New dash cap - very pleased

[phaetn]

It's been a summer of upgrades to the interior: I mounted a nice Momo wooden steering wheel; then I installed a new centre console cap and cleaned up the radio console area, improving wiring for an iPhone mount; finally I used new (to me) dashboard wood for a nice, clean look including getting rid of the grey plastic central radio speaker cover and ditching my non-functioning, clouded clock. I kept the oil pressure gauge in a five-hole dash rather than using the original six-hole version. Between that and the new wood over the centre speaker it's not original, but much, much cleaner in my opinion.

Next up was the glaring remainder: a very badly cracked and peeling dash.



So I set to work and dropped the steering column, then loosened the dash gauge panel, and undid the aft mounting screws of the whole dash assembly. Then I just pulled and out it came:



I then test-fit the cap that I had ordered from Auto Ricambi:


Everything seemed to line up well and I was already quite happy with the cosmetic improvement. Given the temperature ranges in which I will be running the car -- from 95F ambient temp in the heat of summer (never mind the sun beating on the dash) to 35F right before I put the car away from the winter -- I figured I didn't want to glue it in case it needed to move a bit and swell or contract. I had had very good success with the centre console cap without using any glue and only using one set screw where it was needed.

So I painted a few screws and decided I would use them to keep the front of the dash in place:

I knew if would make for a slightly unusual look, but I was okay with that.

It took a few hours of work, but I am very happy with the results.


I installed it once but wasn't happy with how it was sitting by the windshield; so I took it apart again, dremelled some of the exposed screw points that I hadn't thought would be a problem, and then realized I hadn't set the front properly with the two wing nut that fasten the dash to the metal forks of the car frame. Not sure how I missed that the first time! It makes the whole dash much more stable, but required pulling the glove box and dash guages again to be able to access the wingnuts and tighten it all down.

The dash is so much cleaner if feels like a new car! Here's a quick video of the dash and guages in a moving car.

The screws, while not beautiful, are MUCH better positioned than the nail (gulp!) that I found on my front tire yesterday, not to mention the bulge from a broken radial belt:


Two new 13" tires and paying for balancing all four, including mounting a good tire on the spare, means I'm sticking with that diameter for now and will have to wait a few years for 14s...

Now it's new vinyl for the top of the door cards and then onto the body...

Cheers,
phaetn

[spiderdan]

Tx for this thread phaetn
I bought the same AR cap last year but I haven't installed it yet.
I guess I have been hesitant to start pulling at 46 year old brittle wiring behind the dash.
However you made it look pretty EZ.
The other problem I seem to have is that I enjoy driving my car more than working on it.
Dan bad...

Did you prep the cracks in the old dash first before installing the cap? (epoxy/silicone/jb weld/fiberglass)

[phaetn]

The other problem I seem to have is that I enjoy driving my car more than working on it.
Dan bad...

Did you prep the cracks in the old dash first before installing the cap? (epoxy/silicone/jb weld/fiberglass)

Like you, I just want to drive the car so I didn't prepare the dash at all because I was happy with the test fitting. I guess I'll find out over time if the uneven surface will be visible under the cap. It would still be a huge improvement!

If you want any help putting on your own cap in the winter I'd be happy to oblige -- it's pretty straightforward.

Cheers,
phaetn

[4uall]

Looks awesome Just in time for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjiABichrlY on Sunday

Looks like I may have some catching up to do this fall/winter

Glad you caught the wheel when you did

[spiderdan]

Like you, I just want to drive the car

Checked out your video(s) in your link.
Love the "there's Quebec city" from the daughter.
Also love the muffler sound as you rev her up along Colonel By driveway.
The smile on your face (and the girls) says "we love driving in this Spider!"
Thanks for sharing.

Got to get me a gopro