The Dash Thread

depmike38 · #1 07-24-2010, 10:30 PM

Is the area of instrument panel where the covering is attached a removeable top panel or is it part of the entire assembly? If it is part of a whole assembly does anyone know if it has to be pulled from the car to replace the cover or is it feasible to do it in place? Also is it B-O-W like the seats or a more generic leather?

Pat Marshall · #2 07-25-2010, 07:44 AM

I believe you are referring to the instrument pod assembly on the dash that contains the clock, tachometer, speedometer and the 4-way gauge. The pod cover is screwed to the frame that secures the 4 gauges. The three screws are accesible from the ourside top of the pod cover. The pod cover is easy to take off.

The pod cover is the same leather that is used throughout the car. However to properly cover it the leather has to be stretched so tightly that the grain is almost totally flattened.

So, if you're just replacing just the pod cover leather, many leathers will work, as long as they aren't something weird - like perforated, heavily dimpled, etc. Color match is then the most important factor

depmike38 · #3 07-25-2010, 03:59 PM

I had seen pictures of that piece off in some previous posts and figured it to be recovered off the car. What I'm unsure about is the main panel that runs all the way across. It seems to be of a fairly simple configuration when compared to a modern dash assembly but I don't want to remove it if unnecessary. My dash covering and that of the interior trim around the windshield and side windows will have to be re-done. Thanks for any input, Mike

Pat Marshall · #4 07-25-2010, 09:22 PM

The Dash leather is installed in the car. There is a thin fiberglass padding layer underneath the Dash leather, try to not disturb it when you remove the leather.

What's damage does your dash leather have?

Mad Scientist · #5 07-25-2010, 10:00 PM

Having had my dash partly disassembled I can say that this is not a job for the faint-at-heart. However if your radio doesn't work this would be a good time to get it fixed also to check to see that the cables from the control counsel are actually working their appropriate vents. I found two bent cables because the valves they controlled were rusted in place.

depmike38 · #6 07-25-2010, 10:19 PM

The dash covering has dried out and split in several places so re-covering it is a must. The damaged interior mouldings have done the same. If it's installed in the car how do you get it to stretch into place?

Mad Scientist · #7 07-26-2010, 09:48 AM

I cannot imagine doing a decent job without taking it all apart.

The leather is wrapped around the molding, etc. and is then contacted cemented in place. This prevents the cut edge of the leather from being seen along the edge of the molding.

depmike38 · #8 07-26-2010, 10:30 AM

I see the needed procedure with the mouldings. Most of the ones in my car are off and in the trunk. What I'm unsure of is the main area of the dash and is it possible to do a good job with it in place or does the complete dashboard assembly have to come out. I think Pat referred to a fiberglass part of some sort. Is it possible that it's removeable?

Shawn Newcomb · #9 07-26-2010, 11:46 AM

FWIW this may give you some idea as to construction...

While my mouldings (the grey color that turns greenish) are in decent shape for an old hulk and securely in place (rusty fasteners aside), the dash leather has shrunk to the point that it and the brads that tacked it in place are now visible to anyone in person and are clearly not covered by the mouldings anymore. I realize that this photo isn't great (only one I have), and the heads are hard to see in it, but they stick up in each of the brown holes where the backside leather is showing through.

Pat Marshall · #10 07-26-2010, 02:20 PM

The dash structure [U]is not removable unless you cut it out with a torch[/U]. It is a permanent part of the cabin structure. The dash components consist of the underlying permanent dash structure, a thin fiberglass layer of padding and the dash leather.

There is a wooden strip underneath the inside windshield molding. The leather is stapled to that strip. It is then pulled back towards the front seat and wrapped under the dashboard overhang and is glued to the underside of the dash structure in the same areas where the instrument brackets, radio frame and glove box are screwed into the underside of the dash trailing edge.