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Dee1986

Dash

Anyone have any suggestions on a quality option for covering a cracked dash other than the crusty carpet pad I currently have covering the trashed dash I'm looking at.

Brian,
1986 f250 xlt lariat 4x4/ 460 4 speed
2016 super duty lifted
1949 Ford custom sedan, orig flathead eight

Jacob84

Re: Dash

LMC truck should have a plastic cover if I remember correctly. Pricey though.

Jacob,
84 F150 base model, New 95 roller 351w with 5.0 ho roller cam, Summit Racing Max EFI 500, and other toys, MSD DIS, C6 trans, 9 inch rear 3.50, reg cab, long bed, 4x4. 33s, 2.5" Rough Country lift.

Jacob84

Re: Dash

In reply to this post by Dee1986

$120 for a black one, $140 for any other color.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

In reply to this post by Dee1986

There are two options, as shown on this page from LMC, although the same things are available from other vendors.

The Coverlay cover that glues on the existing pad. That's the one Jacob posted about and it runs $120 - 140 depending on the color.

Dash pad, which is a complete replacement pad. And if I remember correctly they come from Just Dashes, and while LMC only shows them in black, Just Dashes makes them in several colors. And they are $420.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Dee1986

Re: Dash

Just wondering if anyone has used one of the $140 covers that glue over existing dash? If so how was the fit and finish. Otherwise I'll pony up for the $400 dash replacement.

Brian,
1986 f250 xlt lariat 4x4/ 460 4 speed
2016 super duty lifted
1949 Ford custom sedan, orig flathead eight

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

I have, and I have one I'm going to use on Big Blue. They are very good, and until someone pointed out that there was a cover on my first Bullnose I didn't know.

But on Dad's truck I'll do the new pad.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: Dash

Administrator

I believe it all boils down to what you intend to do with a truck: daily driver = overlay; show truck = new pad.

The $420 for new with the latest plastic technology vs what might be available as used, is not too bad.

Examples of used:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F150-Bronco-Gray-Dash-Pad-OEM-Pickup-Truck-Dashboard-TURBO-Diesel-1980-1986/372825595794?hash=item56ce231f92:g:lTkAAOSw0AxdvNqC

https://www.ebay.com/itm/80-86-FORD-TRUCK-BRONCO-F150-F250-F350-DASH-PAD-BROWN-NO-CRACKS-VERY-NICE/372890457951?hash=item56d200d75f:g:5AEAAOSwZgheA5oV

myrl883

Re: Dash

Now if only someone would make one without the speaker holes! That's where they all fail, and I doubt any of us are rockin' the AM jams any more.

Ford Parts Monkey since 1985
1981 F100 Flareside - Black, 302-4V Roller/AOD
1986 F150 Flareside - Medium Fire Red 302/AOD
1989 F150 Standard Cab 4x4 - Dk Shadow Blue 302/AOD
1993 F350 4x4 Crew Cab - 7.3 IDI/ZF-5
I think it's a sickness...

Danny G

Re: Dash

Right! I bought a whole new pad and hope it does not fail here with the new materials.

It should be noted that the new pads take a bit of fitting where the clips go on.

1986 F-150|Standard Cab|4x2|300Six|C6Transmission w/3.08 rear|Name:TBD
2021 Ranger XLT Super Crew

goodsoup

Re: Dash

In reply to this post by myrl883

I completely agree, but if I can share a rare piece of my knowledge, there's a company called Retrosound who specialize in classic car audio. They make one particular 6x9 speaker with inputs for both left and right audio - so you get a stereo mix out of one single speaker. So if someone had an otherwise-fine dash pad with a roached middle section, putting one of those speakers in the dash with a nice grille could be a good route to go.

I have one in my DeSoto, and I plan on getting another one for whichever truck I end up driving.

1986 Bronco 5.0/AOD, aka "The Guzzler"

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

You don't actually get stereo out of a single speaker. With a dual voice coil you get a mono sound that is what is common between the two channels. And that is effectively a center channel.

