Let's talk Dash Caps/Dash Pads

[cal30_sniper]

I'm getting to refurb my dash to go along with the rally gauge cluster and Dakota Digital gauges. I've got an old dash cap that the previous owner applied with harware screws above and below the A/C vents on the passenger side, and by the looks of things, I don't think he sanded down the cracks at all on top of the dash either. The screws and raised areas are a bit of an eye sore, and even more noticeably, he also put the dash cap on top of the A/C bezel on the passenger side, so it covers the edges of the bezel and looks weird. I'm going to need to fix this when I swap to the woodgrain style bezel for the cluster and passenger side. The way I see it, I have 3 options:

1) Pull off the dash cap, fix the issues, and install a 'quality' dash cap in the right fashion
a) Does a 'quality' dash cap actually exist?
2) Buy an aftermarket dash pad:
a) Is there a quality one that doesn't have major fitment issues? I don't need factory correct grain, etc, but I do need it to fit.
3) Send the current pad to someone like Just Dashes for restoration: This is a non-starter. Out of budget scope for what's already a very non-factory car.

I found a few, mostly dated threads dealing with this issues. What I couldn't seem to find was any specific vendors for dash pads or caps that were considered good or bad. I did find some excellent resources on refinishing the brown plastic, so I think I've got that covered.

Thanks!

 

[70chall440]

First off, what car is this?

It all comes down to what you want or will put up with. I've seen a lot of dash caps especially on E bodies and they look ok from a distance but it doesn't take much to recognize its a cap.

If this is just a driver and doesn't need to be real nice or correct then get a cap, spend some time making the pad underneath flat, use some really good adhesive like E6000 and position weights or figure out some manner to hold it correctly while the adhesive sets up.

 

[Gold Rush]

My '74 will be a very nice DRIVER quality car when totally completed. I got my Dash Cap from 1A Auto (around $125 back in 2017) and I am vey happy with the outcome. Here are a few photos

 

[Biopack]

I'm not sure what your budget scope limit is, but wanted to let you know of this option (another option 3 from above) which had good results. DASHPADS FOR CHRYSLER AND GM CARS AND TRUCKS

 

[70chall440]

I'm not sure what your budget scope limit is, but wanted to let you know of this option (another option 3 from above) which had good results. DASHPADS FOR CHRYSLER AND GM CARS AND TRUCKS

I bought a dash pad from ABC for my 71 Charger and it looks good but I haven't installed it yet.

 

[Bighouse]

I put a cap in a Datsun 240z. It looked pretty good.

 

[whayden2003]

That dash cap Gold Rush showed pics of lots pretty dang good to me.

 

[cal30_sniper]

First off, what car is this?

It all comes down to what you want or will put up with. I've seen a lot of dash caps especially on E bodies and they look ok from a distance but it doesn't take much to recognize its a cap.

If this is just a driver and doesn't need to be real nice or correct then get a cap, spend some time making the pad underneath flat, use some really good adhesive like E6000 and position weights or figure out some manner to hold it correctly while the adhesive sets up.

It’s in my ‘72 Satellite. Not much on the car is original, and it only needs to be close enough to look nice to the average guy looking through the window at cars and coffee. Mainly it’s so I can look at my own dash without cringing.

My '74 will be a very nice DRIVER quality car when totally completed. I got my Dash Cap from 1A Auto (around $125 back in 2017) and I am vey happy with the outcome. Here are a few photos

View attachment 1465472View attachment 1465473View attachment 1465475

That looks phenomenal, I’d be very happy with that.

I'm not sure what your budget scope limit is, but wanted to let you know of this option (another option 3 from above) which had good results. DASHPADS FOR CHRYSLER AND GM CARS AND TRUCKS

I’ll give them a look, thanks for the additional option!


I went whole hog tracking down an NOS dashpad and dying it to match my ‘79 300. That car is all original and warranted that level of effort. The Satellite build is pointed a different direction.

