a question about dash pads and orginality

[Pclancy]

My '77 Newport coupe has a green interior, which is beautiful. Except that the dash pad was was also exceedingly green, to the point where it began bugging me. So I sourced a black dash pad in excellent condition from Ebay which was sourced from a '77 NYB Brougham. I then swapped it for my green dash pad, and swapped out the Brougham emblem on the right side of the dash (where an airbag would have been placed one day perhaps) for the orginal Newport "Chrysler" emblem.

(To complete the look, I repainted the metal shelf that extends to the windshield semi-gloss black as well. )

It looks pretty darn good if you ask me. I like the contrast of a black dash and the green interior. You can tell from the impression undeneath the emblem on the dash that a different emblem was once there (if you look very closely) but otherwise the fit is absolutely perfect.


My questions are this:

1) Could one have ordered my car with a black dash pad/metal shelf back in the day? Or were all interiors a mono color theme?
2) By customizing in this manner, have I made a mistake which will haunt me later in the eyes of C-body purists? I have been careful to not make other modifications to the car which messed with its orginality...e.g., it has the same stereo (refurbished) and the same clock (refurbished) as it came with.
3) I of course still have the green dash pad, and I guess you could simply repaint the metal shelf back to it original color if you wanted.....

Am I nuts to be even asking these questions? What do you guys think?

Thanks

Peter

 

[CBODY67]

Personally, I like the emerald green interior in those cars too. I would not have changed the dash pad, myself, as it all fits together as it came. With the data plate and the vehicle order guide, your change would be easy to determine that it wasn't production stock.

In reality, the black pad/metal trim can be safer and not put such an obvious "shadow" into the windshield during the day. The reflection of the black will not be quite as obvious, I suspect.

Unless the car had been ordered by some fleet buyer who specifically wanted a black dash pad as a part of their bid, on multiple vehicles, such a combination would not have happened.

The '78 NYB that just sold at Mecum Kissimee, the black car (w/black vinyl roof) had an unusual interior. The interior was white leather with green accents (dash pad, carpet, door trim, seat belts). So a "black" car with an interior coded for a green car with white leather interior. It was ordered that way by a dealer, so it's history was known and documented. An unusual combination, but one which would have had to need Chry approval to build, even if it just took knowing the interior code to make it happen.

Keep things as they are and just tell any prospective purchasers what you did and produce the removed parts, even offering to put it back if desired.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[73 T&C]

Peter,

Do what makes you happy. If a black dash does it... then paint the uppers black and swap the dash pad. I’d change the little rubber pads under the metal part while I was at it to keep speaker vibration down.

You have a beautiful Newport.

Just don’t go crazy away from original and you’ll be fine with us.

Black was a standard color and had you ordered it that way, back in the day, it would be as you now have it.

Javier

 

[Pclancy]

Peter,

Do what makes you happy. If a black dash does it... then paint the uppers black and swap the dash pad. I’d change the little rubber pads under the metal part while I was at it to keep speaker vibration down.

You have a beautiful Newport.

Just don’t go crazy away from original and you’ll be fine with us.

Black was a standard color and had you ordered it that way, back in the day, it would be as you now have it.

Javier

Thanks Javier. You views...and that of CBODY 67 mean a lot to me. No more modifications, promise. I like her the way she is.