1966 C20 deluxe heater controls face color fawn or black?

[Rust-O-Matic]

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)

[chevylookin]

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

[Rust-O-Matic]

Originally Posted by chevylookin

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

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.

[VictoriaHardware]

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.

[64jmb]

Darker Fawn for 1966.

[Rust-O-Matic]

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.

[64jmb]

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..

[Rust-O-Matic]

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...

[vince1]

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.

[Rust-O-Matic]

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

[Rust-O-Matic]

Originally Posted by vince1

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.

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.

[1966 K10]

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?

[VictoriaHardware]

Originally Posted by 1966 K10

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?

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.

[1966 K10]

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?

[1966 K10]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

The Dealer-installed A/C Kit was intended to cover '64-'66 as a FUNCTIONAL system- not necessarily 100% FACTORY CORRECT.

I thought 64 had its own special kit

[60-66]

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.

[60-66]

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.





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





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.