An old-school trick to get a center channel is to feed the positive terminal from one side and the negative terminal from the other to a single speaker. That does much the same as the dual voice coil speaker.

In either case, it works. I've done it many times. In fact, I'm running the minus from one and positive from the other configuration in my shop and the center channel does neatly enhance the sound. I plan to do that in my trucks.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

goodsoup

Re: Dash

I stand corrected. You learn something new every day eh?

1986 Bronco 5.0/AOD, aka "The Guzzler"

1986F150Six

Re: Dash

Administrator

Here is another used one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F150-Bronco-Gray-Dash-Pad-OEM-Pickup-Truck-Dashboard-TURBO-Diesel-1980-1986/174196867757?hash=item288ef142ad:g:E90AAOSw8LNeTffL

old55pete

Re: Dash

No offence Dave, did you see what they wanted for shipping? That dash cover aint perfect by any means, but it is better then mine.

$95.00 for shipping is a little much

Steve
86 Bronco, XLT, 5.0 EFI, EEC IV, AOD, IFS, limited slip front and rear, 3.08 gears, Tilt steering, factory AC

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

I hadn't noticed that. Those things are long and need to be protected, but that's a bit much. Total cost is ~$250 and you are getting a used dash pad that may break by the time you get it.

I think it was Shaun that years ago found a perfect dash pad at the salvage, bought it and stored it blocked up to be level and not in a bind. And it cracked just sitting there.

If I'm going to pay more than ~$150, which gets you a new dash cover, I'll go whole hog and pay $450 for a new dash pad. I'm not going to risk half of that on a used one.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FuzzFace2

Re: Dash

Being we are on dash pads and I at one time looked into repairing the worst one of the 2 I had.
First try was a failure and 2nd try was not much better.
I was fitting a plastic dash pad cover to it, out of truck, and felt at the time to start to remove some of the padding for a better fit .... failure #3 as the cover did not fit as well as I had hoped.

So the cover went on the better of the 2 I had and to tell you unless you really look and know what to look for I don't think you can tell it has a cover and am happy with it.

Now what to do with this other pad I have??
I also have a buddy I am helping with a flare side and he also has 2 pads, 1 worst than the other, that will need work before being installed.
I am thinking of doing something like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1UBYrxjeWY

I am thinking of only doing the blanket & rosin, maybe a little filler but no glass as the dash needs a little texture but need to see how that turns out.

He got it all smooth with filler & 400 wet sanding then added the texture with the spray on bed liner, why?
I dint know when I will get to this but it is a plan I have at this time.
Dave ----

Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100

RustedJunk84

Re: Dash

In reply to this post by Dee1986

I don’t know if my idea is any better or not. But I kinda went at the cracks with a dremal tool and took out the real loose broken down foam. I then used gorilla glue to fill the crack. Gorilla glue foams up when it drys. I then shaved it down/sand it down to smooth it out. I also used some fiberglass bondo to smooth things out.
The reason I did it this way is because I plan on covering it with upholstery.
Another guy did almost the same way with bondo then low pressure sprayed primer over the dash to texture it. Then painted to match the truck.

86 F150 Lariet XLT
302EFI AOD
2wd
Instagram: RustedJunk84
“ I’m a lonewolf that don’t ask for much help.”

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

I'm curious to see how it works, but my worry is the different expansion rates of the different materials. The dash gets REALLY hot, and my concern is that the different materials will expand/contract/expand/contract until they part from each other. But I guess I just worry a lot.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: Dash

Administrator

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm curious to see how it works, but my worry is the different expansion rates of the different materials. The dash gets REALLY hot, and my concern is that the different materials will expand/contract/expand/contract until they part from each other. But I guess I just worry a lot.

Kind of like new wine in old wineskins? Or, a new patch on old clothes?

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash

Administrator

Good analogy.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile