sport Suspension. Power Steering and Brakes plus Air Conditioning. I had the factory gauge package but no Tach. At that time the factory Tachs were not considered that good and I had a Sun Tach anyway and used that.  I hope this helps understand what I was trying to say.  

[unclescott58]

8 hours ago, espo said:

Sorry if what I stated was misleading to you. What I should have said was that the SS396 package included the Malibu trim also. The bench seat was standard for either one. I'm not 100% sure that the SS396 would have the cloth bench or not, but the Malibu would have had the cloth standard. If you sat inside the car and didn't know which model you were in the Wood Strip would tell you it was a Malibu. In the SS option they went with the black dash strip. If you knew your way around the order book you could create an SS without the 396 engine and I know of a few who did. My avatar is a model I built of my personal '67 El Camino. I ordered it with the Malibu vinyl bench seat trim. Remember at that time Chevrolet didn't have an SS396 El Camino stand alone model, but you could build one using the option book. So your looking at an El Camino with Malibu trim and bench seat. 350/396 engine with a close ratio 4-speed and posi rear and F41 Sport Suspension. Power Steering and Brakes plus Air Conditioning. I had the factory gauge package but no Tach. At that time the factory Tachs were not considered that good and I had a Sun Tach anyway and used that.  I hope this helps understand what I was trying to say.  

Okay, a few clarifications to your above statements. In 1967, the Chevelle SS-396 was not an option package on the Chevelle Malibus. But a seperate model. Starting in '69 SSs became an option package, on certain Chevelles. Mainly Malibus. El Caminos followed a slightly different path. The first and only year for a separate El Camino SS-396 was 1968. The 396 V-8 engine was available separately in El Caminos in 1966 and '67. And the SS option from 1969 on. You could not order a Chevelle SS in 1967 without a 396 V-8. Nor could you order any other Chevelle in 1967 with a 396. You could built a Malibu into something like an SS without the 396, with the right options. You could also build an El Camino in something like an SS the same way. But, as noted you could get the 396 in an El Camino seperately too. 

In 1967 the Malibu, SS-396, and Custom El Camino shared the same seats and door panels. The exception there is the SS-396 and Custom El Camino came with vinyl upholstery. The Malibus came with cloth. Except for the convertibles and wagons. Which came with vinyl, like the SS-396 and Custom El Camino.  

One thing I like about the 1967 factory tach. Is that since it covered the left turn signal indicator on the dash. Chevrolet put a turn signal indicator light on the tachometer face to replace it. I always thought that was a cool little touch.

Edited March 8, 2018 by unclescott58

[Ace-Garageguy]

All this is most helpful to me at the moment, as I'm building a real '67 Chevelle SS for a client. The car is pretty radical overall (Morrison frame, 502 EFI Jenkins engine, etc.) and it's been hacked on by some previous "builders".

I'm trying to keep an original 'feel' to the dash and custom console, so knowing what's supposed to be there is just dandy. 

[Snake45]

57 minutes ago, unclescott58 said:

The 389 V-8 engine was available separately in El Caminos in 1966 and '67.

Really? You could get a Pontiac engine in an Elky in '66 and '67?

[unclescott58]

6 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Really? You could get a Pontiac engine in an Elky in '66 and '67?

A slip typing. I'll go back and fix it Snake. (Geez, people expect me to be perfect! ?) 

[unclescott58]

Okay. It's fixed. Sometimes (more than sometimes) I need an editor. Months, even years later, I go back and read something I wrote, and realize I need to fix a thing or two. Mainly I find that I forgot words that can change the meaning of, or complete a thought. I'm sure because of this, a lot of you have wondered what in the heck I was talking about? 

[Snake45]

6 minutes ago, unclescott58 said:

Sometimes (more than sometimes) I need an editor. 

Believe it or not, I am an editor. 

[Deano]

7 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

. 

In 1967 the Malibu, SS-396, and Custom El Camino shared the same seats and door panels. The exception there is the SS-396 and Custom El Camino came with vinyl upholstery. The Malibus came with cloth. Except for the convertibles and wagons. Which came with vinyl, like the SS-396 and Custom El Camino.  

