47-55.1 53 dash parts on a 54 dash?

[evilokc]

im just getting to my dash and i want to use the nice ribbed speaker cover and glove box door. i cant find any for a 54 only 47-53. can i make these work? i know anything can be MADE to work but has anyone done it? or know what it would take? i know the 53 glove box door attached different but that in itself shount be much of an issue.

[mr48chev]

You would have to use a 53 or earlier dash cut out of one or bought new from a vendor plus the proper gauges to do it.

Then you have the issue that the lead edge of the dashes are quite a bit different. 47/53 are in a spread V shape at the front while the 54 is curved.

[evilokc]

i have a complete 53 dash. i can cut out and use any part i need. my dash has been butchered. from the driver door edge to the ashtray has been cut out and a flat piece welded in its place. its unattractive.

[nvrdone]

I think it would be a different look. it might take some work to get the contour along the glass to fit right. I'd try photo shop just to get an idea how it would look. good luck

[mr48chev]

boogered up dash means all bets are off and you sit down and figure out the best way to use the 53 dash or parts of the 53 dash to do what you want to do.

Depending on how and where the 54 dash is messed up will mean what you cut out and swap. If you change the whole dash you will probably end up cutting the 54 dash a ways from the glass and maybe straight across and then butt weld the 43 dash in place. That will be a test of your welding and metal finishing skills before you are done but isn't real high on the degree of difficulty beyond that.

Or leave the 54 gauge area and blend the 53 piece in but that is going to take a lot of blending with that ridge they have on the 54 dash.

Since you are going with that pretty spendy dash panel I am going to assume that you are going with aftermarket gauges and in that case I'd just use as much of the 53 dash as I could. Figure out where to put your cuts so that it is easiest to weld and metal finish and go for it.

Then you get to stand back at the first show you take it to and watch to see if anyone notices that the curved glass cab has an early dash in it.

[torchlight]

Not familiar with the 54 dash shape, but I agree with your statement that with enough work and time you can probably make anything fit.

Responding to mr48's comment above, on my 53, we cut out the speaker grille & ashtray portion of the dash. Then got a spare dash, and cut the glovebox portion out of that. Then grafted that into the middle of the original dash so I ended up with two gloveboxes, basically. Just to show that this sort of work can be done - just not sure if the shape of the 54 dash would be substantially different than the 53, making this even more complicated.

[mr48chev]

It all comes down to the how am I going to cut these pieces and fit them together to get them to look the way I want. Plus the can I do most of it where it won't show a lot.

That means put the weld where it is somewhat hidden as up where it will for the most part be under the inside windshield molding r down in a straight line across where it is easier to metalwork.