[Engine-Ear]

Interesting pics, mgarblik.

...the proof is in the pudding, though, so please post candid installed images and any hurtles that got you there.

PM on its way.

[70ra455]

looks great!

[62cat]

That came out real nice. Is that dashpad optional on a 62. Everyone I have except my Dads has the short pad. His is like yours. I always thought it came out of a GP or Bville. Heres how we did ours on a budget. maybe $100. Took all old hard vinyl off and ground out the cracks. Mixed up some fiberglass resin and brushed it on and laid some fiberglass cloth over whole dash. Then we sanded and bodyfilled it until it had the right shape and fit car. Primed then sanded with 320grit. Sprayed on a couple coats of sem heavy chip guard. Let it dry then painted it with sem semi flat spray paint that matched closely to color I wanted. I have to get some close ups but it looks really close to vinyl finish for a fraction. The next one I do im going to try to cover. As I see it the work is in the prep to get the dash back into shape. I had about 4hrs into this not including dry times.

[mgarblik]

Yes, the full pad is an option. I don't have the PHS handy, but I seem to remember it being part of the Ventura Trim option and not a separate call out as a free standing option. The guy I bought my car from gave me 2 cores with the car as well as the poorly covered one that was installed. One was a half pad like yours and one was a full pad. I actually like the look of the 1/2 pad and considered using it until I removed the existing full pad. The metal underneath the full pad was not completely finished in color. It was mostly factory red oxide primer. So at that point I was locked into a full pad or else lots of paint work and finishing. Your repair gets the job done and looks good in the pic. My finished pad falls in between the $1500.00 estimate from Just Dash's, (which is insane in my opinion), and the $100.00 you spent on materials for yours. You supplied the labor. I think I have right at $500.00 in mine with labor, adhesive, filler, foam, and correct vinyl. My cores were both in terrible shape as you can see from the earlier posts. I am going to try to install it in the next week or so. Weather is finally breaking around here.

[62cat]

That's a good price. Stretching the material over the dash has to be a PIA.

[Pontiac62]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

That pad of yours came out very nice indeed. If I could get one in that condition for a Grand, I would be all in. The issue with the older pads, pre-1964, I think, is those pads have no core metal all the way to the windshield side. So that means the core stops about 2 inches from the windshield and its just foam and vinyl. That makes that front edge very hard to finish and/or recover. Yours looks great. See a few pics of what I mean about no core.

The dashpad on my 62 GP looked very much like yours. Short of the windshield trim, with several cracks and one good crunch on the front edge. It also had a couple of warps.
I took it to a local upholstery shop to see if he would tackle it. I told him I didn't want a seam on the front edge and that the rear would have to be extended an unknown amount. He was willing to take it on and said it would probably be $450.
Got it back in about two weeks and it looked good. No seam, but was pretty obvious the the stretching around the front and ends had not been fun. I was a little unhappy with the folds in the bend on the passenger side end, so I decided to take some of that apart and re-glue it. It was actually pretty easy to do and I think it looks a little better than when I got it back.
The upholsterer said he filled in the cracks, filled in the warped depressions and extended the material toward the windshield with a thin layer of foam under the material
the biggest problem with reinstalling it was trimming the windshield edge enough to clear the windshield and still remain under trim. It was a lot of trim, install, remove, trim.......repeat.
The price, as you stated was about 1/3 of Just Dashes, so I think it turned out quite well and will definitely look much better at the local shows.
I took a few pictures, if anyone is interested. Unfortunately I forgot to take any before pictures.

[mgarblik]

I just installed the dash pad today I have been describing. It's a little project for sure. The 5 screw holes I had to re-punch were pretty tough to get in just the right place without punching multiple holes and without bunching the material. The 2 screw holes one on the right and one on the left that hold the thin ends of the pad to the dash were particularly tough. They have a severe angle on them to pull the pad flush with the dash face. It took me about 3 hours to carefully get it installed with the best fit possible and to my satisfaction. I think it looks almost as good as what I likely would have received from Just Dash's at 1/3 the cost. Some work involved in the installation, but possibly no different than a Just Dash's restoration. I will post some pics next time we have a nice day here. Engine-Ear, did you have a chance to look at the vinyl sample I sent?

[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Engine-Ear, did you have a chance to look at the vinyl sample I sent?

I did and it looks good, but I am busy with RediRad stuff right now and need a couple weeks to get my Bonne to remove its dash pad and determine whether I am up to such a task... stand by (if possible). Tanks!

[mgarblik]

No problem on the vinyl. It's safely stored away. No danger of the internet crashing from interest in buying it. BTW, my 2 Redi-Rads going strong. One is probably 4 years old now.

[mgarblik]

Great weather here today, nearly 80 degrees. Took a few pics of the dash and drove about 50 miles in it to clear my head and run out the December gas. I am happy with the dash and can share contact info with anyone interested. The shop is a one man operation and he asked me not to publish his info on a public forum Simply PM me and I will be happy to share. I wanted to thank Bob Vidan publicly for selling me the clock block off plate for a reasonable price and it was in flawless condition.

[Engine-Ear]

TOP WORK, mgarblik!!