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dash cap

I put a plastic dash cap on my 73 charger in 1999, painted it with the paint used for the jambs ( I was 15), but I removed the plastic wood grain insert, put the cap on and reinstalled it. It lasted until 2017 when it cracked. The map light area under the dash isnt perfect. I did another one in 2015, if you use a lot of weight, it will seal the top part down better and it will look let like a cap. The black one didn’t stick as well. I’m not saying it’s professional quality, just that there are ways to make it look better.

View attachment 1160429
 
Installed my cap a few years ago to cover a couple cracks in my dash. After pulling out the instrument panel and starting to get into cleaning everything out, I decided it was going to be too difficult to get the dash out so I went the cap route. Other than the fit around the center panel on the right side, Im still very happy with it. I tried working that area to make it fit better but, like the repro dash pads, dont expect things to fit like the original unless youre willing to put some serious effort into it.

RR dash comparo.png
 
tommyg29 said:
Installed my cap a few years ago to cover a couple cracks in my dash. After pulling out the instrument panel and starting to get into cleaning everything out, I decided it was going to be too difficult to get the dash out so I went the cap route. Other than the fit around the center panel on the right side, Im still very happy with it. I tried working that area to make it fit better but, like the repro dash pads, dont expect things to fit like the original unless youre willing to put some serious effort into it.

View attachment 1166443
Click to expand...
I just purchased one a few months back it's on top of the dash what I notice it covers the whole silver stripe on the outer edge of the wood grain on the passenger side. Do you trim that to show the silver or just cover it all up ?
 
nstyle73 said:
I put a plastic dash cap on my 73 charger in 1999, painted it with the paint used for the jambs ( I was 15), but I removed the plastic wood grain insert, put the cap on and reinstalled it. It lasted until 2017 when it cracked. The map light area under the dash isnt perfect. I did another one in 2015, if you use a lot of weight, it will seal the top part down better and it will look let like a cap. The black one didn’t stick as well. I’m not saying it’s professional quality, just that there are ways to make it look better.

View attachment 1160429
Click to expand...
I've only used one dash cap before a long time ago and it cracked, too, eventually. Also the grain pattern didn't come close to the original. Then there was the fact that it took up too much space around the glove box door making it impossible to open without a screwdriver. With these dash caps they don't allow for the fact that they make the dash measurements bigger and hence your clearance everywhere the dash cap covers will be that much smaller (or non-existent). I'd say research your other options and try one of them; use a dash cap (which is still fairly expensive) as a last resort if you can't get anything else to work to your satisfaction or can't afford a new dash.
 
Not sure what you mean but sounds like a very poor fit. Maybe I got lucky but mine needed only minor trimming with a razor blade, though again, not perfect. These are the two spots that dont fit well.

RR dashpad.png
 
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For folks who went the cap route…did you install the cap and then reinstall the wood grain insert on passenger side?
 
Some brands get the cut for the map light, some other not, but some other brands doesn't even cover the dash "eyebrow" area up to the cluster and just fits on top. In my experience working with two buddies cars using one of them each, the one which just cover the top ( not the area where the map light is ) did fit WAY BETTER than the other one. Maybe is just about brand choose. I think there are about 3 or 4 manufacturers fo those.
 
I have one in my 70 Challenger, it fits well and tight. My car is not a stock resto. Many people cringe when they think I ruined a $1500 dash pad by cutting holes in it for my A pillar bars from the roll cage.

IMG_54301.jpg IMG_54311.jpg 20191127_221528 (003).jpg 20191122_105034 (003).jpg
 
I laid mine down loosely last August to see how close it was to fitting it over hangs the passenger wood panel a little . I haven’t glued it down yet but I’m surprised it’s not moving around when I drive .
 
RGAZ said:
I did that on my 69 dash pad and personally it looks great.

View attachment 1141747 View attachment 1141748

I used Bondo Jelly followed by Metal glaze to make it smooth. Then to give it some texture I experimented with flat black paint and a mini-roller. Gave it a pretty cool texture. You can see a little of it in the pics.

Note: Not supposed to be a stock restoration.

RGAZ
Click to expand...
I love doing this sort of thing, it's pretty cool refurbishing parts... being a painter anyway, it's fun to see the results, just like the results you have right here...Nice job man..
 
Texas charger 73 said:
Who has installed the plastic dash cap before? i cant afford a reproduction pad right now so this is just temp.. i was pre fitting it and it fits great except around wood grain on passenger side,, being an overlay i wouldn't think that needed to be removed, but possibly just trimmed around?
Click to expand...
I got one from rock auto and it came out of Texas. All I did was smooth out any high spots on my cracked old dash then it installed right over my old one. I carefully pressed it around the passenger Air vents and glued it down. Jaming a blanket on top pressing it down over night. I did this over 5 years ago and it still looks new and the heat in Reno, NV has not effected it.
RR interior.jpg
 
grant.jpg
granttuff.jpg


I finally put cap on about a 6 months ago... here it is after about 6 months in Texas Heat.. seems to be holding up pretty well.. also added the Grant Tough Wheel, but would like to find an original adapter..
 
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