[HWYSTR455]

Ok, school me on gauge trim rings for the different 2nd gen years. Are there 2 types of rings or 3?

Are all the rings of same design across all the gauges or were there ever a mix of 'thick' and 'thin' ones?

I have a box of rings, and I may have just been tired last night, but it kind of looked like there were 2 different 'thick' ones?

Repop rings show only 2 kinds, and diff vendors show diff cutoff years?


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[Tellyshavilli]

From what I’ve found 1970-73 The firebird & formula with the wood grain Dash face all got the thin ones

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

From what I’ve found 1970-73 The firebird & formula with the wood grain Dash face all got the thin ones

Are you sure? It looked like the one '74 wood grain one I have has the thick ones?

Ames lists the repop thin rings as 70-72 only?

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[eaglesan13]

I've never owned a 73 or later Firebird, so I cannot comment on what may have been used on any of those cars.

On the 1970-1972 Trans Am (which had a flat bezel, no raised edges), there are three different styles of bezel rings. The two large rings were used on the openings for the speedometer and for the tachometer. There was a small ring used in the center of the two big ones (on the water temp and oil pressure gauge). This small ring was the same thickness (height) as the two large rings. (see pictures) The third style of bezel ring was used on the openings to the right of the large openings. This bezel was the same size opening as the ring between the two large openings, but this ring was not as thick. This ring was used on the fuel gauge, volt gauge and center dash vents (if equipped with a/c).

FYI, from what I have observed, the reproduction chrome rings being sold only come in two sizes, the large rings and the small, thin rings used on the fuel/volt/center vents. The thicker ring for the water temp/oil pressure gauge is not reproduced, so I guess you're supposed to use the thinner (small) ring rather than the thicker one.

On the Firebird wood-grain bezels (Base model, Esprite, and Formula), the 70-72 dash bezels are different than the 73 bezels. The 70-72 have raised edges on the openings for the two large gauge openings and the small opening between the two large gauge openings, while the 73 wood grained bezel is flat like the Trans Ams were.

The two large openings and the small opening between the large ones all use a very thin ring. However, if the car is equipped with rally gauges and/or air conditioning, there will be two or four small openings to the right of the bezel (like on a Trans Am). These bezel rings are not the same as the small ring that goes between the two large ones. Therefore, regarding the wood grained bezels, on a car with standard instrumentation, (Speedo in one large openings and nothing in the second large opening, and fuel gauge in the center of the two large openings), there will be two sizes of bezel rings. On a car with the wood grained bezels, if it is also equipped with rally gauges and/or air conditioning, there will be three styles of rings used, the two large ones, the small thick one, and either two or four small thin rings.

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

Ok, school me on gauge trim rings for the different 2nd gen years. Are there 2 types of rings or 3?

Are all the rings of same design across all the gauges or were there ever a mix of 'thick' and 'thin' ones?

I have a box of rings, and I may have just been tired last night, but it kind of looked like there were 2 different 'thick' ones?

Repop rings show only 2 kinds, and diff vendors show diff cutoff years?


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[eaglesan13]

More pictures... (71 Trans Am and 71 Formula)

[HWYSTR455]

Thank you, but let me see if I understood correctly.

Let's not include the raised bezel one. I understand that there are two diff diameters, that's obvious, but you say, for example, on a formula, the two large and the fuel between them, all were the same 'thick' rings, and every one that are to the right, are the thin rings?

That explains why I have more of the thin 2" ones, and makes sense.

Now how does one make those look fresh again I wonder? Does one have to shoot them with flat or matte trim paint? If so, which type, like SEM?


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[NOT A TA]

This is from a '70 Esprit. Note the gas gauge bezel between the large ones is thin/short compared to the ones on the right. Probably made them different because of the stamped ridge in the sheet metal of the three openings in front of the driver. By not stamping the ridge on the right side they could just punch however many holes were necessary depending on whether is was a gauge package car and whether or not it had AC.

