Darren,
Thanks for the advise. When I bought the GMC last August the dash was in bad
condition (Extra holes in bezel, foam ring panel cut up to accomodate
missing & poorly placed gauges & a new cowl panel thrown over the back of
the
panel.(not installed just sitting there) When I started to work in this
area is when I discovered the extent of the damage. It appears the the
drivers side windshield was broken at one time and the panel was exposed to
the elements which I am sure added to the deterioration.
Why do you say that the windshield needs to be removed? Is it because of the
screws located below the windshield? They were all rusted but I removed them
all within 30 minutes. I still have not removed the dash because I haven't
decided if I should remove the complete dash or just the left side, but it
definitely needs to be removed &
repaired.The two halves of the dash are
overlapped (Drivers side on top) & this area is in relatively good shape so
I don"t think I will have a problem with alignment when I reinstall it with
pop rivets, and the padded part is no problem since it has to be recovered
anyway.
If anyone out there has additional advise or parts they can spare, please
let me know.
Arch,
I checked the website and have been in his shop in the LA area (it is about
a 1 1/2 hr drive from San Diego.
He sells the bezel and the foam ring panel (Both modified for his gauges)
but as far as I know he does not sell the actual instrument panel. He has
some nice items but as Darren says he is expensive.
RT (Dick) Roberts
>
>Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 08:01:26 -0600
>From: Darren Paget
>Subject: Re: GMC: Instrument panel assembly
>
>The three R's of old vehicle rebuilding come into play here. Repair, Repair
and
>Repair. I tried to find a dash replacement. Not available. There is an
outfit
>somewhere, I threw it out of memory when I found out the price. It is
fiberglass
>and goes for about $1000.00. If you use pieces of heavy matt cardboard or
>plastic and overlap the existing cracks, you can epoxy them down and, at
least,
>keep it from cracking more. If you want to remove the dash itself you have
to
>remove the windshields to do it properly. Unless you can definitely find a
>replacement dash, do not disconnect the two halves of the dash and recover
them
>independently. There is a very good chance you will not be able to get them
back
>together aligned properly. One question I have is: Before you removed the
other
>pieces of the dash was it straight? The reason I ask is that the dash as a
whole
>looks good till you take it apart, then it looks twisted and warped. When I
>removed mine it also looked warped and cracked but with some TLC it is
>salvageable and you probably won't recognize it after you are done. It is a
big
>job but really worth it.
>
>
>> I have been thinking about redoing my instrument layout as part of the
long
>> term remodel of my 78 Royale. After I removed the Instrument cluster
bezel,
>> the foam ring panel & the instrument cluster cowl panel the only thing
>> remaining on the drivers side is the instrument panel assembly.
>>
>> This assembly appears to consist of two parts (drivers side & passenger
side
>> which is riveted together in the middle).
>>
>> The drivers side of this panel is warped badly & cracked in several
places,
>>
>> Is this panel still available and if so from what source? Have any of you
>> experienced similar problems & what did you do?
>>
>
> Darren Paget
> 76 Experimental
> Another Fab Day
> paget
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 10:30:09 EDT
>From: Gcbr
>Subject: Re: GMC: Instrument panel assembly
>
>GMCers
>
>If any of you are interested in dash panels here is a site that makes
>several different ones.
>
>
http://www.custominstrumentpanels.com/gmc.htm
>
>Take Care
>Arch 76 GB IL
