#61  
Old 06-11-2019, 02:01 PM
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Verdoro 68 Verdoro 68 is offline
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I appreciate that. My wife does not share the sentiment

On the other hand, I do have a really nice set of restored rally gauges on the way from Pete Serio. It would be a crime to frame them with a crummy dash pad...

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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
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  #62  
Old 06-11-2019, 04:14 PM
Sidponcho Sidponcho is offline
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Originally Posted by Verdoro 68 View Post
Ah, looks like a/c vs. non-a/c retainers.

You got the right idea. I'm really close to doing the same. The tinkerer in me wants to figure this out though.
I just sent a quote request to just dashes. Will let you know how much for a non AC

  #63  
Old 06-11-2019, 06:37 PM
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Here’s the quote they gave me a couple months ago:

Our current lead time is approximately 4 months from the time we receive your parts.

Here is an approximate cost of your restoration:
$1,050 Dash (send gbd (maybe restore), lower steering cover, ashtray w/trim pc for detailing only)
$150 Glove Box Door Restoration

If Needed;
$150 each - Pillar Post (padded)
$450 Console
$100 Console Lid
$120 Kick Panel (each)
$150 Pillar Post (each)
$550-750 Instrument Cluster
$150 Cut Hole for AC Vent

$100-$200 Color Match Fee
*No extra charge for black
+ Shipping

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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
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  #64  
Old 06-12-2019, 12:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Verdoro 68 View Post
Ah, looks like a/c vs. non-a/c retainers.
After all these years, they are still not repopping the A/C clips I guess. If you get in a bind, I think I have an extra pair somewhere.

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  #65  
Old 06-13-2019, 07:23 PM
Sidponcho Sidponcho is offline
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Got my quote from just dashes. $600 non ac 68 gto dash to concours

  #66  
Old 06-16-2019, 08:45 PM
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Success!

This second one fits a lot better all around. The a ha moment was when I realized the clips along the top weren't engaging. I ended up putting them out as far as they'd go to the edge of the pad with some 5 minute epoxy, clipped the pad in place, then reached around from the back side to seat the clips in the right spot. Since the pad has a plastic core it doesn't have the same rigidity to hold the clips like the OEM pad. Hoping the epoxy will keep them in place.

I didn't have to shim the a/c vents at all. The vent bezels fit super tight and I had to trim back the openings a smidge, but nothing like the first pad. I ended up using some square plastic nylon nuts I found in the auto body section of the parts store for the retainers in the upper corners.


All said and done - despite all the grief - it's not a bad piece now that I know where the gotchas are. I'll drive around with it for while until I have the cash for a Just Dashes resto, but this looks way better than the cap I had on it.





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  #67  
Old 06-16-2019, 09:10 PM
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Wow.. that looks great!

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Old 06-16-2019, 09:21 PM
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It’s not perfect - even after bending the clips below the vents, they don’t hold in as well as I would like, but the rest of it is pretty solid.

At $400 I’m on the fence if it’s worth it (I’ve seen them for less), but I suppose it’s still almost 1/3 of the cost of a Just Dashes resto and you get a more correct grain and appearance than a $150 dash cap.

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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
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Old 06-17-2019, 01:58 AM
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Looks pretty freakin good to me!

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Old 01-25-2020, 01:07 AM
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I probably could have rolled on with the reproduction pad, but the lack of positive fit in the vent area to the metal dash and the general lack of rigidity was bugging me. There was also a wonky part on the top of the pad that my OCD wouldn't let go. So, I sent an original pad core off to Just Dashes in October and here we are almost 4 months and $900 later. Once installed I bet no one will notice the difference but me. I'm done with dash pads.









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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
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  #71  
Old 01-25-2020, 02:33 AM
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Looks great. I'd like to do mine one day..it's ok but not factory as some old school upholstery man recovered it at some point. Has a stitched seam but he did a neat job. Just obviously not original. I'd consider the repop you just rejected but I'm afraid I'd be focused on the faulty areas just like you were and that'd be another thing around here that I can't use and don't need.

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  #72  
Old 01-25-2020, 02:42 AM
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Way back in the early ‘90s I paid an upholstery guy $125 to cover the dash. I think he did it over a few beers on a Friday because the seam across the front wasn’t straight. I wish I had a picture.

I ran that dash pad for 10+ years and it’s actually the core I sent to Just Dashes. Funny thing is, when I pulled sewn cover and padding off, it was an Ivy Gold pad so he didn’t even use the original black one I dropped off!

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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
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  #73  
Old 01-25-2020, 05:45 AM
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About as close as you are going to come to OEM.

Personally, I'm going to live with the OEM dash I have ... has one crack, hasn't separated, just a hairline crack .... but if it gets bumped too hard, it's going to crack more. Been soaking it in baby oil for years now to soften it up. Probably pointless.

  #74  
Old 01-26-2020, 03:28 PM
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Installed...but even this one has its issues. The pad isn't laying down on top of the dash in the corners as nice as it should leaving about 1/8" gap under the pad on the left and right corners. I think it's because the fit around the vent areas is really tight and pushes up on the pad. I might see if I can massage it into place, but there's not much give in the pad. Otherwise, it's all good.



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  #75  
Old 01-27-2020, 12:17 AM
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From what I can see in the pictures, I don't think that would bother me. Looks nice!

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk

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  #76  
Old 01-28-2020, 03:13 AM
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Hard to tell about fit until it sits in the sun on a hot day .... lots of stress relief will take place.

Hard to believe that such an important visual piece is not perfectly replicated for a reasonable price after this long. Pretty much EVERYONE has to do something to replace or fix the dash pad.

But, we probably couldn't put a man on the moon anymore, so perfect dashpads could be another 20 years in the future May I live to see flying cars, and $400 perfect GTO dashpads

  #77  
Old 01-28-2020, 11:49 AM
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The reproduction piece isn't too far off. If you put it side by side with the Just Dashes piece they're almost spot on in appearance. If they put it on a steel core instead of plastic to add some rigidity, and refined the clips in the A/C vent area it would be a great piece. The original repro I got 15+ years ago had no core and was straight urethane, so 21st century technology and quality is slowly catching up to 1968

In terms of how the Just Dashes piece is fitting on the dash, it doesn't really look that bad if you're standing over the car. The pic I took exaggerated it. I'm wondering if I don't have one of the clips on the top of the dash fastened correctly.

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'68 GTO - Ram Air II 464 - 236/242 roller - 9.5” TSP converter - 3.55 posi (build thread | walk around)
'95 Comp T/A #6 M6 - bone stock (pics)
  #78  
Old 01-30-2020, 12:01 AM
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This has been a great adventure to read about. I have three original pads for my restoration. Each has issues, but I think I will use the best one I have and make it work. I agree with all the options, not the best fit is very frustrating, a redo is super expensive.

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