I am looking for dash pads. I had found a source but lost the information and all of the ones I look at now only have black and I need a red one for a 66 El Camino. Any ideas or suggestions ?

Most come black, you have to use vinyl dye on them.

Nevermind, opened the one I got from MuscleFactory tonight, it is indeed red. Looks nice but good luck getting the nuts started on them. Been at it for 3 hours and got one on and the rest disappeared into thin air.

Thanks, do they have a web site ?

http://www.muscle-factory.com/

I have a thread in "interior" section about the install. Granted Im an amateur but Id recommend finding some body clips, they are almost flat like spring steel with a small hole. Press down slightly on top of the pad and then simply push the clip on.Only drawback is getting it off it you have to.
Another option is head to Osh and get those white plastic license plate scre retainers, they have them for "GM". Those are easy to thread on, probably the best way.

Threading a nut on is a nightmare and the washers they supply arent wide enough. Not anything major but bumps in the road I discovered trying to do this myself. Maybe stick a tiny bit of felt or something similar under the corners so theres no "rubbing" (squeaking sound). THe pad looks very nice but IMO could use more than 3 mounting studs. Oh well, its all we got.

When I was building my 66, I bought a repop dash pad. It was so poorly made that I finally decided to spend the big bucks and get my original redone by "just dashes". $$ well spent. Fit right, looks right...glad I went that route.

67T56,

Did you install your dash pad prior to putting the rest of the dash together?

They only give you 3 studs to hold the pad on ???? Wow, seems like that might be kind of asking for rattles and squeaks.

I'll probably never put a pad on my dash.
Here's a poor pic of my temporary setup while I make the drawings for extensive mods for visibility at high speeds.
I'll be moving the vac gauge to under the hood using silicon-filled vac and fuel pressure Pro-Comps mounted in Coke cans, or maybe V8 cans or Dad's Root Beer.
Already built a test one, and it looks pretty cool.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/aero80/hd4b121.jpg

Eric

When I was building my 66, I bought a repop dash pad. It was so poorly made that I finally decided to spend the big bucks and get my original redone by "just dashes". $$ well spent. Fit right, looks right...glad I went that route.

^^^^^ +1 on that

Surfin,

yes they only had 3 studs, IMO there should be 4 or 5.
I did have to remove the screws and pull the dash back, would have been better to drop it down didnt make that much difference.
Ive never done this so my mistake for looking at those slots and assuming the pad would have some type of plastic push clps to pop it in the dash from the top
Also, the washers they give you are too small, they dont cover the gap.

Thought about using some adhesive but wasnt sure if I should.
Honestly I was so frustrated I came close to using liquid nails, and C clamping a 2x4 across it ovrnight but with my luck it would have to be removed again :p

I wonder if the stock one had clips rather than screws, would seem much easier . If I remember right my old one seemed pretty solid meaning couldnt move or twist it much, this one I can, maybe because its new?

As far as outward dash fit/appearance/color its awesome, Ill giveMuscle Factory credit on that-
Just the mounting (crucial) part sucked.

Ill try and get some pics next time someone with a camera comes over.

67T,

I've got a '66 Assembly Manual if you'd like me to scan and post pix or other stuff.
It isn't hard to get to since I re-built my library.

Eric

Thanks, I borrowed one temporarily from a friend last night.
Forgot to look at it :D

Gotsta quit thinking about it otherwise Ill tear it back out and really mess things up.

Off to fight with the steering column now....

Stop in next time youre up this way. :beers:

Ok, I think I'd like that.

Eric

Just let me know, Im around.

Hey, my steering column is 6 in short :hurray: Seriously??


Anyway notice at the very end of the dash pad (pic was from 2000) there is a scew in the end where it could rub and squeak. Is this the way the factory did it? Wonder if the original did also?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/kalthoff1/Scan10002.jpg

Good question about that screw. I think I'll try to find an original pic somewhere. My Hot Rod/Car Craft/CARS/etc collection fills 6 5-drawer filing cabinets, so searching for a pic means hours of fun and ignoring the phone. What a great reason to hang out with my magazines for a while !

You sure have a nice looking car. Wish mine looked that good ! Wonder what those buckets feel like. Mine are from a '68 Triumph TR-5, small and feather-light. I could say that's why I chose 'em, but actually that's what was in my inventory when I tossed the hundred-pound bench seat that came with the car.

There wasn't much left of my own car when I got it. It had been sitting for the better part of two decades, and hardly any original items were left, except for trim pieces on the body. Otherwise I'd like to have restored it to be more like your car, since it is a '66 after all.
For that reason, I'm seriously considering the one-piece glass for the doors even though I really like my wing windows, since it would end up being less expensive, and to my knowledge nobody is making new vent window frames for Elcos anyway (one of mine is broken at the latch mounting position).

