Does anyone know how Ford put the cross-hatch pattern in the '48-'50 cluster face plate? I need to restore mine and I have no idea at the time on how to reproduce the pattern. I was hoping it was in the metal but no such luck. Any ideas would be appreciated. Also, if anyone knows a good color match paint that they used I would appreciate that info as well. Thanks!

 

When I redid mine, I cleaned it up real good, lightly sanded it and sprayed it with a Krylon Beige paint, the cross-hatch pattern showed up through the new paint.

 

That will work with one of mine but the other two are rusted bad enough that I wouldn't want to paint over it. It seems a mystery to me how they did this especially with late 40's technology. It would seem to me we should be able to reproduce it, somehow . . .

 

Something rolled or stamped across it while it was wet?? I am looking at one right now and I can't tell how they did it.

 

I've thought about this off and on for many years. I figured it ha to be in a quick way, pretty much like everything Ford did. I think it had to be stamped on in some way.

 

I had a similar discussion with a buddy the other day about some side trim. We are working on a 58 Packard, the side trim on the car has a couple of chrome spears with a flat panel in between that has a diamond cross-hatch pattern. it seems like Ford used something similar on the late 50's ford cars as well (usually painted a gold color).


I have no idea where to get the stuff. On the Packard we are working on it has some spots that have worn through from a screw head underneath. Since we are doing a mild custom on this project I think we will replace it with regular sheet metal (we cant just remove it as it covers a major body seam and would be impossible to blend in)


Good luck with your search
Bobby

 

It's very common to print on metal, just like paper, and just as quickly -- think beer cans.

 

But beers cans aren't textured and in the late '40's i don't know if the technology for printing on metal was developed. I am not sure but I don't think beer came in a can then. I may try some very fine nylon that has the cross-hatch pattern my wife found on some fancy stockings. I'll try a test by attaching the stocking to a piece of metal and then painting over it. Who knows, it might work! If it does, I'll post pictures for review.

 

I don't know. It looks like some sort of a waffle pattern. Maybe a special paint applicator? Those gauge faces are available. Check eBay and Mac's Auto. I see Mac's has restored assemblies in their latest catalog but I can't find it on line. You might call them.

 

It had to be relatively simple and fast to keep production going. I'd almost bet the panels were painted and then run under a big rubber wheel with a pattern on it. Fast and simple.

 

Silk screen ?

 

As I stated earlier, when I repainted mine, and as you can see in this one from a fellow on facebook, the pattern showed up through the repainting, it would not be a silk screen, but rather it must be a pattern imbedded in the material.

 

It looks like it was either an etch or some some kind of copper overlay. Have cleaned mine up with 1000 grit (go easy, check in light often) and preserved most of it. If there are rust spots the pattern is likely gone for that area. Also kryloned beige with good results.

 

I would not be surprised to find that is a very fine nylon screen, laid over the panel before painting. The paint would then seal it in place while permitting it to show through. Additionally, the nylon would not be immediately recognizable when sanding as it would come off with the applied paint. BUT, rusty areas may reveal a thread of nylon along the edges.

 

When I was redoing mine, I determined it was a knurling process in a thick primer layer.