Author Topic: 68 dashpad  (Read 12047 times)

goodeye

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
68 dashpad
« on: March 21, 2017, 12:42:17 AM »
My research for a decent reproduction dashpad for a 68 Camaro is pretty bleak. Just about everyone says they are all junk but of the junkie ones, the OER vinyl is the best. I ordered one of those and as soon as I opened the box I knew it too was junk. The box says 'Original Quality" "Original Appearance". Absolutely false! Not even close. OER should be ashamed to put their name on a repop item of that terrible quality. It's going back to Jegs, I'll find another solution.

68camaroz28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2251
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2017, 01:38:29 AM »
If you have your original send it to Al Knock Interiors to be restored as they do a great job. Their reproductions that I reviewed a few years ago looked excellent compared to the original grain.
Chick
68 Z/28 NOR 01B Orig motor/trans/rear
69 Z/28 NOR 07A Orig Block & GM Cross-ram/carbs
69 L34 Rest. Nova Father/Son Car
69 L78 Surv Nova Purch 4/69 31K miles
67 L89 Corv Tribute
68 Corv 427/400 Orig motor
07 Corv Z06
R 68Z build- http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182584

goodeye

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2017, 01:50:51 AM »
I have the original. I'll check into that..

dutch

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 435
  • Documented Canadian 1968 Z/28
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2017, 04:52:09 AM »
Chick - do you have any idea at Knox's what they charge to recover an original one if it is in reasonably decent shape and if there are cracks in the original vinyl do they just strip it off use whatever original padding is there or do they go right down to the metal frame and build from there with all new materials?

JKZ27

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2017, 10:43:27 AM »
They did mine about 4 years ago and it cost right around $200+shipping. The padding was shot so I think it was stripped and built with new dense foam.
John
69 RS/SS Cortez Silver, L48 MC1
68 RS Ash/Ivy Gold 327EFI M20

VINCE Z28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 760
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2017, 06:28:51 PM »
John how long did it take for Al to restore your dash pad?
" He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught"  It's not you...  It's just the way my brain is wired.

JKZ27

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2017, 08:20:56 PM »
Wasn't very long at all. I was on a major time crunch at the time and after the pad I got from HBC was the wrong color I needed mine done in a jiffy! From the time I shipped it to the time I had it back was about 2 weeks. You can call them for a lead time.
John
69 RS/SS Cortez Silver, L48 MC1
68 RS Ash/Ivy Gold 327EFI M20

althomas55

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 15
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2017, 01:06:23 AM »
Cousin had his 68 Z done at a place called Just Dashes out in Van Nuys Ca. a few years ago, looks top notch !  Seemed like it was 250-300$ rang at the time . About 15 years ago Ricks offered 2 pads and one was pretty nice but at the time availability kept slipping out into the future and I waited about 8 months or so to get one but never got to install it as the x got the car in the divorce ! Butternut yellow 68 rs !
68 RS clone 468/4spd

Sauron327

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1412
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2017, 11:32:35 AM »
Knoch did a 67 pad for me last year and it took them two times to get it right, but they did finally nail it. They can recover you original metal core or provide you with their plastic core. I had them replace the original speed nut studs with threaded studs. They will not do so if not asked.

Just Dashes must have improved their manufacturing if their pads look as good as Knock's. The Just Dashes pads I've seen were very bloated and easily spotted. I'd have to see their latest work before I dropped any coin on one.

68camaroz28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2251
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2017, 10:26:26 PM »
Knoch did a 67 pad for me last year and it took them two times to get it right, but they did finally nail it. They can recover you original metal core or provide you with their plastic core. I had them replace the original speed nut studs with threaded studs. They will not do so if not asked.

Just Dashes must have improved their manufacturing if their pads look as good as Knock's. The Just Dashes pads I've seen were very bloated and easily spotted. I'd have to see their latest work before I dropped any coin on one.
X2 on Just Dashes! Hopefully they have it going good now but before the dashes looked over stuffed or bloated. Good point on the threaded stud.
Chick
68 Z/28 NOR 01B Orig motor/trans/rear
69 Z/28 NOR 07A Orig Block & GM Cross-ram/carbs
69 L34 Rest. Nova Father/Son Car
69 L78 Surv Nova Purch 4/69 31K miles
67 L89 Corv Tribute
68 Corv 427/400 Orig motor
07 Corv Z06
R 68Z build- http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182584

68L30

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 233
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2017, 03:48:06 PM »
JK, any pics of the 68 pad? I'm curious how close the pad looks for a Ivy Gold interior. Is it green or the generic gold they try to pass off on everyone? Thx.

Steve

68L30

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 233
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2017, 03:55:01 PM »
Heres mine, unrestored. The dash and pad has never been out of the car.

Steve

JKZ27

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2017, 07:07:56 PM »
JK, any pics of the 68 pad? I'm curious how close the pad looks for a Ivy Gold interior. Is it green or the generic gold they try to pass off on everyone? Thx.

Steve
Yeah Steve, that's why I sent the OER from HBC back. It was gold like everything else in the interior. It was after talking to some here and seeing a few pics (likely of yours) I learned it should be greenish. Al Knoch said they could try to match the original color. Mine had been sun burned pretty bad and was covered with a piece of "repair" vinyl so I didn't know what was there initially. When I removed the pad and the piece vinyl that covered the damage I found the original olive, almost iridescent green on the underside where the harsh southwestern sun couldn't get to it. Knoch did a decent job matching it, though it doesn't have the iridescent sheen that I thought was there. Pics to follow.
John
69 RS/SS Cortez Silver, L48 MC1
68 RS Ash/Ivy Gold 327EFI M20

JKZ27

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #13 on: April 02, 2017, 07:11:22 PM »
Here's some pics.
Oh, Steve, nice tach!
John
69 RS/SS Cortez Silver, L48 MC1
68 RS Ash/Ivy Gold 327EFI M20

68L30

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 233
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2017, 11:58:02 PM »
That's about the closest match yet. Nice. Mine has about a 1-1/2 long split over on the pass side. Is it bad, not at all, it's been that way the last 32 years. I have another pad, black, thats perfect bit I hesitate to ruin a nice pad for a color change. If I find a scrap pad I may just send it to Knoch to see what happens. Thank you for the pics.

SW's look great in 68's.... Tint the bulb green and it's a match for the dash lights.

Steve

goodeye

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: 68 dashpad
« Reply #15 on: April 18, 2017, 12:55:25 AM »
After dealing with the terrible product OER sells (the supposedly good vinyl wrapped version), I did some searching and came across a company called 'Polyvance'. They have all kinds of plastic repair items and a padded dash repair system. I gave it a shot and it turned out pretty decent. The bad part is the vinyl grain is pretty much gone because of the primer and paint they use. Also it's still a 50 year old unit which needs to be handled carefully. The good part is IT FITS because it's original and even though it requires careful handling it's 100 times better than the OER unit. There is a 7 minute long video on youtube showing the procedure. I did the pillar pads and kick panels all at the same time so they match in color.. I'm happy.