 

[71RRHI]

I used a Repo dash pad from ABC moparts. Fit fine. Installed in 2015 It has held up fine so far. no cracks, or warping. We get pretty intense sun exposure here. Alot more work to install a new pad but I think it is worth the effort.

 

[cal30_sniper]

I used a Repo dash pad from ABC moparts. Fit fine. Installed in 2015 It has held up fine so far. no cracks, or warping. We get pretty intense sun exposure here. Alot more work to install a new pad but I think it is worth the effort.View attachment 1465653View attachment 1465652

That looks great. I’m in Albuquerque, and like to drive the thing to work where it sits in the sun all day, so sun tolerance is a big concern.

I think I’d rather have a new pad, and the dash will be all apart anyways, just was afraid of any fitment issues.

 

[71RRHI]

If your taking your dash all apart perfect time to do the dash pad. The nuts on the driver side corner, and passenger side corner are the only tuff ones to get to to remove the pad

 

[terrywalker]

My dash cap on a 74 Charger driver.
Terry W.

 

[whayden2003]

Only experience I have with dash pads is the one in this roadrunner I bought with the interior already restored. Previous owner says it was from Just Dashes. Best pics I got.
And when I say restored I mean about 12 or 15 years ago.

 

[JR_Charger]

I put a cap on mine, can't remember what the brand was. The instructions said to be careful when gluing it on, or it would develop a tear. I was careful and it still tore.

The AC vent insert (or non-AC insert in my case) doesn't fit anymore, and I broke off a tab trying to reinstall it.

It covers the edges of the center speaker grill, so that can't be removed without taking the dash off anymore.

The natural plastic finish was horrible. I went over it with a few different SEM paints and eventually got it to look good.

I would not do a cap again.

 

[KiwiKid72]

I put a cap on mine, can't remember what the brand was.

The AC vent insert (or non-AC insert in my case) doesn't fit anymore, and I broke off a tab.

It covers the edges of the center speaker grill.

The natural plastic finish was horrible.

I'm thinking of a dash cap for my '72 Satellite. Would be good to avoid this brand if if you could remember it, or the website/shop you bought it from.

 

[73RedRunner]

For my '73 rr, I purchased and installed one of the metal core dash pads from ABC Moparts. Fit and finish were excellent.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

If money is enough, Dash pad is the way to go.

I helped on install two caps from diff manufacturers, one of them fit better than the other… definitely not my taste, not even the “best” one, which was made just to fit in top area. The other one was made to also cover the area above the cluster, under the dash “eyebrow” where the map light is (where the other not). This fit awfull

sorry, Can’t talk about which one came from where. It was maybe 12-14 years ago. One was came from Coverlay. I think the first one.

it looks cheap as its ”cheap price”. sure is better than nothing having a fully cracked dash. Back on those days, they could be found in less than $100

when JUST DASHES increased their price from $500 average up to $650 or so as far I recall and no other popular or known option was available I think the caps became popular. Then floated on the web some other options as ABCMopars, Carolina superdashes and some others on eBay (which constantly changed their seller name but everyone allways with same location in Texas LOL) on $400-450 price rate sending the core, I think the dash caps option began to be forgotten.

Classic industries maybe 7-8 years ago began to offer fiberglass core pieces which were constantly returned to seller as far I know. Dunno if still, but I think they got tired to get returned items and they removed the pad from their offer.

 

[YY1]

My 72 has a cap and it looks pretty darn good until you get right up on it and notice the grain is shallow.

Who ever installed it did a good job.

 

[JR_Charger]

I'm thinking of a dash cap for my '72 Satellite. Would be good to avoid this brand if if you could remember it, or the website/shop you bought it from.

All I can remember is that it was a good brand recommended to me by a moparstyle member.

As far as the tear goes, I may have made a mistake by gluing down the section that is above the instrument cluster. There was a part that was handing down in that area, and I didn't want to drive around looking at that.

As for the other problems, any cap will have to wrap around the original pad, so it can't be the same dimensions. I just wish I'd thought about it more before trying to install my non-AC vent piece. I should have put a spacer over the screws so I couldn't pull that piece in too far.