Dash covers

[Quartering Away]

Just a quick question. I am going to replace the dash cover because it looks terrible and cracked. When looking for a new one will I get one that's similar.. Any thing indeed to beware of.. Thanks.

[sargentrs]

These are available at several online "restoration" sites. JC Whitney even carries them. Make sure you get one that says "made with original Ford tooling". The Chinese knockoffs are a lot cheaper but have a reputation for not fitting well. You can expect to spend close to $300-$400 for a quality OEM pad. You can also get plastic/vinyl dash caps that glue right on top of the original pad and give it a clean finished look. Those run about $75.

[Busboy]

I bought mine from Dennis Carpenter and I have to say it fit perfectly. It actually was repackaged from Dashdirect.com. There site has it priced at 450.00 and I think I paid 400.00 from Dennis Carpenter. I would suggest researching how to dye or color the dash carefully. It comes black. I was able to use Duplo vinyl dye in red and it came out perfect. Be very thorough on the cleaning process before painting and use q-tips to get down into the dash vent grills in order to degrease them so the paint will stick properly.

[Quartering Away]

Thanks a lot guys.. I was looking at prices only .. And it was that "skin" type... Not sure how that will look.. I am not going to do a frame off restoration .. How does that "skin" look once it is installed?? Would rather have a the old style.. Thanks again

[Ranchero50]

The skins are hard plastic and work OK if you can get them glued on correctly. Been reports over the years of them lifting or not fitting well around the instrument bezel etc. I have an one from an old tow truck and found another for $75 at a swap meet. Personally I'd wait and find an original one. They are out there.

[jimmy828]

My Dennis Carpenter pad. Fit really well to.

[Canonman67]

If you buy a skin put it in the truck for a summer and let the heat mold it to the old pad before gluing it in it'll look better. I had a skin on the '70 and didn't realize until it fell off one day, they can look that good. I stupidly decided to use the pad from the parts truck and now the skin doesn't fit as well. But it's my own fault.