[LeighP]

Originally Posted by Norwood

No offence meant to Leigh as he has a large role on TAC but for early T/A info this is the place to be. This site has the most knowledgeable 70-74 Trans Am base on the Internet and nobody's even close to second. Some of the best restoration people in the country are members here. If you need 403 olds or Bandit info get it at TAC.

No offense taken, I steer guys here for early 2nd gen info....this is definately the place to go. TAC members mostly own mid to late 2nd gen cars....those of us with early cars are often members here too.
I'm in awe of the accumulated 70-73 knowledge in this forum.

[Judge273]

I think 69 TAs are covered here best as well as 68 RA II's.......

[LeighP]

lol...we had a good time anyway.....

[unruhjonny]

I TOTALLY agree - and that pizza you(?) bought was awesome!

[mscicluna007]

so for a Dec 72 build would a 70-72 dash have been used or a 73 dash.

[johnta1]

73 dash.

[Held for Ransom]

How are you dating the dash?

[mscicluna007]

good question.
i am sure that theirs a date stamp on the back of the dash. so a dash that comes out of a 72 car would most likely not be correct than. would a 73 car have a 72 or 73 date code

[Held for Ransom]

I'll use this dash to explain.

Picture 1 shows grain of the '73-up.
Picture 2 shows a few things. Cast month and year revision on left, 1972 changed to 3 and dot near N (November), with inspector signature. And another version date on right.
Notice it says 10-2-73 (you would think for a '74, but the inspector date is '75).
Picture 3 shows manufactured date ink stamp.

[unruhjonny]

1973 model year cars started being produced in (probably) August 1972;
parts are made in batches prior to the actual need for it arises;
there was a strike in 1972, and IIRC components such as carpet were carried over through to the 1973 calender year.

seat belts and front 'endura' bumpers were probably the only two items not carried over from 1972...

I wouldn't over think this too much;
just use the more common 73-77 dash, unless you find a minty early dash, in which case you can use that.

I looked for I believe eight years till I found a minty 70-78 standard black dash for my '70 - I am not at all bothered by the fact that it isn't the 110% correct vinyl.

[mscicluna007]

Thanks for the advice Ransom and Johnny.

It is hard finding a good dash that just isn't cracked or badly sun damaged for a reasonable price.

Keeping my eyes wide open but I am definately not in a rush for one so time is on my side.

I am really just making sure if I see a good correct one that I don't overlook it as it might take a long time to find one so I appreciate your advice on identifying them.

I finally got a reasonable condition Bezel for the Dash that is a mirror from the hot rod magazines dash pics. That was an effort getting one without the air con vents.

Regards

Michael

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

...It is hard finding a good dash that just isn't cracked or badly sun damaged for a reasonable price.

Amen!

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

...Keeping my eyes wide open but I am definately not in a rush for one so time is on my side.

I am really just making sure if I see a good correct one that I don't overlook it as it might take a long time to find one so I appreciate your advice on identifying them.

This is a good stance to have.

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

...I finally got a reasonable condition Bezel for the Dash that is a mirror from the hot rod magazines dash pics. That was an effort getting one without the air con vents.

Yeah, I've recently come to realize that most dash inserts were set up for A/C - but in the Canadian praries, very seldom were cars built with A/C ~ I have some spares (I have only bought dash inserts for cars with gauges & w/o A/C) but I am actually having trouble findind a good potential replacement for my '70 (found a '72 on eBay last night)...

If yours isn't that great shoot me a message, maybe I can hook you up with a better one;
the only problem is the engine turned dash inserts I have are all supposed to have the 1974/5+ 'Radial Tuned Suspension' emblem above the column.

[LeighP]

Looking at the above pic showing the 73 and later grain, would you think this grain structure was closer to the early one?



A local auto trimming shop that does vacuum reskinning of dashes has a few (very few) sheets of GM NOS 70's vinyl that they located somewhere....I had my dash and centre console covered in it.

[Held for Ransom]

Jonny, the RTS emblem on the dash bezel started in '75.

[mscicluna007]

hi johnny ,
the one i bought is an early Bezel without the RTS and its taken some time to find one. it should arrive in two weeks and from the pics looks in good condition. I will post a pic when it arrives.
thanks HFR . I had to go to the original magazines to make sure i was on the right track as their was a few types.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

Jonny, the RTS emblem on the dash bezel started in '75.

that's what I thought;
I posted from work, so couldn't do any research to confirm my hunch;
IIRC the RTS badge was affixed to the glove box door (upper right) in 1974.

I would suspect though that with a little ingenuity, the holes from a 1975-1979 dash insert could be "hidden"...

[mscicluna007]

A pic of the Bezel and the hot rod June 73 pic

[mscicluna007]

Progress is slow while I gather parts. Bezel arrived yesterday. LHD Dash is in transit. Hopefully arrive by the end of the year.

Obtained some brake pedal parts with the frame and pedal all in nice shape.

T400 kickdown bracket???

The bracket that was in the car after the conversion is pictured below. It might be off a local car after the conversion as the accelerator and brake pedal setups were heavily modified for RHD.

Can anyone confirm from the Pic if this is the original bracket as I can't find it in the assembly manual either.

Kind Regards

Michael

[falcon4]

Hi Michael,

I've got a '72 manual here, I will find the page and scan it for you.....Don't throw out that bracket just yet....It looks like the real McCoy. I'll PM you when its done.

[x-bird2]

the material between the "roofs" is for sound absorption. A lot of effort was put into NVH when the 2nd gens were being designed. really no way to do anything with it as you're correct in how/when it was installed.