'DashTop" Install

tkosier · 07-04-2008, 06:27 AM

While I save my pennies (thousands upon thousands of them) for a properly recovered dash, I acquired a burgundy colored DashTop. Pretty nice overall and a big improvement over the severely cracked original dash. Only issue I'm having is how best to fit over/around/in front/ behind the center AC vent. What's best way to get it to fit there? Tried taking the vent out, mounting dashtop then reinstalling center vent - not good. Tried mounting dashtop over the center vent (center vent installed first) - better, but not great.
Any suggestions?

Thanks

1303RS · 07-04-2008, 07:23 AM

If the hole for the vent is too small you might have to make the hole bigger. You should not have to remove anything from the dash to install a dash cap. sometimes alittle trimming is needed.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

In my case I had to do major surgery to the leather dash. It was so badly warped around the A/C vent opening, eye brow above the instruments, and defroster holes that the dash top wouldn't lay down. Either way I'm going to have to buy a donor dash when ever I replace the dash top with the real thing. When I say surgery, I mean I whacked away a lot of the original dash to make it fit.

I would recommend that you only put a "dimes" worth of silicone about every 4"-6" around the perimeter of the dash. By doing this it will allow the dash top to expand and contract. Also I had shot bags that I used to hold down the dash, also I used cardboard tubes wedged against the seats to push the dash top back to the windshield.

It's not the last word in dash repair, but it sure looks better for now. You know that you can buy shaker cans of vinyl paint to pretty match your existing interior color.

I might add if you have removed your center dash grill and re-installed it there's a pretty good chance it didn't engage the manifold behind the dash. In my case I pushed the manifold back without coupling the vent grille so I was air conditioning the trunk area. To check to see if the two are connected, remove your clock and reach in behind the dash vent to verify the slip fit.

tkosier · 07-04-2008, 12:41 PM

Thanks 1303RS and Mitch for our replies. I can see that I will need to trim Dashtop area around the center vent. I did go through a bit of a dance getting the center vent to engage the air plenum. Removing the clock makes that easier. Thanks. All in all, it is a significant improvement - I should be able to spend my saved up pennies on something else (always seems to be somethin else!).

vreference · 07-04-2008, 11:13 PM

I ran into the same problem with my center vent which is why I have yet to affix mine. Did you take out your defroster vent and re-install afterwards? I think I'll be able to get away with installing the defroster vent with the cap in but I have more or less decided to put the cap over the center vent. The hole in the cap is offset by a good 3/8" and if I were to trim the hole in the cap it wouldn't curve around - it would get the extremely-rolled fender look. It looks pretty good going over the vent so long as the silicone can hold. I suppose if it fails I'll try something stronger like liquid nails.

I bet for the cars without the center vent this is pretty slick - I still prefer the cap in place even with it just sitting on top of the dash-pad.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

V-Ref,

I installed the dash top over the grill vent. It lined up pretty well. I did some trimming at the window posts to let it move left and right. Naturally I don't know if all the dash tops are made off of the same mold so yours could be different.

I think, at least in my case there was a lot more cutting and fitting that just throwing the dash top over the existing dash. I still have some tell tale places under the instrument eye brow that shows a void. It's just a cheap fix for now...

The sun had shrunk the leather and deformed the dash that there was no way to save it. Here's a before and after shot of the A/C vent...

tkosier · 07-05-2008, 10:59 AM

This morning I removed the cap and trimmed the cap area around the center vent. I Installed the center vent in its normal position. I loosened all of the defroster vent screws (only one fell though the vent hole, but was easily removed by my eleven year son's small fingers) and essentially slide the cap under the lossened defroster vent and over the previouly re-installed center vent, pushed the cap towards front of car into postion and tightened the defroster vents screws - worked great. The trimming of that vent opening was crucial.

I have yet to use any glue, but will use a few strategically placed dabs now that I know how to get it all to fit. Overall fit is very good. Cap does look a bit too shiny, but then I've been looking at a dull, cracked piece for a long time.