Replacing old, original, cracked dash top (pad) Options

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

I'm certain that there are numerous, satisfied recepients of Camp914s' dash top refurbishments, but, has anyone in the concours circles had firsthand experience with this repair. The photos on their site indicate that their refinishing can't be told from new. If this is the case, I'll be buying one. However, I don't want to get a renewed dash pad if it's apparent that it doesn't match the original.

Paul

[JeffBowlsby]

Its been a few years since I saw craigs first couple of dash redos so take it for what its worth, hopefully Craig will chime in and post close-up photos of the finish.

What I remember was that the finish was very very nice, but it was not the identical grain as stock. Remember also, there was more than one stock grain. Its a very good product, and close, but not identical. To be the most convincing, one might consider refinishing all the interior pads...upper/lower dash, and the 3 Targa bar pieces to match.

[Pat Garvey]

I'm certain that there are numerous, satisfied recepients of Camp914s' dash top refurbishments, but, has anyone in the concours circles had firsthand experience with this repair. The photos on their site indicate that their refinishing can't be told from new. If this is the case, I'll be buying one. However, I don't want to get a renewed dash pad if it's apparent that it doesn't match the original.

Paul

Have you tried looking for a factory replacement through the usual channels - here, eBay, Craigslist? They do come up from time to time.

This isn't a horrible change to make, IF you're 30, but it does require a lot of contortion & cussing. Can your old 6'5" frame still contort? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
Pat

[sixerdon]

Be careful. There is an early and late style pad. '70 & '71 are early. When the '72's came out, the glove box door got shorter due to the added vent and the pad cutout in the right corner near door compensted for it. Not everybody knows this.
What happens is that the door on the early dash will not fully open with a late pad.
It will work, but it's not a great fit.
I found this out when I replaced my '70 pad with a nice '76 pad 10 years ago.
Don

[Lavanaut]

Lots of great info here as usual. Can anyone tell from these pics whether this is an early or late /6 dash? Apparently it has the "loose" (vs. "tight", seller's words I swear) grain.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[sixerdon]

No, I can't tell by the pictures. The key is the width of the glove box recess in the top. The '70 & '71 (4 & 6) cars has a wider glove box door. The recess got wider in '72 with the addition of side vents making the glove box door narrower. Get a dimension of the width of the notch and compare it with your own car.
Don

[sixerdon]

No, I can't tell by the pictures. The key is the width of the glove box recess in the top. The '70 & '71 (4 & 6) cars has a wider glove box door. The recess got wider in '72 with the addition of side vents making the glove box door narrower. Get a dimension of the width of the notch and compare it with your own car.
Don

I should have said "the recess got narrower in '72 with the addition of side vents".
D

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

Here is a close up of a 1970 dash top "grain pattern".


Paul (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sixerdon]

Here is a close up of a 1970 dash top "grain pattern".


Paul (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Paul,
Did you have yours recovered by Camp 914?
Don

[McMark]

I just installed a Camp914 pad. I'll take pictures on Tuesday. If you didn't see two next to each other you would never know the difference. As far as I'm concerned it's a 'no-compromises' replacement. Anyone who claims they can tell a difference needs to prove it, because I'm a skeptic.

[Lavanaut]

Here is a close up of a 1970 dash top "grain pattern".

Great pic Paul, thanks very much.

I just installed a Camp914 pad. I'll take pictures on Tuesday. If you didn't see two next to each other you would never know the difference. As far as I'm concerned it's a 'no-compromises' replacement. Anyone who claims they can tell a difference needs to prove it, because I'm a skeptic.

Very interesting, I look forward to seeing those pics Mark!

[McMark]

Here they are. Again, the grain may look slightly different in a side-by-side, but even in two cars next to each other I think anyone would be hard pressed to know without guessing.

[Leo Imperial]

Just pulled this out of a 71' looks pretty close to me, except the original is not as clean as the nice new version Mark has. The shock this one has no cracks or sagging over the guages. I say shock because the rest of the car is a mess.

I was thinking about using it on my car, but this thread has me wondering what this one is worth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[Lavanaut]

No, I can't tell by the pictures. The key is the width of the glove box recess in the top. The '70 & '71 (4 & 6) cars has a wider glove box door. The recess got wider in '72 with the addition of side vents making the glove box door narrower. Get a dimension of the width of the notch and compare it with your own car.
Don

I just went out to measure the opening in my own car and found something very interesting. Depending on what you guys think, "interesting" may be the wrong word. Anyway, take a look at the pic below. Based on what you're saying Don, it appears to me that my car has the wrong dash in it as it sits...? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) The glove box door doesn't open fully, but I hadn't noticed it until now.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

(sorry...crappy cell pic)

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

No, I can't tell by the pictures. The key is the width of the glove box recess in the top. The '70 & '71 (4 & 6) cars has a wider glove box door. The recess got wider in '72 with the addition of side vents making the glove box door narrower. Get a dimension of the width of the notch and compare it with your own car.
Don

I just went out to measure the opening in my own car and found something very interesting. Depending on what you guys think, "interesting" may be the wrong word. Anyway, take a look at the pic below. Based on what you're saying Don, it appears to me that my car has the wrong dash in it as it sits...? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) The glove box door doesn't open fully, but I hadn't noticed it until now.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

(sorry...crappy cell pic)

You are correct, wrong dash top. Here's a photo showing correct fitment, though the install isn't complete. This is for a 1970.

Paul

[Lavanaut]

You are correct, wrong dash top. Here's a photo showing correct fitment, though the install isn't complete. This is for a 1970.

Paul

Thanks for the pic Paul. Yeah, the more I looked at my pic the more obvious it was that it's the wrong dash top. I guess I'm in the market for an early one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hijacked.gif) ...sorry about that.

This post has been edited by Lavanaut: Jul 31 2008, 08:37 PM

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

You are correct, wrong dash top. Here's a photo showing correct fitment, though the install isn't complete. This is for a 1970.

Paul

Thanks for the pic Paul. Yeah, the more I looked at my pic the more obvious it was that it's the wrong dash top. I guess I'm in the market for an early one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hijacked.gif) ...sorry about that.

As sixer(Don) mentioned, when the 914 dash included the side, fresh air vents starting in 1972, the opening for the glove box door became marginally narrower.

Paul

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

Here is a close up of a 1970 dash top "grain pattern".


Paul (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Paul,
Did you have yours recovered by Camp 914?
Don

Don,
I'm sorry I overlooked your question. Yes, Camp 914 is restoring my dash top.

Paul

[sixerdon]

Yes Lavanaut, that's exactly what I'm talkin' about. The glove box will open, but not with the "pop". Eventually what can happen is that the g-box door will chafe the recess of that expensive top. If you have an uncracked top, maybe you can trade with someone with an early one in the same condition. It would seem the early ones would be more rare than the later ones.

Good pictures of the detail by you and Paul for future reference.


Paul

[sixerdon]

Lots of great info here as usual. Can anyone tell from these pics whether this is an early or late /6 dash? Apparently it has the "loose" (vs. "tight", seller's words I swear) grain.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

In case no one noticed, this particular top sold on ebay for over $700.
Go figure.
Don