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Old 12-25-2013, 09:49 AM
71-SS350 71-SS350 is offline
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Default Straighten Original Dash Pad ?

First off, hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas. I did a search function with no luck so hopefully someone can help. I have an original nice conditon stereo dash pad for my '71 Chevelle. Only problem is before I became owner of the Chevelle the dash had been just laying on the top of the instrument panel with no fasteners. Car being from Oklahoma seen a considerable amount of sun and the constant heat must have bowed the dash pad, mostly on the drivers side. Anyone ever have any luck in trying to straighten such a pad and if so how did you go about it? Pad has good color (blue) and absolutely no tears or cuts, would be great except for the bow.
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Old 12-25-2013, 10:58 AM
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hkalin hkalin is offline
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Does the pad have the clips on it that hold it down to the dash.
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Old 12-25-2013, 11:45 AM
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Hank70SS Hank70SS is offline
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The top layer of vinyl dries out and shrinks. I have my original pad and it's like that, it had the clips and screws in it. Don't know what you can do with them. Maybe something that will soften the vinyl but I don't know what.
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Old 12-25-2013, 11:59 AM
71-SS350 71-SS350 is offline
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Probably should have tried a better explanation but really a noob to the Chevelle world. The vinyl covering on the pad is in great shape and when I got the Chevelle it DID NOT have the metal clips that hold it to the dash near the windshield. I managed to find a nice complet set on Ebay for a decent price but the actual problem is the dash pad is curled, bent or warped whichever is the best description along the edge just above the instrument panel. The front lower left corner of the pad does not meet the instrument carrier at the curved portion of the carrier. Hope that gives a better idea. The front edge never had the retaining screws mounted when I got the Chevelle. That I'm sure added to the problem. Seems the mounting holes are in rather sad shape also.
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Old 12-25-2013, 12:39 PM
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shadowgray396 shadowgray396 is offline
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Mine warp up on me from setting around, I turned it upside down on the floor and put some weight on it for a week to get it to lay flat. It needs to be warmed up first and kept in a warm area while you are doing it. It still bent up some, but once I put all the screws in it when I mounted it it was fine. The clips in the front and all the screws around the instrument area should hold it down. The clips are also available from vendors, the are reproduced. Be sure you put the long and the short clips in the correct location.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:35 AM
71-SS350 71-SS350 is offline
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Thanks for the tip on straightening the dash pad. Will give that a try. I do have the right dash clips but need to repair some of the screw holes. Thinking on using threaded brass barrel inserts glued in with epoxy or JB Weld? Any thoughts on that?
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Old 12-27-2013, 10:19 AM
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Hank70SS Hank70SS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 71-SS350 View Post
Probably should have tried a better explanation but really a noob to the Chevelle world. The vinyl covering on the pad is in great shape and when I got the Chevelle it DID NOT have the metal clips that hold it to the dash near the windshield. I managed to find a nice complet set on Ebay for a decent price but the actual problem is the dash pad is curled, bent or warped whichever is the best description along the edge just above the instrument panel. The front lower left corner of the pad does not meet the instrument carrier at the curved portion of the carrier. Hope that gives a better idea. The front edge never had the retaining screws mounted when I got the Chevelle. That I'm sure added to the problem. Seems the mounting holes are in rather sad shape also.
I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about as far as the curve. Mine was like you described. I still say it's the vinyl shrinking and pulling tight on the sub-structure that causes it to curve up. The area above the gauges is not as rigid as the area by the glove box so it curves up easier as the vinyl pulls on it.
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Old 12-28-2013, 08:31 AM
mestorod70 mestorod70 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 71-SS350 View Post
Thanks for the tip on straightening the dash pad. Will give that a try. I do have the right dash clips but need to repair some of the screw holes. Thinking on using threaded brass barrel inserts glued in with epoxy or JB Weld? Any thoughts on that?
I have used plastic wall anchors with gorilla glue
worked quite well.
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Old 12-29-2013, 09:42 AM
71-SS350 71-SS350 is offline
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Since the dash pad was never properly mounted when I go the Chevelle I have no idea what sort of screws were used. Can anyone tell me what was originally used, length, thread size/type, head style,...etc? Have no idea and if I fix the dash properly would like to use the original style hardware.

shadowgray, can you give a explanation of how you used weight to straighten your pad. The pad is in such nice conditon other that the bow don't want to ruin it by me not knowing what I'm doing. There are absolutely no cracks, tears or anything in the vinyl. Only problems are the bow and the mounting screw holes along the instument panel edge/ glove box area. Sorry for asking a dumb question but a noob on so many Chevelle problems and fixes.
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