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Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

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jfischer
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Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by jfischer » Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:54 pm

Hey All,

Been a long time since I've been on here so I guess that's a good thing meaning I've not ran into too much trouble over the past year. :) My dash panel that holds the 4 gauges was in such poor condition when I purchased my boat I simply had it sent out and got it chromed rather than try to find someone who does that "swirl" pattern. Well, now that I've stared at the dash panel for 3 seasons, I'm ready to have it back to original. Anyone know who I can contact for this?
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IMG_0342.JPG
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John "In the Dog House" Fischer
1936 16' Chris Craft Double Forward Cockpit.
Johnsburg, IL

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tkhersom
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by tkhersom » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:35 am

Check with Dale. I don't know if he does what you want, but if he doesn't I am sure he knows who does. :D
Last edited by tkhersom on Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by jim g » Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:12 am

Call Mark Clawson owner of Clawson Classic Instruments. See link. He can restore it and it will be as perfect as it can be done. He does the best work. He can be slow. But the quality is worth the wait. A lot of the time involved on a gauge panel is his plater who is actually a silversmith. Thats who you want to do the plating on your panel as it is really thin and most platers will buff holes into the panel.

Sorry for the quality of my photo's.

I also noticed your tach is wrong.

http://www.markclawson.com/
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tkhersom
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by tkhersom » Wed Sep 09, 2015 9:30 am

tkhersom wrote:Check with Dale. I don't know if he does what you want, but if he doesn't I am sure he knows who does. :D
Just found out that Kocian has changed hands, so I have no experience with the new owners.
Last edited by tkhersom on Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

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Don Vogt
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by Don Vogt » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:25 am

I dont know if pat powell is still around but he does good work, too, as well as Mark. There is a blog here on pre war instrument panels you may want to check out. as a practical matter, with these old 4 gauge stewart warner panels, the facing around the instruments can not be "engine turned", as original . what people do is apply a thin sheet of engine turned metal over the existing panel. good luck
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

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tkhersom
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by tkhersom » Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:01 pm

tkhersom wrote:
tkhersom wrote:Check with Dale. I don't know if he does what you want, but if he doesn't I am sure he knows who does. :D

Just found out that Kocian has changed hands, so I have no experience with the new owners.
I would go ahead with Clawson. :D
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

Greg Wallace
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by Greg Wallace » Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:10 pm

Mark Clawson does indeed to great work. I have, however, used an engine turned vinyl self adhesive with very nice results. I got mine through a sign shop that produced custom graphics. It will cost you very little to try. The challenge is to find a pattern close to the original. A number of classic cars used this turned trim including the early GTO and Impala SS so restoration resources catering to these cars may present a potential source. If it were me, I would start with a sign shop that can make self adhesive graphics...they should have a sample book.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by jim g » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:06 pm

I finally found the pictures of the 4 hole panel Mark Clawson did for a customers boat I was restoring several years ago. This is what a correct panel and gauges should look like.
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CC4HoleResto (3).jpg
CC4HoleResto (6).jpg
CC4HoleResto (1).jpg
Last edited by jim g on Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Don Vogt
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by Don Vogt » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:58 pm

i think i have a slightly different pattern. i think there is a photo of it on the pre war blog mentioned above. I would personally not want vinyl on a metal dash. put me down as old fashioned.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

Greg Wallace
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by Greg Wallace » Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:27 am

You might just be surprised to learn how many of these are running around with a self adhesive overlay and not engine turned.
This includes show winners.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

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jfischer
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by jfischer » Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:31 pm

Thanks for the replies! I'll make a few calls next week and see what options I have. Again, I've enjoyed looking at the shiny chrome plating for a few years but am ready to go back to the "engine turned" look... I'm kind of with Don in the sense that I'd rather not do the "fix" by adding a sticker although I'm sure it would be a lot cheaper...

As for your "catch" Jim G... you are correct. My tach was restored and updated to be "electrical" rather than "mechanical" which has the dial spinning the wrong way from what it was back in '36. The gauges were sent in to be restored and sent back "updated" this way as a mistake or miscommunication with the restorer. To be honest, I was running out of energy and money to worry about sending it back... Maybe it will bother me enough in the future to swap it back again. After all, I'm looking to mess around with a perfectly good dash plate. :)

Thanks again and have a great rest of the season!
John "In the Dog House" Fischer
1936 16' Chris Craft Double Forward Cockpit.
Johnsburg, IL

motoryachtsoco
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by motoryachtsoco » Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:25 pm

On Dale from the email I sent Matt at WoodieBoater:

I'm sure you know this already but on the off chance you don't Dale Kocian has moved on.

Now, before some crazy internet rumor starts on TMZ no he hasn't crossed that bridge to the great beyond.

But he has sold his business and is Florida bound. Not sure if this will be short term or longer as we have many ex-Minnesotans via Florida here in the Carolinas.

I'm honored to have two Chris Crafts with Dale's work and a 3rd set in the box out in the shop. May have been the last set of gauges he finished up right before he left.

He called me back in April and apologized for the delay in getting the above mentioned last set from a 1956 Capri completed. It was a sunny Saturday with the temps in the 70's here in the Carolinas and a blowing blizzard across most of the northern half of the country. We might of talked the better part of an hour.

Well, life goes on.

You'll notice a new format and change at ccgauges.com but Shauna swears they'll keep the prices fair and the work top shelf.

Dale told me it was a hard decision but it was time and he was certain the company would be in good hands.

I never met Dale in person but talked to him a dozen or more times over the last couple of years. The first set of gauges I sent him I really expected him to call and not be able to stop laughing at the box full of rust that had landed on his door step. But two months later when I opened the same box back up they were so perfect I nearly cried.

Yep he was that good.
Chris McIntire

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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by Jim Godlewski » Sat Oct 24, 2015 4:46 am

WOW! I did not know Dale moved on. I was planning on Dale building all our gauges for the model 100 since he did such a great job on our sportsman set. I hope Dale is doing well. He was very helpful and very good to say the least.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

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Re: Anyone Know Who Restores Dash Panels?

Post by LazyLady » Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:05 pm

I was very skeptical about the new owners of Kocian until I talked with Jeff Funk and Rudy with NW Classic Boats and they both said they believe the gauges are better than what Dale was doing. Rudy actually said his Riva instruments and Chris Craft panel was top notch. I'll give them a try and let you know what I think.

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