Hi all. I have a '79 F-350 SC. I'm slowly restoring it. It has copper metallic with light sand as the insert. Not one of the most popular colours but its original and I'll take it lol. The interior is all copper metallic....except for the dash. It's brown!? Don't get me wrong I like the colour, I see it on a lot of trucks. But why just the dash? It doesn't look replaced, everything is quite original. Did ford just mass paint a bunch dashes brown? Was mine built on a friday!?....perhaps a monday!?...I like my truck. Just can't make sense of this. Thanks for any input. I've got a few pics for your viewing.

 

My father had bought a 75 F 100 brand new explorer. The inside and exterior color was called ginger I believe. It had a light almost flat brown dash with brown pad. Never saw another like it. I remember the day he picked it up. I wish I had photos of it.

 

1979 F100/350 dashes were available in Blue - Red - Cordovan (a darkish brown) - Jade - Saddle.

Dash pictured in post #1 is Cordovan.

 

Nice truck, I like the color combo!
I'd guess it was a cost saving measure by Ford, only 5 colors for dashes instead of dozens of body colors.

My '79 is dark brown and has the same ugly(to me) brown dash...

 

Thanks NumberDummy. Anytime you have anything to say is always worth listening too! Always enjoy your Ford expertise.

 

Thanks tinman52. I didn't like the colour at first but it grew on me in time. Just like to complete it best I can! Having some rusty roof issues I'm gonna have to deal with real soon.

 

That brown dash is also a semi-gloss instead of gloss that most '73-'77's would have. For most trim levels, the dash would be painted whatever the upper color of the truck, but that had an exception starting with the Luxury Decor Group interiors of '76 and '77. Your truck has the Lariat interior, so it gets that brown semi-gloss dash panel.

Beautiful truck, btw!

edit: Looking over other '78-'79 trucks, I believe semi-gloss paint was used for all trim levels and instead of matching the upper exterior color as in previous years, it was determined by the interior trim color.

David

 

Thx David. The rust seems to grow out of control lol. Unfortunately looking better than is. I wish I could leave it inside or under cover regularly, but it ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Too bad for the truck. I hope my truck cover will help me out this winter once again.

 

My Bright Orange original color(Not sure of what the color was called from the factory) '78 F150 Ranger has the brown dash (or Cordovan as ND educated us on) It also has the brown dashpad, visors and brown door panels with a tan insert. It also had the brown colored rubber full floormat. The mat was shot when I bought it so it is now gone.

 

+1

That's one of my favorite color combos....any more pics of the whole truck?

 

No black? I have 2 79s, a 150 and a 250, with black dashes, black padding. They could have been painted for all I know.

I hear the Jade is kinda rare. My 78 SC is jade ..... ugly. I'm going black on the dash, gray or brown through the rest.

 

I have a 79 F350 4x4 SC (parts truck) with the same color combo and interior was just like yours! I also have a 79 bronco with the same color combo and that color scheme really grows on ya!

I noticed in one of your pics that you have a manual selector switch for the dual gas tanks...IIRC all the 79 F350 4x4 SC had the flip switch on the dash (right side of the heater/AC panel). I've never seen a manual switch in the 79 F350's!? Maybe Bill (ND) or someone else will chime in but not sure if that's a factory option on our 79 F350 4x4 SC's??

 

Black was also used! I have (3) black trucks/bronco's that have black dash/pads from the factory!