Recovering the dash face plate should be a no brainer but I found out the hard way how to make it a sloppy looking job. DO NOT trim out around the steering column all the way. Leave yourself about 1/2 " excess material around the steering column portion of the face. Make little snip cuts so the area will be flexible. Keep cutting until it fits snug around the column. I made mine up on the bench first and cut everything out. I taped the DIN radio plate so it came out in one complete piece. I will do it again when I put the new dash top on.
IF you flush cut it you will end up like mine.
Full Version: Dash Face Recover
Mark,
When you do the final one, you might want to similarly leave the radio hole(s) about 1/4" oversized with the corners snipped at the DIN cut-out & the circular snips like you say around the steering column at the round radio control shaft holes. That way once the radio is installed (pull it back & forth in the slot &/or push it by hand in order to get the excess "flaps" folding inward if necessary), then the excess will cover-up any fitment issues around the radio/face-cover.
That was a trick my old buddy who did radio installs at one of the local P-dealers back in the day taught me.
Tom
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When you do the final one, you might want to similarly leave the radio hole(s) about 1/4" oversized with the corners snipped at the DIN cut-out & the circular snips like you say around the steering column at the round radio control shaft holes. That way once the radio is installed (pull it back & forth in the slot &/or push it by hand in order to get the excess "flaps" folding inward if necessary), then the excess will cover-up any fitment issues around the radio/face-cover.
That was a trick my old buddy who did radio installs at one of the local P-dealers back in the day taught me.
Tom
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Darn,I noticed mine had been left longer when I pulled my column out,perhaps a small rubber moulding wouldn't look out of place and finish it off.
Not the sort of job you would want to do twice especially in my case as I have amp and fuel gauge in that area each side of my steering wheel.
Not the sort of job you would want to do twice especially in my case as I have amp and fuel gauge in that area each side of my steering wheel.
Tom,
Good idea on the radio. I am going to use a Becker so I trimmed all the way out. Adding test fitting pictures.
Good idea on the radio. I am going to use a Becker so I trimmed all the way out. Adding test fitting pictures.
ISnt there a split plastic collar that wraps around the steering wheel to fill in the dash hole. Will look later but someone might know now.
914-6 have a split collar surround.
Interesting Mark. Remember the old rule measure twice cut once. I got the plate from other Mark (914rubber) and did some trimming to make it more flush.
- Big Ed
- Big Ed
Bummer. I posted about that a few month's ago in my V8 build thread. It would have bit me in the arse as well except I had the old material for the pattern.
Thanks for posting this warning. I will doing the dash face in a couple weeks 
Also leave a little top and bottom. Mine looked great at first and now is curling from the top down.... 
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