Straighten Original Dash Pad ?

[shadowgray396]

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.

[71-SS350]

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?

[mestorod70]

Originally Posted by 71-SS350

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.

[71-SS350]

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.