1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

The subject line pretty much sums up my question. What color was the face of the Deluxe Air heater control lever assembly originally painted?

Mine is black, worn, and appears to be original (the light colored bits aren't fawn paint, they're scratches to bare metal). I have original a/c as well, if that makes any difference. Most of the others I have seen online are the same fawn color as the rest of the dash. Here's a pic of mine, and a fawn one for reference.

Which is correct? If fawn, were all 3 years ('64-'66) the same color of fawn? Or is the color/shade year specific? Why is mine black? (Giggity lol)

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

They were always fawn. That heater panel has been rattle canned at some point in its life.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

You may well be exactly right. Maybe the previous owner decided to paint it years ago while he had it out of the dash to mix up all of the cables and strip all the damn screw holes out. Some people should really just not try to fix stuff on their own.

Good news is, I bought another original assembly this morning online in much better shape, which still has the correct fawn paint. Pic attached. Thanks for the input.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Which is correct? If fawn, were all 3 years ('64-'66) the same color of fawn? Or is the color/shade year specific?

'64-65 was fawn, '66 was the darker fawn. Your picture is the lighter one.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Darker Fawn for 1966.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

S.o.b.! So my new (old) one isn't going to match either? It's so hard to tell in pics. The seller stated it was removed from a 1966. I'll send him a message to confirm. I guess I'll know for sure when it arrives.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Is your 66 C10 truck a factory custom cab or standard cab? I have seen some 66's with the lighter dash too I am pretty sure... mine is a real custom cab and a darker fawn dash... I think they are all dark fawn but some may be lighter fawn too if it was a non-custom cab....

This is a picture of my truck... it is a 66 Custom cab darker fawn... even if your deluxe slider is lighter.. you can paint it to match..

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I believe mine is a standard cab, but I still don't quite understand the difference. Mine has the big back window, A/C, deluxe heater, and the rest of the truck came with all the optional stuff like power steering and TH400 transmission. I guess the sail panels that say "Custom" are what actually makes it a custom cab though.

I don't have a current pic, but here's one from a couple years ago when I was test fitting the refinished instrument cluster. It looks more gold-ish than the pic of the controls I just freakin bought. What a bummer...

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

ya that is dark fawn for sure... so you can just paint it no biggie you may be able to find a pint like at Home Depot or Walmart or Lowe's that is a close match or just have it mixed and put in a spray can.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I appreciate your optimism, but it is a bigger deal to me than it may be to others.

I bought a lever kit to rebuild my original controls, but then realized what terrible shape they are in. That, and they would need to be painted to match as well. I researched interior paint when I redid my door panels a few months ago, and found multiple paint codes from multiple sources. There are several threads on this forum that can't even agree on the correct name for the shades of fawn used. I got so frustrated, I just painted the door panels satin black.

So, I decided to drop $115 bucks on the controls I bought yesterday thinking that would eliminate all my problems at once. No need to paint, no need to rebuild (they seller already did), just screw it in place and rock'n'roll. Now they're not going to match, and to paint it I would have to completely disassemble it and start over. Which negates the entire purpose of buying these controls in the first place.

So now I've got like $200 into 2 sets of levers for a truck I originally paid $300 for, and neither set is going to match my dash without spending more time and more money. :waah:

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I just dug this up on the forum:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=539944

Isn't that the same color as the controls in my pic above? These are clearly described as the correct '66 dark fawn. Am I freakin out for no reason?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Here is a good story for ya.. I totally understand what you are going through.. I did not do my homework on my disc brake set up in the front.... the front springs on my truck were cut... 1.5 coils which is about 3.5 to 4 inches off the spring... set the whole thing up what the stock standard spindles woooops! They were cut so far that now I cannot set the camber with the stock no drop spindles! I have to install new coil springs in the front now with just a 1 inch drop in the spring and buy new 2.5 drop spindles this time reinstall everything to the tune of about $900 OUCH! Then it will be correct for both tow and camber.... I should have researched it more...

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I can sympathize. I am still running stock spindles and drums on my C20, and hacked 2 complete coils off the front springs when I first got it. Lol, you can probably imagine how that turned out. Needless to say it has new 3" lowering springs in it now.

I got a message back from the seller of the control panel, and he says it's out of a '66 without a doubt. He also said it's the "lighter color", and that he's seen both in that year. So, still no idea if it's gonna match, but it doesn't sound good. Guess I'll find out in a couple days when it gets here.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Were you about to get the camber set with a 3 inch drop in the springs? Or are your wheels at a slight angle?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I haven't got it aligned yet, so I can't vouch for how far off the camber is. It drives great, and the geometry looks much better than it did with the hacked coils, but that doesn't mean much without a printout from the alignment shop. I'm getting new tires before long, so I will find out then.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Ya, I would make sure it will align before you buy the tires. You don't want to ruin your new tires...

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

For the light fawn color I use Nissan sunlit sand from a rattle can. I am not even sure what should be painted light or dark fawn but it sure perks up the pieces that I paint in the cab of my beat up farm truck.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Sure enough, wrong freakin color. Maybe I can sell this thing or trade both of mine for a correct colored one.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Just the dash would be the dark, flattened fawn apparently. My dash/glovebox/ac vent/ashtray etc. is darker than the rest of the interior.

What's not clear is if all '66s had the dark dash, or if some still had the normal light fawn dash. If the seller I got the new controls from is honest, it would appear both were available.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Im in the same boat. My 66 has dealer installed A/C and used the earlier kit with the fawn control and vent bezel. The part number Ive found shows 65-66 3385187 with no difference in number for the dark fawn color. I have seen both colors so know they exist.

Anyone know if there is a difference in the A/C bezel color for 66 as well?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

The Dealer-installed A/C Kit was intended to cover '64-'66 as a FUNCTIONAL system- not necessarily 100% FACTORY CORRECT. A lot of Service parts are like that. They don't want to stock so many variations that all function the same. Apparently it was decided to include the Light Fawn control face and outlet bezel. The Dealer did not use the wrong kit and get a color mis-match, the truck is correct.

If you're trying to restore the truck to it's "Day 1" state (as it left the Assembly Plant), then it should have no A/C at all. If you're trying to restore the truck to it's "Day 2" state (as it left the original Dealer), then you may want to leave the existing Light Fawn control & bezel in it. It will give the truck a little unique character.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Since the original engine is not in the truck 100% restification is not a priority. I do need to rebuild the control assy and searching around I noticed there definitely is a dark fawn version of the control. Im trying to find an explanation of why there are two different color controls with the same part number ( according to the parts manual)

Looking at this thread there are owners showing what looks like a dark fawn A/C bezel. The parts manual shows the bezel as N.S.S. so no part number to see if there is another number for a DF bezel.

Is it fair to say that factory installed A/C or deluxe air was the only way to get a dark fawn control and vent bezel in 1966?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

I thought 64 had its own special kit

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

My heater control (pictured here) that came with the truck is made of a composite (non-metal) material. The height seems to be slightly short (it measures 6 inches). Has anybody else seen this type before? I'm thinking that I should replace this with a more original version.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

This is news to me on the bezel color difference. That is, that the dealer installed in-dash a/c systems in 1966 were all installed with the old color controls and bezel. As far as I know, the dark fawn, duller dash came about in '66 because of a safety concern for reflection issues within the drivers field of vision. Same year change for dull finished windshield wiper arms as opposed to the polished stainless from before.
Seems crazy that dealers would put outdated stuff in a new truck. I would like to see more evidence of this as a common practice, before buying the idea.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Thanks for chiming in OEM. I have not seen as many A/C trucks as you all, but in the pics above is it just my imagination on the darker bezel?


Do you have any literature that shows a different part number for the 66 only components?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Heater controls : 3840038 is the number for 1964-1965 , it changed in 1966 to 3885187 for heater controls. Then in 1967 3885187 became 1964-1966 as GM grouped these together for "Service parts". Changes like color were not always well defined in parts books but the numbers are if you dig deeper. This IS the reason for Parts History books , to see when changes were made.

The AC Dash Bezel: 3840708 is the 1964-1965 Fawn bezel. Interestingly the DO list a different Production line Bezel as 1965 3866140 which is light fawn , seems as 1965 late AC was installed on the line . 1966 Dark Fawn AC Dash bezel is 3885191 and is specific number because it was cast in a different color.