 

I'm not so sure about the Malibus coming (only?) with cloth seats.  My first car was a Malibu with a 250 six-cylinder and a powerglide; the interior was all vinyl.  I remember doing the Armor All treatment to the interior and then trying to NOT slide across the bench when going around corners.

[unclescott58]

1 hour ago, Deano said:

I'm not so sure about the Malibus coming (only?) with cloth seats.  My first car was a Malibu with a 250 six-cylinder and a powerglide; the interior was all vinyl.  I remember doing the Armor All treatment to the interior and then trying to NOT slide across the bench when going around corners.

Standard was cloth. Optional was vinyl. Did I say only? I guess I needed to clarify that more. 

Edited March 9, 2018 by unclescott58

[unclescott58]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Believe it or not, I am an editor. 

That explains it! That's okay. I hope you keep on correcting me when you need to. 

[espo]

21 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

Okay, a few clarifications to your above statements. In 1967, the Chevelle SS-396 was not an option package on the Chevelle Malibus. But a seperate model. Starting in '69 SSs became an option package, on certain Chevelles. Mainly Malibus. El Caminos followed a slightly different path. The first and only year for a separate El Camino SS-396 was 1968. The 396 V-8 engine was available separately in El Caminos in 1966 and '67. And the SS option from 1969 on. You could not order a Chevelle SS in 1967 without a 396 V-8. Nor could you order any other Chevelle in 1967 with a 396. You could built a Malibu into something like an SS without the 396, with the right options. You could also build an El Camino in something like an SS the same way. But, as noted you could get the 396 in an El Camino seperately too. 

In 1967 the Malibu, SS-396, and Custom El Camino shared the same seats and door panels. The exception there is the SS-396 and Custom El Camino came with vinyl upholstery. The Malibus came with cloth. Except for the convertibles and wagons. Which came with vinyl, like the SS-396 and Custom El Camino.  

One thing I like about the 1967 factory tach. Is that since it covered the left turn signal indicator on the dash. Chevrolet put a turn signal indicator light on the tachometer face to replace it. I always thought that was a cool little touch.

Yes that's what I meant. The '67 "Blinker Tach." was a vast improvement as far as location compared to the "Knee Knocker" '66 Tach  attached next to the Ash Tray in the Dash. As Deano mentioned his Chevelle had vinyl interior and that was a common extra cost option that cost less than $100.00 at the time. Now that we have all picked the Fly S**t out of the Pepper maybe we should see how 1972 coronet is coming on his build.   

[1972coronet]

11 hours ago, espo said:

. Now that we have all picked the Fly S**t out of the Pepper maybe we should see how 1972 coronet is coming on his build.   

HAHAHAHAHAHA !! I haven't heard that saying in quite some time --- and your timing was perfect ! I laughed so hard that I choked on a clove of garlic ! 

Anyhow ...

I went with a Bare Metal Foil treatment for the bright applique , and flat black for the "brow" ; a Molotov Cocktail Pen was employed for the various nobs / buttons on the "brow" . Tonight , I'm going to finish detailing the dash .

Photos of the 396 , and of the dash , to follow tomorrow .

Thanks for all of the info and banter , everyone 

[unclescott58]

13 hours ago, espo said:

Now that we have all picked the Fly S**t out of the Pepper maybe we should see how 1972 coronet is coming on his build.   

Oh come on! I'm sure if we all look hard enough, we can find more. ?

[George Bojaciuk]

In doing any model, if you want to be reasonably accurate, pick up a resto book. Many good references out there. Best are those with RPO numbers and descriptions. 

Dealer lit is OK. The best are those posters they had with options on the back side. I have a bunch. While at Franklin Mint, I amassed quite a library....  

In restoring my real ‘69 Chevelle, I used several references. I like day 2 cars, so Speed Shop experience and vintage catalogs are an amazing resource.

Edited March 10, 2018 by George Bojaciuk