rebuilding threads in dash screw holes

[red vettes]

The dash has been apart many times in '73 for various reasons like radio repair, speaker replacement, guage repair, and everything else that needs fixing in 38 years and 356k miles. I just had it apart to fix an oil leak in the oil pressure gauge, and replace burned out bulbs in the center gauge assembly. I think that the threads were just about nonexisting for the horizonal screws , which go into the speedo/tach pad and the pad on the passenger side. I filled the holes with gorilla glue, and after about 4 days, I drilled tiny pilot holes in the glue, prior to reassembly. When I put the screws in the threads were very secure. I took a couple of the screws out 2 days later, and them put them back in, I'm satisfied that it is a good fix. I don't know if this will always work or not. It is only about 40 degrees F. in my garage when I did this. The glue was in the house and at room tempature when I took it to the garage, and it took 3 days for it to get real hard, or as hard as gorilla glue gets. No guarantees, but it worked for me this time

 

[White75]

I've used epoxy for some fixes. You can also use fiberglass and resin if so inclined. For some of my fixes that I needed some density to, I used quicksteel or jbweld. you can drill and tap it.

 

[6880 Mike]

These also work. I believe Corvette Central lists them.

 

[bagger]

I used anchors you put into plaster board. Painted the heads the color of my dash pads and epoxy'd them in. Unless you're looking for them, you don't notice them. It's been 3 years now and the center cluster is still nice and secure.

 

[chuck]

I used anchors you put into plaster board. Painted the heads the color of my dash pads and epoxy'd them in. Unless you're looking for them, you don't notice them. It's been 3 years now and the center cluster is still nice and secure.

This is the method I use.

 

[White75]

I used anchors you put into plaster board. Painted the heads the color of my dash pads and epoxy'd them in. Unless you're looking for them, you don't notice them. It's been 3 years now and the center cluster is still nice and secure.

oooh brillance!!! I'll remember this for the 78

 

[6880 Mike]

...I used anchors you put into plaster board...

Same here. They work, too.

 

[chuckhinva]

I used anchors you put into plaster board. Painted the heads the color of my dash pads and epoxy'd them in. Unless you're looking for them, you don't notice them. It's been 3 years now and the center cluster is still nice and secure.

Do you mean the plastic ones?

 

[JohnZ]

Do you mean the plastic ones?

Yes - plastic drywall anchors.

 

[bagger]

Yes Chuck. I used the white ones and painted the heads red to match the dash. Pretty simple fix. Before I put the center cluster back in I threaded the screws in to make threading them in with the cluster a little easier. Works great.