The N.S.S. reference you see Tony , my guess is your using a much later print dated parts book. The older books show these numbers in the drawings also.

Air Conditioning Accessory kits : 1964 kit for 283 truck 985892 , 1965 986269 , 1966 986441.These are all "Basic Kit 283" accessory numbers , NONE of the part numbers overlap to other years. Each year had some small change or parts added or deleted. Theres a different "KIT" number for each engine also.

1966K10 , your dash bezel , my best guess , dealer installed something he had on the shelf OR your bezel was replaced some time in its life. Your AC could have been added AFTER your truck was bought new , like a year or two later. All are possibility's. Theres NO WAY of knowing that this bezel was installed in your truck when it was New without original owners adding that fact or tracing the trucks owner and service history. If you take your underdash unit off the firewall and out of the dash , there are inspection stickers that may give you a hint to the date of your kit but thats a long shot that thats still glued in place.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

That heater control is from a GMC . All the Chevrolet deluxe heater controls 64-66 have the bowties on the lens. Being black ? Ive only seen a couple NOS Black heater controls which usually meant "Paint as required" was next to the part number in the books. Or somebody painted that ?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Thanks so much for taking the time to check your literature.

Just a few questions, my parts book is the 46-72 manual (same as the GMWIKI) and has left me guessing multiple times, it sounds like a part history would help make sense of things. What does N.S.S. mean? I guessed Not Sold Separately.

One thing I noticed while looking at a bunch of pics of A/C parts is fawn overspray on the diverter boxe and inside the main vent (bezel not installed at time of paint). If these units were installed on the line did they do this before the dash was painted?

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

There are several printings of these books, look on your cover for something like " Effective May,1979" That book I have also and is a "good" source but you have to keep in mind its a general description of whats what. Having a 1966 print date book will give you a better reference to exact numbers but even then , numbers were superseded by years and changes. Thats why , no one book will give you a complete answer. GM Parts WIKI is , Okay , But they do not have many of the parts books , yet , that were printed by Chevrolet . The part numbers I posted came from a 1966 dated parts book AND a parts history book , that WIKI does not have.

N.S.S. , Not Serviced Separately , THAT has to do with the timing of the printing and surplus of parts. Using the 1979 or later books as an example gets you that, as the Bezel alone was not available at that time (1979) but the Assembly with the vent balls might have been ( I have not researched that). In 1966 you could order any single part yet. Parts History books will also tell you WHEN a part number was discontinued or changed. The numbers I posted are just of the fawn bezels , not with the chrome vents. That would have a different part number as an assembly.

All the interior paint was done before assembly , your truck, being that the AC was not available on K series, was either assemble with the AC AFTER it rolled off the assembly line in a side section of the building OR at the dealership. If your seeing paint on parts now , maybe somebody took those AIR parts out of another truck and added this option later in its life ? OR the dash was repainted at some point ? They should NOT have overspray.

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

All evidence points to dealer install and my parts dont have any overspray. Of course I cannot find the thread where the PO claimed factory install with pics of the boxes/vents.

I know Im probably irritating but I love the minutia. Ive been heavily into VW for years and love to investigate all the wierd special order or various export options or factory specific details.

Im not trying to make my burb something its not as someone told me, I just like to know all I can and the older I get the more time I have to satisfy my thirst for knowledge.

Thanks again for all your input!!!

Re: 1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?
 

Not irritating at all Tony . These details are important to just a few .

Heres an NOS light fawn 1964 1965 Dash bezel with the part number molded into the plastic along with the white painted insert bowtie.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...014%201966.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...201966%207.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...201966%208.jpg

Heres a 1966 AC Dash bezel with the different part number. Plastic you can see was molded in the darker fawn.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...G/IMG_6081.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...G/IMG_6080.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...G/IMG_6079.jpg

And heres the NOS AC unit 985790 Basic 1964 kit, notice the date on the inspection sticker , December 30 1963 for the 1964 production year.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...IONING/330.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...IONING/327.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...IONING/285.jpg