Does anyone on here have any experience with Covan dashes? Are they flimsey? I'm considering using one on my 70 Chevelle. The sweep version has holes for fuel, oil pressure, water temp., speedometer, tach, volt guages. It also holds the head light switch, turn signal indicator, high beam indicator, air conditioning panel, vents, and windshield wiper control. All I would need to do is cut a hole for the CD player.

Acually, I am considering putting one of them in my 72. I have know people to use them and they seem to be very good. They are not flimsy once they are in but are a little fragile while out. If you know, in the sweep style ones do you have to do any cutting or will it fit in once you remove the sweep spedo?

If you know, in the sweep style ones do you have to do any cutting or will it fit in once you remove the sweep spedo?
On their web site it said they bolt on exactly like the original on.

I have one in my '68.

It does look nice. It does basically fit.

But yes they are a bit flimsy. Once mounted it is a little better but I get dash flex when removing plugs from the cigarette lighter. Mine is just a piece of vacuum formed plastic, so the details are not sharp and the material thickness varies depending on how much stretch occurred during forming.

In my case they did not really document it well, but it turns out that they have a dash wiring harness that makes installation easier. I had called asking about how people had done indicator lights when they told me there were lights in the wiring kit that I did not have and had not heard about.

Bottom line to me is they work, they're probably on par with a lot of hot rod parts, but I had hoped for a bit more than I got.

IV seen a few pics and dont the , on the 70-72 at least, just kind of fit over the existing dash?

It's an overlay. You have to cut away some of the original dash to make it fit.

It's an overlay. You have to cut away some of the original dash to make it fit.
I thought you removed the old dash and replaced it with the one from Covan.

Is it alot of cutting and where?

I have one for my sweep dash, and it looks like all that needs to be removed is some of the area around where the idiot lights were.

It is not heavy plastic like the original dash but it screws to the dash in about 10 places so its not going anywhere.

I'm very curious about the 68 dash, especially if anyone has done one on an A/C car....

I'm very curious about the 68 dash, especially if anyone has done one on an A/C car....
See my previous comments in this thread...

While I do not have A/C in my El Camino, I would anticipate that fitting the vents might be entertaining. In particular the center vent cutout and fitting looks marginal.

But the plastic they use for the '68 is very easy to cut, which is fortunate since you have to cut out the radio and A/C control holes yourself.

Do the Covan dashes cover the old one or do they repace it all ogether?

Do the Covan dashes cover the old one or do they repace it all ogether?

Did you read my post?

overlay: to lay or place (one thing) over or upon another.

Look at your sweep dash. It is curved. It has lots of ridges and edges. Now look at the Covans piece. It is flat. It doesn't have half the cut-outs your stock dash does. Unless you want something that looks like a piece of plywood on your dash, you will have to cut it to fit.

There has been a zillion threads on this subject. Do yourself a favor and do a site search and read up on this product before you decide to buy and tackle the installation. The sweep dash conversion is the least glamorous Covans dash of all. Compared to, say, their 69 Camaro piece, the 70 Chevelle sweep conversion piece is not as detailed and lacks fit and finish. IMO.

But hey, maybe screwheads and glue is your idea of a clean install...to each his own.