'74 T/A with wood grained dash
 

I just picked up a low mileage, VERY original '74, original paint, interior, complete car etc from an estate. Was a one-owner car.
Oddly enough, it has a wood grained dash insert.
It seems odd to me that the previous Owner (deceased) would have swapped just that out. Everything else is there, and other than a couple of tears on the bottom of the driver's seat, its all original. Even has the original carpet as best I can tell. Car has 82k miles.
Unicorn? Or swapped out? I don't really have any proof either way, just wondering if anyone else ever came across this.

I almost feel bad saying it, but I swapped out the dash bezel on the first 1970 T/A I bought back in 1982. I didn't like the T/A dash as much as the woodgrain in my 1970 Formula. I just thought it was a little too flashy. When I sold it, I gave the buyer the T/A dash bezel. It's possible the original owner didn't like the silver background.

In those years, ANYTHING is possible. Could be factory error, but most likely the previous owner swapped it out because some felt the T/A insert was too busy..

Sometimes I feellike swapping mine out, lol. Hate the flash anymore

my 78 formula W72 4 speed car came with the t/a swirl polished dash panel.

I would be the owner swapped it out. I don't see the factory making that mistake and then making it through dealer prep. He may have even had the dealer do it when he bought it new.

Post up some pics BTW. I love looking at what people find!

I believe in 79...all Formula's got the TA gauge bezel....but in 78 it still woodgrain from the factory..

i bought the car from the original owner lady and questioned her about it and she said that is the way it was when she took delivery of it from our local dealership. who knows why.

The dealers would swap parts around on new cars back then...if it meant a sale...and the person that bought the other car...wouldn't know....or care..

that is very true

Very likely changed. Even low mileage original cars have the chance of changes being made on them. Especially on a car closing in on 50 years. Similar question posted recently about turn signal colours on an original car, found out lo and behold they had been changed at some point.

lots of odditities, a friend of mine back in the 80's bought a 74 t/a from a guy, very original car and it didnt have a tach. it had the big clock, the seller said it was that way new. who knows. it didnt look like it had been messed with and the wiring harness was all correct for it.

Be interesting to pull it out and see has markings, labels, tags etc that would indicate if it was changed. Engine turned metal may not have been everybody's thing back in the days of woodgrain & avacodo appliances so I can anticipate some having it changed.

A lot of things like that could have been installed wrong on the line....due to error and or wrong...or no correct one in the bin....

The dealer prolly would have corrected it...if customer complained under warranty.

Over the years...I've documented a half dozen 70 TA's.....with Formula (undersize) sway bars...front and rear....

Prolly a supply shortage....or ignorant line worker/installer..