Here's what I have in mind for my Elco. I started cutting metal last weekend, but since I put in 12-16 hours per day for my work the progress will be a little on the slow side.
I might not be using any of the dash at all, except for the very top where the pad covers. The rest will just go into storage with my spare dash. I'd like to have a serious and competent road and race car, which is why I spent so much time and effort on the chassis and engine and drive train. Re-doing the dash and instruments and keeping the lines and wiring accessible is strictly for function, and not to just show off or anything.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/aero80/panelnextpanel.jpg

Steering column is 6" short?

Hmmm....
Very interesting. I need to decrease the distance between steering wheel and dash in my own car. 3 inches would be just about right, and still let the wheel tilt up w/o hitting the dash steel.

Any clues how come? Just slid-forward mounting, or incorrect column, or ????

My column is an IDIDIT complete correct assembly for a '66 all the way from the wheel mount to the steerbox, but there isn't 6" of 'adjustment' there in my car.

The car came with 3 columns, all on the floor behind the "seat", which itself was suspicious....

Eric

Eric, turns out at some point during the cars stays at 2 different body shops someone collapsed the column; was unaware of this til I started bolting it up to the dash and thought "this is too easy, how come its not banging into the header" Got it pulled back out and am going to touch up the paint and use it.
That pic is from 2000, still have the seats in my garage in fact was taking the metal pieces off them lasy night about 3 am as I wanted to put the seat covers and foam on myself and snapped out of my fantasy that I wouldnt screw it up :D

Ive replaced every knob switch, nut and bolt in the interior and am pretty happy so far. Thing is I converted to the SS gauges to keep it stealthy and have mixed feelings. They read smaller...Miss the analogs under the dash but Ill get used to it. Can always switch back I guess. Going for the plain stock look inside for now.
In fact I had a branfart looking at some old 60s/70s trans am racers and got to thinking eventually the car will see some more lowering, wider rubber front, maybe even a small front spoiler and black the hood out, go for more of a road racer look eventually.


You got quite the racer there, like how its done up. Low, mean and all business looking :cool: Have to check it out sometime.

On the dash pad Im going to take some adhesive of some type and see if I cant suck down an edge or two where it meets the top part of the dash.
Bent Muscle Factorys ear about it today as I needed a few items.

If they used 4-5 "posts" rather than a threaded stud and some type of barrel clip I think it would install much better.

I finally bought one from Muscle factory they had a red one and I installed it today, it fits as good if not better than the one that was already installed. I think the one that was on it was the original but someone had recovered it. It was black and I noticed it was originally red. BTY it has six studs and they came with the screws and already threaded.

Earlier in this thread a question was brought up about the screw at the end of the dash by the door.

For what it is worth----my 66 had no such screws in this spot.

I recently bought a dash from OPGI, as I have done a color change.
Fit okay--but not perfect. After I installed it, someone mentioned that there was a bit too much foam where it seats against the dash. Makes sense to me---I had to make the holes in the dash a bit longer to get the pad on. Looks great to me, but the car will be a daily driver when finally finished.
still need
interior
rear glass
grille
front bumper
And of course discs

Hi Bryan,

any pics of your new OPGI dash pad available? Would be fine to post them. Have to install a new dash, too, and was thinking about the red one from OPGI. Is the color correct or - as I was told before - too dark?

Thanks

Thomas

I'll try to remember to get a pic tomorrow.
The car is just taking up space at the body shop, and I don't get there daily.
As far as color---no idea.
I painted it 98 Corvette Bright Blue, so I ordered a Bright Blue dash.

The 66 pad is structurally week and distorts just about everywhere when neglected and most were. It's rare to find an original that hasn't cracked along the upper leading edge. Where the pad is glued to the original metal inner structure is all too often very uneven. I had a straight core without cracks (black) which showed a loss of luster over the years and I was concerned about it cracking if I reused it. I purchased an orig. core for $20 and sent it to Just Dashes to be restored. I was disappointed in the outcome. Around the front edge surrounding the speaker notch it was rounded in the corners,it was just a little thicker everywhere and the front lip which is originally somewhat bevelled was more rounded than I'd like. I paid over $400 including shipping. I soon realized the value of an original I used SEM semi-gloss black to restore the color of my orig. and couldn't be happier. Now I've got this big clunky $400 dash pad sitting in the closet.I also purchased an orig. off ebay recently for $80 that has only a slight crack around the speaker which I can epoxy and then redye. This will be my backup. There's no comparison on fit and finish when talking orig. dash pads.

Jerry