I use SEM Trim Black.

[FrankieT/A]

Also, the '70 and early '71 T/A rings are chrome (chromed plastic), all the rest are black.

[unruhjonny]

I think an easy way to simplify this is to look at it from another angle;

After 1972, all dash inserts used the same rings, and there were three types:
1) The two large ones were of course the same; every dash insert used two of these.
2) the centre surround (directly above column) was always specific to the location; every dash insert used one of these.
3) the rally gauge and ac vent surrounds were all the same part, depending on the dash insert, there were zero, two, or four of these.

The 70-72 TA (turned aluminum) dash insert used the same basic rings as 73+;
Only the chromed ones were unique - but they were the same parts, just chromed.

It's the 70-72 non-TA (woodgrain) dash inserts which used rings that were unique - these dash inserts have a variant of the #1 & #2 rings.

I believe that the #3 rings are used across all years, and all types.

I hope this helps.

EDIT:
I just reread other post, that would be a massive oversight if the reproduction rings were only the #1 & #3 types!!?!
Maybe that's why every listing of a second generation firebird dash insert is (often far) in excess of $100!?! - those single (#2) specific sourrounds are virtually gold!
lol
(it still doesn't excuse a boring no-gauge woodgrain dash insert being listed for so much.)

[HWYSTR455]

Ok, so basically, late-72-up, the small ring in between the two large rings was a thick one. Got it.

Well. I have 3 diff types of small rings. There's one that's very thin, one that's thin, and one type that is the typical thick.

So the 70-early 72 was a very thin one? The bezels with the raised main 3 gauges?

Not that it matters, I don't have a stamped raised bezel insert, so, no biggie. But I guess then, including the chrome ones, there are 4 different small rings.

Sigh. Ok. So I need to reuse a 'thick' small ring for the fuel gauge is what I'm hearing, and just need to figure out the best way to refurb one of those, because I think I'm going to buy a set of repops for all the other holes, so they match better. I'm not particularly concerned over 'correct', this is not going to be a correct resto anyway.

Here's a pic of the small rings I have, and the one engine turned one I'm trying to use:

Could use tips on installing the engine turned decals too, I have one more to do for a friend. The first one I did was not perfect, I flat out just used too much 'glide' stuff and it prevented it from sticking as well as I had hoped.

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[unruhjonny]

If we could talk in person, I am sure I could make it clear, but how's this;

In my last post, I outlined three types of rings:
#1, #2, & #3
I then went on to explain that the #1 & #2 had different versions used on the 70-72 non-TA woodgrain dash inserts;
Let's call those #1b & #2b.

In this image, from left to right you have:
#2, #3, #2b

[bird72]

Everyone like da bling, me like the wood. TA's shoulda had a wood option, ha.

[HWYSTR455]

Thank you unruhjonny, I think I get it now. And as I've said many times, this site has some of the most knowledgeable Pontiac folks on the planet!

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[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by bird72

Everyone like da bling, me like the wood. TA's shoulda had a wood option, ha.

I for the longest time used only the wood grain ones, I preferred them, which is why I have some wood grain ones still hanging around.

This project is a little different for me, it's a 73 brewster restomod tribute, and will eventually go to my son. He likes the bling!


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[NOT A TA]

I like the wood grain also but only the lighter color ones. Also like wood wheels.

[eaglesan13]

To anyone who is thinking of having their dash bezel rings chromed (for Trans Am bezels), you might want to check out the thread on my old TA (link below). I sent my rings to Bob at ChromeTech and he said he could not chrome original black rings, he could only rechrome rings that were originally chromed. Bob has retired, so he's no longer in business which is too bad because he did very nice work.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1+Trans&page=7

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by NOT A TA

I like the wood grain also but only the lighter color ones. Also like wood wheels.

I had a Grant 3 spoke dark mahogany wheel for a long time, liked it a lot, but changed along the way for some reason I don't recall.

I always went for the darker wood grain inserts, plus, they were more readily available.



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