"Backdating" an updated 72 dash... A/C vents etc

[IslandHopper]

I am in the process of picking up a '72 coupe that was "updated" at some point in history. Most of the car has been changed to SC and Carrera parts, well pretty much all of it lol. I haven't gotten to open anything up or dig in to see all the details but much is obvious. I have searched and not found what I need.

The dash has been totally changed and is from a Carrera with vents in the top dash cover, and also the side vents at each end of the center dash trim. Since the ends, I assume, must have been cut off of the metal dash frame beneath in order to accommodate the side vents, I am worried it will be a giant pain to remove them. It's like having to backdate a carrera dash I would imagine.

Has anyone done this and it a ton of work? Wild I need to find good metal "ends" from a long-hood?

And will a '72 appropriate "dash cover" fit over the sc or carrera dash that is there now to effectively cover the top vents if I decide not to spend big bucks on a correct complete top dash pad?

I am also considering leaving them there and having what would look like a singer dash does if I make the rest look old like it used to, and leave the vents. I am torn on how much effort/money to spend "removing" features that may actually be nice to have. Like the power windows that were later additions by previous owners that are on my 73 AND this 72, at first I wanted to remove them but then figured screw it, why spend a ton of cash to have to manually wind the windows up lol

[john walker's workshop]

i did that once to a '76. you do have to cut and weld stuff. probably just for looks too, as there's no hoses that relate to them on a '73.

[mreid]

When I pulled the 87 dash off of my 74, I found good and bad.

The good: the speaker mounts were still intact and the correct dash I found could bolt up and I could use the speaker grill to mount my cutoff switch like the IROC cars.

The bad: there was a huge hole in the front of the dash where a PO installed those center vents.

1974 as purchased:



As returned to original (sort of):



I was able to find a junker and cut out the missing steel section and weld it into my car. I also had to remove all sorts of PVC pipes and other Home Depot crap used for ventilation from the dash. Good luck!