[blubomber]

I have only seen one Bonneville without the grille emblem so I would think it was added very early on in the production run. It was a one year only part (AFAIK) since it is different than the 428 fender badges used in '67, '68, and '69 (non Bonneville 428 equipped B bodies) (no distinction for HO or not).

Originally Posted by north

Thanks,

Your pic has me thinking about Bonneville 428 grille emblems, when did the start adding them?

My Bonnie is a November car out of southgate with no emblem, can anyone else key in?

[David Brown]

[QUOTE=The overlay decal on the temperature control unit matched the pattern in each year. In "69 it was silver aluminum faced decal and in '70 it went to a wood grain decal. I've never seen a wood grain one in good condition in a junkyard. Occassionally a silver one can be salvaged.[/QUOTE]

So there must have been a woodgrain decal for the Bonne, and a different one for the Cat/Exec for 1970. I have never seen one offered for sale of either type, and I doubt that is a part that will ever be reproduced.

[north]

[QUOTE=David Brown;5323584]Have you replaced the High Blower relay North? That is usually the reason for no high speed on the fan.

Yes I did, it was bad and the NOS one is working properly. I just didn't have time last year to do proper electrical testing. I have an NOS fan control switch if need be but first I want to measure power to the fan itself to make sure it's not the fan motor or a cracked wire. Could also be heavy grime blockage on the condenser and heater core but unlikely that that both would be equally blocked (air flow volume is identical regardless of temperature)

All of the different modes and temperature management are fine, just can't get it to go onto higher speeds. I noticed in the wiring diagram that the hi-lo switch not only cuts out the two higher speeds, it also changes the other two speeds to be more aggressive for a given delta in temperature.

The poor service employees at the dealers who were used to oil changes and swapping out bum radios must have been bewildered by this set up.

[blubomber]

Several years ago I met a guy on line from Zeeland MI who was hired to do a restoration on a red '69 Bonneville convertible. I sold him a dash. He had several '69 model silver/aluminum stick-on decals made but I don't know who did the work. Since it was such a low production they cost about $50 ea IIRC. I bought at least one to always have a good spare. As far as a '70 wood grain one I have no idea. As we all know there are not many of these big B body cars out there. Not a big market.

I think there is a shop/guy in Hemmings who does wood grain work for things like "woody wagons" and even dash boards. It appears the process uses some kind of vinyl plastic and then heat shrink it to bond with the metal part.

My guess is that only the Catalina wood grain was different, at least it was in '69. The difference is in the wording on the panel to identify the model of the car. In '70 the Bonneville used the metal badge as I mentioned instead of the stencil painting. Not sure about the other B body models.

Originally Posted by David Brown

So there must have been a woodgrain decal for the Bonne, and a different one for the Cat/Exec for 1970. I have never seen one offered for sale of either type, and I doubt that is a part that will ever be reproduced.

[north]

Not sure in 70 but in 69 you couldn't just put a decal over the AC head because the lettering for control position is not ink but actually transparent so that the light can shine through from underneath.

[north]

BTW, on the subject of 69-70 dashboards this dash was designed for a passenger airbag, hence the very low and useless glovebox. If you pull your glove box you will see a huge open area of wasted space (for the airbag) above it.

I don't remember where but there are factory photos around of an air bag test done on a 69 Bonneville convertible with the passenger door removed. Air bags must have been less violent then since the lovely model suffered not even mussed hair.

[Alvin]

Few of ideas on dash vinyl repair / replacement:

- I remember as a kid in the early '70s my dad purchasing a roll of "Burled Walnut" vinyl to repair the center console and dash application on our 1967 Grand Prix. He created a simple paper template to make 1 cut on the new vinyl.

- Also reminds me of a Pontiacr I know, Glen Duncan, who used Eastwood materials to hand restore a '39(?) Pontiac metal dash and interior window faux "wood treatment" as shown below

- And, on our '73 Grand Am I met a young guy who worked @ local specailty woodworking Co. and sourced a close to "Crossfire Mahogany" veneer that he cut, trimmed, finished simular to the OEM look.

[north]

I love those photos, I wish I could have such a neat, well organized work area, look at all those little bins. I just don't seem to have it in me!

[David Brown]

The 70 woodgrain on the A/C control also has transparent wording for the various modes that also light up at night, so there is a lot more involved than just slapping on new woodgrain vinyl. All the 70 models had the metal badge on the passenger side insert, for Bonneville, Catalina and Executive. I have never seen a difference in the woodgrain between the B body models, although I never really examined them. The passenger side pieces are all the same except for the model badge. The 69 right side piece looks about the same too, except as mentioned, the model in printed on the woodgrain vinyl.

[blubomber]

That's true. The decal has the lettering cut out for the light to shine thru for the appropriate selections. All are lit up with hthe ights on, not just when the particular function is selected. IIRC there is a bulb attached from the rear that lights up the entire cavity that has a semi transparent lens all around the selector levers. I had to remove and clean the surface to apply the new decal.

If we could find a very competant technician I would be willing to lend my template to produce more. I'd do the same for a '70 if I had one.

