swag

Hello experts!

I have a 1968 corvette and all the descriptions I see the bezel doesn't match the year.

I've attached a picture.

So, I think I have an "early" 1968.

Is it true that the bezel is wrong? And, if so, which one is correct for the year.

On the right side, it has a low few indicator and door ajar indicator. The right side has just a long piece of red plastic. Seems like it lights up when I turn the lights on. Or it is just catching the bezel lights.

Thanks for your help!

530planeman

68 bezel is smooth surface not crinkle finish
Wes

Alan 71

Hi S,
In 68 the gauge bezel had a smooth finish as 530 notes and yours appears to be.
But, in the upper left corner was a push button reset switch below the 'Seat Belt Warning' light.
What was on the right side depended on the build date of the car…. could be 'Door Ajar', and 'Low Fuel' or blank.
After about serial #13,700 the right upper is 'Door Ajar' and the lower is 'Wiper O'ride'.
Regards,
Alan

This MAY be what the light/switch looked like; I'm not sure. Note the divider that's between the light and switch is part of the bezel molding.
Note this is a 71 bezel with the morocco grained surface.

530planeman

Alan if you look at the edges of his it is not flat surface looks like someone tried to make it look like a 68 by sanding the center
Wes

Alan 71

Hi Wes,
Yes, you're right.
I blew the pic up and see it; especially around the upper left side.
PRETTY tricky!!!!
Regards,
Alan

John 65

Hi Swag, No expert here but I believe your clock **** is on backwards.

I am not nitpicking, just saying.

sullyman56

My original 68 bezel has a smooth surface and being an early 68, on the left above the button that says "push" is the seat belts light. On the right is the "door ajar" light. Sure looks like someone tried to make your bezel look like a 68.

swag

Thank you guys for your help. I ordered a 68 bezel and will get that soon!

Finding a few things here and there like that.

Dang, those 68 bezels are expensive!

John 65

1 year only.

swag

Hi John, Just saw this. I don't understand, could you elaborate?

Thanks

530planeman

Be careful installation as they break very easy at the thin curved portion.I take the shift consel out and slip it under the forward edge after bezel is in .others here may have sugestions .Good luck
Wes

avalonjohn

I think everyone covered your initial question. If you want to go a bit further, your vent ***** are late 69 and up. May want to put a set of 68s on the order to save on shipping.

Rescue Rogers

The cone shape is reversed. It should be wide on the outside and narrow at the console. Nust unscrew the tiny very easy to lose pain in the but screw and flip the knod around. No big deal.

The vent ***** should be the metal rectangular shaped ones if you care. I think they look better too.

And welcome to the joys of early 68s. Under the door ajar light its should be just a metal plate shaped like the light. And be very careful with your new bezel frame. When I renstalled mine I had the left side dash pad off and both radio panels off. It may help to loosen the center console but only as a last resort. There is a metal frame at the front of the console that you can loosen up and adjust to get the bottom of the frame to lock in. It has 2 bolts at the bottom that grabs that metal plate.

When you take stuff apart I always take photos. You dont know when its going back together and you may forget how the gauges were wired, especially the insulators and which washers were where.

Be careful with the oil hose. If yours is plastic I would upgrade to metal or braided line. And make sure its snugged up and not leaking before reinstalling the dash. While its off replace all the bulbs because its a pain to pull it apart for a few bulbs. If your going with the original style console you'll neeed the seat belt restet button and I would buy the circuit board for it. I put mine together and a 2 months later it failed again.

While your in there you should check all your dash bulbs as well. Good luck and have fun. Oh yeah. If you pull your driver side dash take pictures of your wiring harness, mine went from bottom left and crossed up through the middle to top left. Its the only way it would fit too. I believe all other years are all below or all above.




69 gauge console in my 68

My original 68 gauge bezel was broken. I repaired it but didnt want to cut it up for a din radio. I found this console with gauges for $40 including shipping

John 65

RR beat me to it

As others have mentioned they like to snap at the weak points on each side so go easy.

Had an Oct 67 built car, lots of early parts. I enjoyed it.

Rescue Rogers

Mines around Oct 7 67. I claim plus or minus 3 days which could make it the same birthday as me.

swag

Hi, finally getting back to this. I got the bezel; however, after taking the old one apart it appears that I actually need the early 1968. i.e. the low fuel gauge didn't have a light bulb socket so it could have never worked!

Glad I didn't rely on that to know when my gas was low.

I am going to return the wrong one and get the correct one.

I'll see if I can get the correct air vent *****.

Thanks all!

sullyman56

You should be able to determine your car's build date by the vin number and the trim tag. Mine is a January 68 build so that makes mine an "early" 68 at least for the bezel. Yours, if like mine should have a " door ajar" light with a blank plate beneath it.