[dataway]

Are all the 68 glove boxes that odd shade of dark/blue/aqua on the inside? The metal part?
Is just the lower plastic part painted the same color as the dash metal?

[OG68]

I have a few 68 glovebox covers laying around. From what I can see, the plastic part appears to have been molded in black. Then, when the metal frame is applied, the entire backside is painted Aqua/Blue. (The second photo appears to be black but its a dark blue. Might not be a matched pair with the plastic)

In regards to the front, I think the upper is the molded or painted black for Tempest and painted Aqua/Blue for the LeMans/GTO. My photo shows Aqua.

[dataway]

My two sets look exactly like that except for the difference in paint color on the lower plastic outside to match dash color. One of my metal pieces is a slightly different shade of blue than the other, and has more gloss. Otherwise at a glance they appear identical to each other, and just like your photos.
So I'm guessing those inside colors are the treatment all of them received.

[Entropy11]

From what I’ve found on my ‘68 that’s the same color used on the gauge faces and the gauge surround area (from the gauge plexiglass outward to the gauge trim vacuum chrome bezel). It was on my glove box inner door as well as under my faux-woodgrain dash insert.

The color crosses to “Blue Charcoal” which was an earlier generation exterior color option… providing I read the DuPont/BASF color charts correctly between the years. I forget where I have a copy of the page where Pontiac ID’s the color code for the dash color.

The Parts Place has a good rendition of it in a spray can (#1134) if you’re looking to replace the coating.

[dataway]

My stuff is just barely above the bar that would require repainting. Hopefully all I'm going to need is the tire pressure sticker

[dataway]

So I bead blasted the paint off my lower glove box door down to the chrome, then sanded off the chrome (which covers the entire lower glove box). Used some SEM prep, and the their plastic paint. It's not going to be a good enough match to the rest of the dash.

So, I have some 20+ year old acrylic lacquer that I originally used to paint the dash. Appears to still be perfectly fine. Wondering if I can top coat this SEM product with the acrylic lacquer without problems. I was thinking maybe the SEM paint with it's plastic adhesion properties might make a decent base. Or should I maybe top coat the SEM paint with some epoxy primer and use that as the base for the acrylic lacquer?

I have no idea what kind of paint the SEM is ... possible that acrylic lacquer would strip it right off, or blister it etc.

[dataway]

Well, decided to go ahead an take the plunge. Mixed up some 25 year old PPG Medium Gold Poly with some 25 year old PPG reducer and shot it right over the SEM plastic paint. Evidently the SEM makes a decent primer, the acrylic lacquer went on it very nice, no bubbling or blistering, dried to it's appropriate 60 degree gloss and matches the dash painted 25 years ago with the exception that the old paint is a big dingy. Might want to shoot the whole dash now ... although I kind of like it's very slight patina from sitting around for so long in the garage, looks very original. And if my usual careless handling of parts has anything to do with it, the glove box door will soon have that same patina

Glove box is just stuck in place for the photo.

[north]

pretty darn close!

[dataway]

I think if I use some cleaner wax on the old paint on the dash it might look perfect.

[Greg Reid]

Shoot, I'd call that good!

[dataway]

So ... couple more questions.

Is there a trick to tightening the glove box lock? I can get it snug but there's not way to grab the ferrel on the front to turn it.

And ... the lock cylinder is wrong since the glove box door is not original ... is there a way to get a cylinder for it that matches my existing trunk key ( I still have the factory knock out for the keys, they even still have the dealership inventory tag on them).

[dataway]

I hear that you can buy a glove box lock cylinder, insert the key you want to use, then file the pins to work with that key ... not sure where to get a cylinder like that though. (A forum member told me this) anyone else ever heard of this process or where to get such a lock cylinder.

I'm also hearing I can just take the cylinder to a locksmith with the key I want to use with it and they can set me up no problem ..?

[Greg Reid]

I got nothing in the way of information on that lock. When l was restoring my dash l gave up on getting it off of the door at all.

[dataway]

Yep it's kind of weird in 68 ... the front ferrel holds the lock in by screwing in but has no way to grab the round smooth ferrel ... back side has two small tabs on the cylinder case that engage notches in the metal glovebox door backing.

I think I lot of people end up turning the case and damaging those tabs to get it off, they are very small and don't engage very far.

I see no way to remove the cylinder with the lock in place like you can do with an ignition switch.

[OG68]

I did this about a year ago and IIRC I used the procedure found in the Fisher Body manual, page 5-5, under Buick Compartment Door Lock.
Upon re-installing you need to make sure the ferrel nut is tight. The lock cylinder will turn 360* if it isn't. Again, I don't recall how I tightened it down, maybe my fat finger or the rubber handle of a screwdriver.

[dataway]

Yeah, a blunt piece of rubber would be a good idea, some of that silicone stuff is really sticky.

[dataway]

OK ... before I become enraged and destroy my new glove box ... is there a trick to getting the cardboard box inside the dash? Won't fit through the front, and I can't find room to get it in the back. I've got AC and the inner case is installed which doesn't leave a lot of room in there.

[Greg Reid]

Been a long time. I'm pretty sure I put mine in from underneath but I probably had the dash pretty blown up at the time. I deleted the AC but didn't get rid of anything under the dash except for the plastic vent duct that attaches to the lower dash. That may have given me the extra space I needed.

[dataway]

So far all that is installed is the case that bolts to the firewall, and the kick panel vent. So should be the same as yours. The new piece is WAY stiffer than the old one that's for sure.

[dataway]

Got it installed ... just took a bit more force