Dash pad

[jcblue]

Who are you guys going through to get dash pads? I have an 86. Also. Won't you have to dye an aftermarket pad and of so what is the best brand of dye?

[old Rusty C10]

been dealing with a local upholstery shop and hes been installing those plastic dash caps on ,ime. They work well and match interior colors nicely Im not sure of the brand he is using

[Ski-me]

Check out dashesdirect.com
You will need to clean it super well and then paint it with vinyl paint.

[tucsonjwt]

In the heat of the desert plastic dash caps don't last. They crack up just like the factory dash. I would put the $100 for a plastic cap toward a recovery job by a local upholstery shop.

[jcblue]

They can fix those pads?

[UKNOWME]

I bought one from brothers a few years back and it seems great!
I also saw someone post on here about justdashes.com
I emailed them and awaiting their response

[68Timber]

Classic Parts has them for $329. Are the resto parts suppliers getting them from the same source?

[tucsonjwt]

Pads can be recovered, but they won't look exactly like the original. The problem is that the vinyl around the instrument cluster and ends needs to be stitched or somehow tucked in to lay flat. Unless it could be recovered for about the cost of a plastic cap I would spend the $$$ for a good OEM cap.

[73kay]

I bought a new one at classic industries for $250. Just kept it black. Looks ok but boy is it flimsy as hell compared to the oem. They must of used thinner metal in the form. Just installed it so I don't know how it will last.

[68Timber]

Saw these, they say they're making their own and that they're not flimsy. Price is a little better but not sure about the quality. Anyone tried them? CHEYENNE PICKUP PARTS dash pad

[turbosix]

The Brothers website says their pads are built like the original with metal inserts. From the website:


This OEM style reproduction of the original padded dash assembly for the 1981-91 Chevy/GMC trucks. These show quality dash pads are manufactured with high quality vinyl over foam with steel inserts for an original appearance and fit. Sold in black only but can easily be dyed to match your color interior with BROTHERS vinyl dye.

Does this have the plastic "frame" but with metal inserts? Has anyone tried one?

[original-71]

www.usa1industries.com

[DKSpringer]

I followed some forums on here and repaired mine. It came out really well, but there are a few things I would have done differently.

1. Knock down the curled up edges of vinyl. A flap disk in an angle grinder worked great.
2. Fill in the really large holes with expanding foam. I filled the center speaker holes because they were essentially gone, and I'm only putting in corner speakers. In this step, you want to make sure you cut the foam down below the surface of the surrounding vinyl. I also glued in some perforated aluminum for more robust speaker grills in the corners.
3. Fill all of the imperfections with Padded Dash Filler and sand. Make sure you have a complete layer of padded dash filler over the top of any foam, because foam will absorb the paint differently.
4. Spray with rubberized undercoating, let cure.
5. Spray with SEM Color Coat.

[tucsonjwt]

3. Fill all of the imperfections with Padded Dash Filler and sand.

Where did you get this material?

[DKSpringer]

It's made by Urethane Supply Company. Plenty of places sell it online, I can't remember which website I bought it from. Whichever one had the lowest price, I couldn't find it locally.

[DKSpringer]

Also, just a disclaimer here, my truck is still in body shop jail, so I can't speak to long term durability. I picked at a few hidden edges and nothing peeled off, but I haven't actually had it in the truck. As you can see in the pictures, it is holding up quite well in the basement bedroom between the extra mattress pad and the spare pack'n'play.....

[1970pelle]

I believe most of the replacement dashes will last much longer than the OEM's. Because we will be taking better care of them. When our truck where new nobody thought of the dash cracking and falling apart after a few years in the sun. I know my truck will not sit out in the Florida sun with the dash not covered. And when at home the truck will always be under cover, garage or carport.

Ken

[turbosix]

Originally Posted by 1970pelle

I believe most of the replacement dashes will last much longer than the OEM's. Because we will be taking better care of them. When our truck where new nobody thought of the dash cracking and falling apart after a few years in the sun. I know my truck will not sit out in the Florida sun with the dash not covered. And when at home the truck will always be under cover, garage or carport.

Ken

Also if I understand correctly, the newest NOS dash will be at least 14 years old sitting in a warehouse somewhere hopefully with A/C.

[tucsonjwt]

I saw an 83 K5 parked in the neighborhood with a recovered dash. It looks like two pieces stitched together except around the instrument cluster. It has some sort of nylon mesh over the defroster ducts and just cut out vinyl around the VIN hole (I think it could be done neater in those areas.) I could not get good pics of the front edge due to windshield glare. I think the concept is good though. It looked like about 1/8" thick white foam under the vinyl.

I wonder if it would be better to strip off all of the factory foam and vinyl and start over with just glued down foam and vinyl.

[68Timber]

I don't mind trying one of the reproductions as long as it's vinyl over foam like the original, the urethane pads seem to get universally poor reviews. But I don't think I've seen a consensus on the best place to buy one. For that matter, the resellers may be getting them from the same place. I'm going to try the one 1970pelle has that I linked from ebay, in my military Blazer it'll be hard to hate any flaws or variations from OEM it may have.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Originally Posted by turbosix

Also if I understand correctly, the newest NOS dash will be at least 14 years old sitting in a warehouse somewhere hopefully with A/C.

So I checked with my Dad, he works for a GM parts distributor, and we ran a part number search for the 81-91 dashpad. None left in GM's parts system. Looks like someone had that idea before me. Sorry guys no more $500 NOS dashpads.

[N2TRUX]

Take a look at what Capt Kaos offers- 73-87chevytrucks.com

[Jeepwm69]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Take a look at what Capt Kaos offers- 73-87chevytrucks.com

What about the covers Capt Kaos offers?

I realize it won't be as nice as a new complete dash.

I'm looking for "acceptable". My 83 is a beater, and I want it to be decent, not a show truck.

[tintbox]

Thank you for the link sir!

[MikeB]

My truck had a thin plastic cap when I bought it. It bows big-time in the summer, to the point that's it's now cracked in the center next to the windshield.

There was a thread showing how to rebuild a stock dash pad on this or another square body forum earlier this year. I need to find it, because the job turned out pretty good.

I'm not picky about any stitching, and I'm not sure my Custom Deluxe base truck even had it.