FYI. I reconditioned my passenger side dash plate years ago. It was aged and faded. All I did was tape off the outside boundry and use a small hand brush with silver aluminum paint and then remove the tape. The Bonneville lettering was pretty good so I left it alone. I don't have the artistic skill to paint free hand but I am sure if I looked around town enough I could have found someone with the skill at the college or HS Art Department. After I refreshed the border I then sprayed the entire piece with clear gloss paint. It looks very very good according to everyone who has seen it.

BTW...I spray painted my taillight lenses with clear gloss as well. It brought all the vibrant red color right back out of the lenses. I did take them out of their housings of course.

Originally Posted by north

Not sure in 70 but in 69 you couldn't just put a decal over the AC head because the lettering for control position is not ink but actually transparent so that the light can shine through from underneath.

[David Brown]

I still would like to know the difference between the control units on the Bonneville vs. the Catalina & Executive. I kind of remember almost buying an NOS unit years ago, but it was the Cat/Exec unit, and by the picture on ebay, I think the woodgrained part was shorter and there was a wider space on the left side that must have gone behind the dash. There is a page (35C-7) in the B body Assembly Manual that shows a very wide left hand side. This is only a drawing, but it is much wider that on page 35C9.4.

[north]

I just looked at the 70 full line catalog on oldcar brochures online and here is what I think is the answer:

Bonneville has Burled Elm and Catalina has Walnut wood trim.

btw, blubomber is right that the 69 accessorizer doesn't show the warning light option but it mentions it in the listing of components in the lighting group.

[Alvin]

WAG - sounds like "Apollo & NASA" style translucent polymer layer on top of wood grain vinyl, doesn't it? Remember we're talking 1969 & 1970 here, right?

I'd imagine someone @ a modern sign co. (Fast Signs, Wood Veneer Co, etc.) could scan in complete dash template & the letter cutouts can be occomplished w modern laser equipment and them final layer with lettering applied...

I know & understand it's esoteric, but it COULD be done if one was so inclined w the time & $$$.

Pure speculation, WAG idea on my part, so no offense intended.

[blubomber]

There is no difference. The difference is in the wood grain panel in front of the passenger seat above the glove box.

Interesting about the airbag. I read once that GM was going to try air bags in Oldsmobiles around '67 but someone decided that safety wasn't going to sell to the whole thing was shelved.

Originally Posted by David Brown

I still would like to know the difference between the control units on the Bonneville vs. the Catalina & Executive. I kind of remember almost buying an NOS unit years ago, but it was the Cat/Exec unit, and by the picture on ebay, I think the woodgrained part was shorter and there was a wider space on the left side that must have gone behind the dash. There is a page (35C-7) in the B body Assembly Manual that shows a very wide left hand side. This is only a drawing, but it is much wider that on page 35C9.4.

[blubomber]

Maybe one of these new 3-D printers could make one? I saw a picture of a dog running on a prosthetic leg made in a 3-D printer. Someone tried to make a pistol but the reciever and barrel couldn't withstand the pressure.

Originally Posted by Alvin

WAG - sounds like "Apollo & NASA" style translucent polymer layer on top of wood grain vinyl, doesn't it? Remember we're talking 1969 & 1970 here, right?

I'd imagine someone @ a modern sign co. (Fast Signs, Wood Veneer Co, etc.) could scan in complete dash template & the letter cutouts can be occomplished w modern laser equipment and them final layer with lettering applied...

I know & understand it's esoteric, but it COULD be done if one was so inclined w the time & $$$.

Pure speculation, WAG idea on my part, so no offense intended.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by David Brown

I still would like to know the difference between the control units on the Bonneville vs. the Catalina & Executive. I kind of remember almost buying an NOS unit years ago, but it was the Cat/Exec unit, and by the picture on ebay, I think the woodgrained part was shorter and there was a wider space on the left side that must have gone behind the dash. There is a page (35C-7) in the B body Assembly Manual that shows a very wide left hand side. This is only a drawing, but it is much wider that on page 35C9.4.

Wondering out loud if any images would be shown in a "MOTORS" manual for 1969/70 ATC / non-ATC dashes?

[north]

I think in 69 they were testing because at that time airbags were supposed to be mandated for the 73 or 74 model year so that was not far away in 69. Oldsmobile actually offered a passenger airbag in 88's, 98's and Toro's (all the same dash) in 1974 (I have the brochure from when my dad bought a 98)

[blubomber]

side bar. I got my child locks from Hank in PA last night. That makes 52 options for my Bonneville. I won't use them except as a display item in the trunk, along with the Arctic wipers.

[blubomber]

When did airbags become mandatory? Maybe this is the story I was referring to and just got the years wrong.

Originally Posted by north

I think in 69 they were testing because at that time airbags were supposed to be mandated for the 73 or 74 model year so that was not far away in 69. Oldsmobile actually offered a passenger airbag in 88's, 98's and Toro's (all the same dash) in 1974 (I have the brochure from when my dad bought a 98)

[north]

I was wrong, the 74 olds system had two airbags, the funny thing is that the main selling point was that unlike every other 74 car it didn't have that f**** seatbelt ignition interlock system.

It was mounted under the dash, the opposite of the 69 concept as well as what actually went into production in the 90's.

That is why so many 69 GM's had such a similar looking dashboard.