1962 Nardi Steering Wheel Brochure

1962 Nardi Steering Wheel Brochure

Dissect A Dash #8: The James Hetfield ( Metallica ) "Black Pearl", America's Most Beautiful Custom

The "Black Pearl", the latest creation sponsored by Metallica founder James Hetfield, is a beautifully-constructed tribute to the custom coach-builders of the 1930's.

And though, in my opinion, it smacks a little too much of the 1937 Delage D8 120 Aerosport ...

...I applaud the obvious craftsmanship and care that went into this superb body (set on a 1948 Jaguar chassis)

Of course, the second thing that is going to get my attention is the dashboard. With prodigious funds available, and the brainpower and artistic vision of the team of Marcel and Luc DeLay, what stunning gauge set could they have conjured?

Well...

A re-worked Classic Gauges 1934 Plymouth set. 

Um, yeah.

Not that it's not a pretty set, for sure, I know because I've seen plenty of them in lots of hot rods at local and National cruises. Just like this one.

To say I'm underwhelmed at the thought that the Goodguys Top Award Winner uses an off-the-shelf Mopar set is an understatement. It's terrible. You have a late-30's body design on a late-40's skeleton, and you bedazzle it with an early-30's  gauge set of which I've owned dozens. The great designers of this Early-Twentieth Century era weren't looking backward with their interiors, they wanted cutting edge.

Just take a look at this car, the stunning 1937 Hispano Suiza Xenia...

Again, a car similar in design, 80 years ago, but look where they went with the gauges...

The designers chose to go with the most modern set-up they could conceive, away from the art deco excess of the previous years, towards a jet-inspired functional cockpit. 

Now, I'm not saying the Black Pearl should have aped this concept (unlike the body, ahem..) but definitely it was their chance to think outside the box, and in my mind, they went safe, and pretty, and easy.

Dissect A Dash #7: Show Car Edition!

The following is a selection of custom dashboards from the late 1950's to 1960, courtesy of Car Speed & Style magazine, April, 1960.

Let's take a closer look at some of these gauge set-ups from 14 award-winning show cars, shall we?

Here's an eye-catcher; a chromed panel set into a black dash, and a cool "Weird-O" stick-shift knob head. That is definitely the closest you will see to a "rat rod" look in any of these examples...

The padded dash was a big trend at this time...

 

Here is a great classic look. They've taken a Stewart Warner "Hollywood" panel, and run it upside down,,,

...which is very cool, and filled out the indicator lights with Cole Hersee "low-profile" boat lights.

It's a look that holds up even today.

More padded-dashes above, and a "Straight Five" SW panel in the top picture; nice.

Another SW Straight Five in the second picture, but this one...

 

...this one I love. It's the perfect blend of simplicity and design, a Stewart Warner boat panel in a hot rod Ford. These are neat panels that are still floating around today, and look great in any 30's rod.

It's originally a Chris Craft set-up, but with a speedo instead of the twin-tach, you've got a cool and functional gauge panel!

 

And notice something familiar here? That's right, it's the Hollywood panel from above, this time mounted the standard way.

A cool, dash, tuck-n-roll interior, an Impala steering wheel, and you're good to go!

Beautiful Rare Vintage Shot Of The 1956 Corvette SR-2, On The Beach, With John Fitch at The Wheel

1965 CYCLE Magazine: New Models, Fast Races

Win A Free 1966 Dodge Charger...In 1966

1966 Hi-Performance Cars magazine, August

And here are some more great shots from that issue