New dash pad doesn't fit...

[SwedCharger67]

About 2 years ago I bought a new dash pad from http://www.beaparts.com
"66-67 Charger black dash pad. Constructed with foam covered steel frame and vinyl covered".

It doesn't fit, it's 1 inch too short between the bolts from outermost left to outermost right.
- Had I lived in the US I would have returned it, but that's probably not an option now.

I see 2 possible alternatives to fix it:
1. I cut off the outermost bolt at each end and just use the remaining bolts.
2. I apply heat to the ends and try to bend into a shape that would fit.

What do you think guys?

 

[Dave L]

I know you will hate to do this,maybe you can drill new holes in your dash frame and use the bolts thats already in your pad.They will be covered anyway. Ouch!!!!!!!

 

[YY1]

How the F did they get that wrong?

Those anchor the pad from lifting up as if the top bolts were a hinge.

I'd sure ask if they are aware, and see if it's an engineering or manufacturing defect that has been corrected.

 

[gdrill]

You got me thinking about a "new" dash pad I picked up a while back from a parts stash. It's for my '66 Coronet. I just measured the studs in question. They are 53 1/8" center to center. I don't think cutting the bolts will make you happy as the pad still will fall short of it's proper position. Heating and stretching would be my guess??

 

[SwedCharger67]

You got me thinking about a "new" dash pad I picked up a while back from a parts stash. It's for my '66 Coronet. I just measured the studs in question. They are 53 1/8" center to center. I don't think cutting the bolts will make you happy as the pad still will fall short of it's proper position. Heating and stretching would be my guess??

Yes, I have the same 53.3 inches on my old dash pad. The new dash pad is measuring 52.6 inches.
I put the new and old one side by side on a table and managed to press one end out to the correct position. It bounces back to the incorrect position of course, but I think with the help of a strong friend it might be possible that we can bend it into the original holes.
Here you see new and old side by side...sorry for crappy focus...

 

[TekHousE]

Do not cut it!

Have you called or emailed Mike?

He made my dashpad too, and one of my bolts was slightly bent, we think it was shipping issues. But a little careful persuasion and it fits like a glove.

You should call him mate.

 

[SwedCharger67]

Do not cut it!

Have you called or emailed Mike?

He made my dashpad too, and one of my bolts was slightly bent, we think it was shipping issues. But a little careful persuasion and it fits like a glove.

You should call him mate.

Yes, Mike suggested I should bend it enough to make it fit. I guess that is what I have to do.

Thinking about some simple tool that would allow me to bend both ends outwards simultaneously. I think/hope it will be okay once I get it into the holes.

 

[SwedCharger67]

Okay, I bent it enough to get it to fit, and the vinyl cracked in the inner RH corner. The LH corner was close to cracking as well, the vinyl stretched so much that it changed color to a lighter black...

Clearly I'm unhappy with the quality of this dash pad...which I'm sure would have been unsellable in the US. I can't refrain from thinking that sometimes it's convenient to send a locally unsellable product to a country far away...
I have received locally unsellable products before, remember especially a high-priced product showing marks that it had been mounted by a customer, who then returned it due to a manufacturing flaw...but it still ended up in a shipment to me...However, the company quickly shipped me an additional flawless product at no cost.

 

[TekHousE]

Hmm that does not look great. Mine was no where near that difficult. And now it fits like a glove as I said.

 

[gdrill]

Damn that sucks big time. It obviously is a manufacturing flaw. Perhaps with the call you made and the pics here showing the poor fitment, they will be willing to step up to the plate and compensate you somehow. I would hate to believe that "they" would take advantage of overseas sales. But who knows? In today's day and age nothing would be to surprising.

 

[dieseldazzle]

Any update on this? I am considering buying a dash pad from Mike but Ill keep my money if there is fitment and/or quality issues?

 

[SwedCharger67]

Any update on this? I am considering buying a dash pad from Mike but Ill keep my money if there is fitment and/or quality issues?

Since you live in the US I guess you can easily return it if it doesn't fit. That wasn't an option available to me, I just have to be happy with what I have...

 

[dieseldazzle]

Thanks Martin

 

[69roadr]

considering you've had the dash pad for 2 years before trying it out, and you live in Sweden, i would still try a return on that incorrect part. email pics showing the mismatch and struggle to try to get fit. if that fails, suggest what Dave L posted "drill new holes"

 

[Jeremiah]

I had that issue with both of my 66 Dodge dash pads. One was from BE and A and the other was from PG. It's a known issue that has not been addressed.

 

[mikeyfrano]

If they don't take care of you, bad mouth them! So no one else gets screwed over by them. It's obviously a manufacture flaw. I don't care if it has been 2 years

 

[Bigal75]

Unacceptable. They should send you another. Funny...i was thinking of buying a new pad for my car...guess I know where not to go.

 

[67 Mopar]

I had that issue with both of my 66 Dodge dash pads. One was from BE and A and the other was from PG. It's a known issue that has not been addressed.

Not surprising... last I knew the same manufacturer supplied identical parts to both outfits, with one exception... Mike's (BE&A) parts carry the licensed Mopar branding.

 

[chargerperson]

I had a different more positive experience with a recent purchase from BEA. I ordered the part but the restoration part installed it. No problems. Not sure if it is a newer one and hence, the difference with the OP's experience. 67 Mopar - Mike from BEA confirmed your observation, same manufacturer supplies the part to more than one company. Believe BEA has more of a role in design/working with manufacturer.
Not writing to endorse but sharing recent experience of a dash pad from BEA fitting nicely for my 67 Charger.

 

[TekHousE]

Same experience I had. Mike was great and my dashpad fits perfectly.