Question on Top Dash Pad Cover

[WayneLBurnham]

I just got in one of Corvette America's Upper Dash Pad Covers - the kind that is a plastic shell, covered in some colored textured vinyl from the looks of it.

It seems relatively flexible, but it dawns on me I may have made the demise of the leather original quicker by the vicious way I bent it to remove it to change speakers and chase shorted out wires and burned light bulbs...

Is there a "recommended" method for removing and installing the upper dash pad?

I remove both side column cover thingies, but I still have to bend the center at a frightfull angle to work it out past the "ears."

BTW, am I the only impatient loser who drilled a hole and put in a long screw into the bottom of each one to hold them in place firmly?

You can't see it when the door's closed and now the passenger one doesn't slump forward like a dejected piece of rotted driftwood every time I hit some road bumps and the hood unlatches on the driver side...

 

[Chas]

Wayne, i just finished my dash work....sounds to me like you need to remove the passenger side front dash panel , then look at the underneath of the dash pad....there is 1 screw in mine that helps hold it in place....its much easier with the panel out , to remove it with out it bending too much.....i also replaced the colume covers all the way around the windshield....looks great and not more than $150 i think.hope it helps.....
ps i have a 1973 , should be pretty close to yours.

 

[68Roadster]

Wayne,
I cracked mine when I put it back in......when you "crack" the method, please let me know. I plan on replaceing at some point in time...


Cee

 

[Chas]

the method i describe above is crackless......i just did it.


try this link for assistance....http://home.attbi.com/~jchadwick/Technical_Assistance.HTM

 

[paintdaddy]

That upper dash is a biaaatch!Ive taken alot of them out but usuall just bend and tweek to get them in or out ,good luck

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Modified Installation of a Corvette America Dash Pad Cover

I gave up - I modified it.

I removed all the dashes and I still had to bend the thingy too much to clear the rear "ear" on the windshield post. It is virtually invisible through the corner of the windshield when looking down - and could be filled with a filler block of some dark material.

Then I glued the Dash Cover on, and - should be a different thread - this process went well, but I used "3M Yellow" as well as the clear silite product that came with it.

It finished straight and true - and strong enough to support an aircraft carrier without any deflection now!!! You can forget bending the center of the dash pad to get the ear tucked in once that cover is solidly attached - laminated is a better term!

This is when I gave up and cut off the rear "ear" of the entire she-bang, dash pad and cover and all.

I will have to take this thing off again a number of times in the not distant future, I do not wish to destroy speakers, the dash pad or cover over an obsession to remain purely stock when I'm already altering it with the cover!

It fit in and went in place with little problem with just that rear ear on the passenger side cut off to even with the hollow between that ear and the front swell. Now no flexing of the dash pad is required for removal or installation. I even removed it and put it back it to check.

I drilled a new hole in the facing edge of the dash pad cover through the old hole I had drilled (roughly) so that I could once again firmly attach the column covers at the bottom. This also worked well. There are no squeaks and everything fits tightly.

One nusiance project down.