Painting the instrument cluster bezel

[schardein]

Ever since I saw this 1985 XJ Wagoneer in the junkyard, I've wanted to try painting an instrument cluster bezel.

[schardein]

I had this fairly clean, uncut plain black bezel with chrome edges. Masked it off, and sprayed three coats of the SEM burgundy color coat #15063.  I think it came out pretty good.

[MiNi Beast]

looks plumbrific!

[89 MJ]

How does it compare to the rest of your interior in color? I’m wondering if the black didn’t make it darker than the rest. Looks good though!

[schardein]

14 minutes ago, 89 MJ said:

How does it compare to the rest of your interior in color? I’m wondering if the black didn’t make it darker than the rest. Looks good though!

I haven't tried installing it yet.  But the SEM Burgundy has been a near perfect match on another piece I painted, that also started out black.  These are the S10 Blazer replacement B pillar lights.

 

The Cordovan/burgundy/maroon can appear different in photos, I guess depending on the light.  In person, it's a very close match.

[schardein]

This is an older shot of my interior.  I now have bucket seats and a silver/gray faced instrument bezel.  To use the cordovan painted bezel, I'm confident I'd have to paint the steering column to match, put a cordovan color steering wheel cover on, and use a cordovan horn button.  More or less duplicating the XJs/MJs with higher factory trim level interiors.

 

[89 MJ]

28 minutes ago, schardein said:

I haven't tried installing it yet.  But the SEM Burgundy has been a near perfect match on another piece I painted, that also started out black.  These are the S10 Blazer replacement B pillar lights.

 

The Cordovan/burgundy/maroon can appear different in photos, I guess depending on the light.  In person, it's a very close match.

Looks great!

[eaglescout526]

I had this NOS medium blue one a couple years ago. @saveevryjp1998 has it now but from 84-87ish they stopped and moved to the woodgrain, black with chrome paint, black, silver and of course, the coveted brushed aluminum. 

 

 

I have been tempted to do a charcoal one but it won't look right so I have stuck with black. But amazing work! 

[schardein]

3 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

I had this NOS medium blue one a couple years ago. @saveevryjp1998 has it now but from 84-87ish they stopped and moved to the woodgrain, black with chrome paint, black, silver and of course, the coveted brushed aluminum. 

 

 

Thanks for posting that picture!  I was wondering, and it was hard to tell from the XJ Waggy pics, if the color went right up to the chrome edge, or if that recessed edge outside of it would remain black also.  Going by this, I got it right.  The brushed aluminum are super hard to find.  I've got one in my XJ, and this one, but it's missing the filler piece beneath the column

[eaglescout526]

Yeah its right there right up to the chrome. I honestly never ever thought I would reference that picture again. I do miss that bezel and kinda regret selling it but I have a NOS brushed aluminum in its place. As does @CoastChief as a form of payment for the body moldings. Yes there was two of those left and I kept them a secret, oops. But both NOS pieces don't have the fillers either which is incredibly odd and the catalog doesn't have a part number for a brushed filler so I wonder if black ones were painted silver to match since it was a filler piece. But I am sure as hell am gonna get a dash bezel and paint it almond for Chunk.

[schardein]

8 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

 But both NOS pieces don't have the fillers either which is incredibly odd and the catalog doesn't have a part number for a brushed filler so I wonder if black ones were painted silver to match since it was a filler piece. But I am sure as hell am gonna get a dash bezel and paint it almond for Chunk.

The older XJs/MJs had much nicer interiors than the later years.  I think the color matched dashes look really sharp.

Here is the filler piece in my XJ, it is a matching brushed aluminum.  I scored these years ago in the salvage yard, but don't remember details.  Wish I'd kept better notes.

[eaglescout526]

Damn the catalog and Chrysler for hiding certain part numbers. There is seriously alot of part numbers that only veterans would know what they are and for. I might have to dig and see if I can find the matching filler but that is nice. Really well done on painting the dash bezel. If I hadnt restored the one I have currently I probably would go to the dark charcoal for my bezel. I might have to find another one and test such. 

[schardein]

1 hour ago, MiNi Beast said:

looks plumbrific!

Haha what's the shaking head?  Don't like the color matched dash, or the cordovan color in general?  Cordovan sure wasn't my first choice, but it's what my truck had when I got it, and have to say it's really grown on me.

 

2 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

Damn the catalog and Chrysler for hiding certain part numbers. There is seriously alot of part numbers that only veterans would know what they are and for. I might have to dig and see if I can find the matching filler but that is nice. Really well done on painting the dash bezel. If I hadnt restored the one I have currently I probably would go to the dark charcoal for my bezel. I might have to find another one and test such. 

Thank you.

I'm curious now how many MJs out there have a color matched dash bezel.

[eaglescout526]

Not many but if you watch the Motorweeks review of the 86 MJ you'll see it has a garnet interior with a garnet dash bezel. Something tells me though that the audience liked black a lot better. 

[MiNi Beast]

i got dad jokes. 

[Minuit]

Your burgundy one looks excellent. Ever since I first saw one of the color keyed dash bezels, I knew I wanted to use one somewhere. I recently came across this picture of an almond one in what looks to be an 84 or 85 XJ and that sealed the deal for me. So when the time comes I'll be doing one in 1987 Tan for my red truck.

 

But as much as I might like that, it still can't dethrone the brushed aluminum, which has a permanent place in my 91. I got this one from Don (may he rest in peace) anyway, so I can't get rid of it.

[schardein]

13 hours ago, Minuit said:

 

Heck yeah.  Of all the interior colors, I could see gray and black being non-candidates for a color matched dash.  Something to contrast the color, like the woodgrain or brushed aluminum looks great.

[The86manche]

23 hours ago, schardein said:

Ever since I saw this 1985 XJ Wagoneer in the junkyard, I've wanted to try painting an instrument cluster bezel.

Is nobody going to talk about WHY a jeep that looks that clean inside is in the junkyard?? 

Or those seats!

[eaglescout526]

17 minutes ago, The86manche said:

Is nobody going to talk about WHY a jeep that looks that clean inside is in the junkyard?? 

Or those seats!

 

Lol. We already did when this Jeep first popped up.

[The86manche]

11 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

 

Lol. We already did when this Jeep first popped up.

Oh I'm just behind on the discussions then 

[eaglescout526]

1 minute ago, The86manche said:

Oh I'm just behind on the discussions then 

Lol. Yeah it was sometime earlier this year that we all made a big deal on why that XJ was in the yard. Still not known I think.

[schardein]

2 hours ago, The86manche said:

Is nobody going to talk about WHY a jeep that looks that clean inside is in the junkyard?? 

Or those seats!

HAHA, it was a shame.  It hurt my heart to pull pieces out of it.  I got there late in the day and knew I really didn't have time to pull the seats, so I put it out of my mind.  Hopefully someone else got them and put them to use.  Interior was beautiful, outside was a little rough.

[eaglescout526]

It still hurts to see that XJ. 

[Torq_Shep]

Does anyone know if the eliminator ever came with anything other than the black dash? 

[89 MJ]

8 hours ago, Torq_Shep said:

Does anyone know if the eliminator ever came with anything other than the black dash? 

I believe @Red Mistress has grey interior in his.