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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Cracked dash question on my LE
Posted by: JRust Oct 10 2011, 12:17 PM
Okay so I am finally finishing off my LE & will be putting it up for sale. My problem is the dash I bought on ebay as uncracked isn't. When it came it looked great in the shrink wrap. I didn't pull it out as it was still months off from being installed. Bad move as when I pulle the shrink wrap off I could see the cracks. If held just right the dash cracks totally disappear. Well I went ahead & installed it & the cracks are easy to see. Just pisses me off every time I look at it.
So my question is should I bother replacing it? Or just sell it like it is? I don't want to spend a mint finding a perfect dash. My other option is getting Morph's recovered dashes. They look great but are a stitched dash. So obviously that isn't stock. Now my LE Creamsicle is a very nice driver. Really not concours but will show well. For my interior this is really the only obvious flaw. Everything else is in excellent shape & no cracks or tears. Say you were the buyer? Would you be good with the newly stitched dash? Prefer the stock dash cracked?
Posted by: rjames Oct 10 2011, 12:36 PM
Okay so I am finally finishing off my LE & will be putting it up for sale. My problem is the dash I bought on ebay as uncracked isn't. When it came it looked great in the shrink wrap. I didn't pull it out as it was still months off from being installed. Bad move as when I pulle the shrink wrap off I could see the cracks. If held just right the dash cracks totally disappear. Well I went ahead & installed it & the cracks are easy to see. Just pisses me off every time I look at it.
So my question is should I bother replacing it? Or just sell it like it is? I don't want to spend a mint finding a perfect dash. My other option is getting Morph's recovered dashes. They look great but are a stitched dash. So obviously that isn't stock. Now my LE Creamsicle is a very nice driver. Really not concours but will show well. For my interior this is really the only obvious flaw. Everything else is in excellent shape & no cracks or tears. Say you were the buyer? Would you be good with the newly stitched dash? Prefer the stock dash cracked?
My guess is that an LE buyer would want it stock. Doesn't Camp914 sell 'like new' refurbished dash pads? (Not stitched)
If you think you could get your money back, you could purchase one using your cracked one as a core, and add it to the total price of the car.
Just my $.02
Posted by: r_towle Oct 10 2011, 01:44 PM
If it was a 100 point car, I would say get a real dash for it.
Seeing as you admit that its not...a great looking recovered dash will make the car sell...let the next guy worry about the last 20 points.
rich
Posted by: JRust Oct 10 2011, 01:59 PM
If it was a 100 point car, I would say get a real dash for it.
Seeing as you admit that its not...a great looking recovered dash will make the car sell...let the next guy worry about the last 20 points.
rich
Kinda what I was leaning towards. My biggest issue is my LE has a branded/salvadged title. Totally sucks as it was for a little front fender damage. I know I could get the title clear taking it to another state. I didn't want to hide anything though. I know the car is in excellent shape. Still that is just another reason I am not touting it as a concours car. It is much nicer than your typical daily driver. I would rate the car in the 8.5 range. The drivetrian is all rebuilt, the interior is excellent with the exception of the dash. The paint is very nice but not a perfect 10.
Anyway that is why I am asking. I also have some trade credit with Morph. So it won't be a huge out of pocket expense. I forgot about Craig doing them. I can't remember how close they look to stock. I'll look into that. I really want the interior perfect if I can
Posted by: Cairo94507 Oct 10 2011, 02:13 PM
With all you have said, I would go with the stitched dash. They look very nice.
Posted by: dlkawashima Oct 10 2011, 02:21 PM
The Camp914 dash, at least the one I saw, isn't a perfect match for an original. The grain or texture of the vinyl is slightly different. It probably wouldn't be that noticeable unless you had an original and a recovered one side by side. But it's different enough that you would want to disclose that to the buyer if you went that route.
I personally would take a dash recovered by Camp914 over an original with nasty cracks all over it. Even the stitched ones, if done well, are nice. But they don't come close to matching the original, and an LE probably needs to be as close to original as possible to justify its higher price.
Posted by: Tom_T Oct 10 2011, 02:22 PM
For an LE the salvage title won't matter as much, cuz the buyer can re-brand it with historic plates in their state.
CAMP914 is pretty much like new OEM covering appearance-wise, but fresher plastic/vinyl material. Being an LE, I'd go with that option, & use your Morph credits on something else it needs or for your later 914s' needs.
Even if you were to find & buy an expensive NOS dash top pad, it would still be 20-30 year old vinyl covering it & just waiting to crack, so frankly IMHO the CWs using those are just asking for trouble, cuz they can crack in a matter of hours!
How do I know? ....the original on my 914 cracked while dry stored in my SoCal garage, & the original one on my frigging 85 325e cracked over night this past spring & now I have 2 to replace as well! 
Posted by: eric9144 Oct 10 2011, 03:11 PM
Ah, if only 914rubber could make a dash repro as nice as the bumper tops...
Posted by: JRust Oct 10 2011, 03:28 PM
I've got someone emailing me with a perfect uncracked dash out of a 72? I remember something about early dashes being slightly different. Anyone know if one out of a 72 is the same as one from 74? Also he mentioned it is a little bleached. Can you dye them without a problem? Anyone shined thiers up with some dye or ???
Posted by: rdauenhauer Oct 10 2011, 05:05 PM
if it an early 72 could be vent-less, wont work. If its late w/vents your golden!
Posted by: JRust Oct 10 2011, 05:25 PM
if it an early 72 could be vent-less, wont work. If its late w/vents your golden!
Cool it must be a late 72 as it had vents. You mean the ones on the side by each door right? The vents actually sit in the lower dash? I'm assuming with out the vents the upper & lower dash came together a little different
. Or am I way off base?
Posted by: JRust Oct 10 2011, 07:12 PM
I just went ahead & bought the dash. I figure if it's an early dash I'll put it in my 70 v8 conversion. Still I hope it is a late dash so it can go in my LE 
Posted by: Tom Oct 10 2011, 07:27 PM
Jamie,
If it is of any help, here is a pic of the dash Craig put in my car. It is a 76 and no cracks, looks really nice. One of his repro's.
Tom
Attached thumbnail(s)
Posted by: bigkensteele Oct 10 2011, 07:27 PM
Have you considered one of the ABS caps? I have one that I would be glad to part with. I have an NOS dash still in the box and no longer need the ABS. I haven't seen one installed, but I hear they are presentable.
I wonder what my NOS dash is worth nowadays...
Posted by: Rockaria Oct 11 2011, 12:15 PM
I just went ahead & bought the dash. I figure if it's an early dash I'll put it in my 70 v8 conversion. Still I hope it is a late dash so it can go in my LE
If it is the dash from New Mexico, Its a Late 72, it will fit. I have seen it in person. Very Nice! Should fit perfectly. As well I don't think its bleached. I bet a good careful cleaning or a touch of back to black will do the trick. I had a targa top that was tons worse that was made to look almost new with a cleaning.
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