New dash pad?

[Stitch]

Just so everyone knows. I haven't used a reproduction dash but I have read reviews of people saying they sag in the center of the dash. Also, I don't want to start an argument but please show me a New GM dash that was made in the last year. It just won't happen. GM doesn't make them anymore. All the dashes that are available through the dealership were made years ago and are in short supply. And all the ones that aren't available through the dealer are most likely reproductions.

 

[cjtroutt]

GM never made ther own dash.
All been done by out sourceing.
The Vinyl Dash is 100% OEM Fit and Quality and does not sag at all it has Metel Backer as the OEM I been use them for many years there is differnt costs.
Full OEM Vinyl color mach to your spec around 450.00 deleverd the poly is not as nice but Dueable and looks as good and it just not a show truck.
But MY UV5 is and Has all parts in her and this CUCV is 91 Chevy V3500. when I bought it I bought all new re pop and The full new OEM CERTFIED Dash pad has seal from GM aprovew vender.
I been Rebuilding these CUCV for the 16 years and civillian Chevy for 30 years.
so my exp I aways Know where to find OEM or NOS Parts.
AS FOR SAGS DONR FORGET GM ON CIVILIAN MODLE HAD SPEAKER IN THAT HOLE AT CENTER OF THE DASH AND SOME SIDES SPEKERS WERE INSTALLES
SILVERRADO IN 87THROUGH91 R&V MODELS.

 

[Stitch]

Like I said I don't wanna start an argument. GM certified does not mean OEM. It means GM certified reproduction.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I think a CUCV dash would be real cool stitched up in canvas. I love my Jatonka canvas seat covers on my Oh-8.

 

[Stitch]

a cover can be sewn up in whatever material is available...the stretchier the material, the better the cover will look on the dash, but it can definitely be sewn up...

 

[wallew]

that's all well and good, BUT....

GM stopped making dashes for these trucks long ago...soooo....the NEW dash that you bought is at least 10 years old...it's been sitting on a shelf drying out just like the dash in your truck...it won't be long until the UV rays react with the vinyl on your dash that's dried out now...it may not seem like it's dried, but I guarantee you it is...that's why I suggest covering the dashes in vinyl...the only thing different is the fact that the vinyl will have to be cut and sewn to fit the dash and therefore it will have seams in it...BUT the vinyl will long outlive the NOS dash that you or anyone else buys from GM...

also, on a side note, we use SEM Color Coat at my shop everyday and it's amazing stuff, but it has it's place just like anything else...armrests and the top of door panels is not that place...it WILL flake and/or wear off...it's just a matter of time...if they were covered in vinyl, they would not flake and the color would not wear off of them...

STITCH.

No offense. But you apparently do NOT KNOW what you are talking about.

The dash pad I bought LAST YEAR was literally BRAND NEW. It had a manufacture date of less than three weeks from when I bought it. And it said original GM PART. I got it from the GM CHEVROLET DEALER.

The color vinyl paint that I purchased is the professional paint used by THE GM DEALER. They are the ones who sent me to the PROFESSIONAL PAINT SUPPLIER for Denver.

And I asked about how much I should worry about care after painting the vinyl.

They told me that it needed ZERO care except soap and water. The reason I asked is BECAUSE we live at altitude. Only here in Denver and in Albuquerque is the altitude at 1 mile and dry enough to cause issues with interior upholstery.

I've kept a close eye on it. I park them outside in the sun. ALL THE TIME.

I've taken the dash off this year to check certain things under it. The dash is in perfect shape. The paint looks as good as it did when I laid it down. Granted it's only been ONE year, but if there were any issues with the paint, it should have shown up.

Nothing so far. And I will keep an eye on it. If this changes, I will not only bring it up on the forum, I'll post pix and what I did to either fix it or repaint it. AND I WILL SHOW IT ALL HERE.

Everyone needs to know this stuff.

But please don't say things like GM does not HAVE any new dash pads. The one I bought was brand new. Not NOS. And it had not been 'sitting around on a shelf' either.

Sorry, but that is the facts of the pad I purchased. I'm 57 and this ain't my first rodeo.

 

[cjtroutt]

Wallew Ditto this ain't my first rodeo I owne and worked for The last 30 years on these old Trucks and the art the most common truck out there.
As for parts you can just about build one from scrach now
Thanks to LMC Truck / Classic industry / Brothers truck parts / Suthern Truck parts
Car parts discount / Stock int / Vintage GM NOS / OEM HQ.

The old saying is If you build they will come.

My self I though the man wanted an replacment DASH PAD TO INSTALL INTO HIS CUCV TO MAKE LOOK AS IT CAME OEM WHEN SOLD TO MILITARY AND THE DD-250 WAS SIGNED OVER AND APROVED BY THE INSPECTORS.
As for my taste I stick with my dash pads that I buy.
In years back I covered dash pads glue strech the materal into place.
and nothing look as good as OEM does.
If you want to do custom work good.
If you are trying to sell your work or service here use the Classfied section.
No offense Stich.

 

[Stitch]

I'm not trying to sell anything. I was directed to this thread by another member here and just came in here to say hi and give my opinion. I'm gonna bow out now. There's no need arguing the point. You think what you think and I'll think what I think. When someone shows me proof of a OEM GM dash pad that was made in the last year, I'll change my thinking on the matter but until then I'll let you pump up each others egos. It's funny when two people think the same thing all of a sudden it must be fact.

 

[wallew]

Then come on out to Denver Stitch. I'll let you REMOVE MINE and inspect it.

Then you TOO will understand.

Until then, PLEASE STOP SAYING GM DOES NOT MAKE NEW DASH PADS. They do. They are correct and they are they are the MOST EXPENSIVE ONE OUT THERE.

There is a reason.

 

[clinto]

Let it drop guys.

 

[doghead]

Stitch, is the vinyl you use to make dash covers, made in the last 12 months? Where is it made(and by who)? Do you throw out your old materials at a certian timeframe/shelf life?

It's funny when two people think the same thing all of a sudden it must be fact.

but I have read reviews of people saying ...

 

[NMC_EXP]

I'm not trying to sell anything..

Well, I might be buying - that looks outstanding.

Please tell me about the installation process for your covers.

My dash pad is brittle and has a couple of good sized gulleys in it. It feels like if I gave it a dirty look it would turn into a pile of powder.

Is much pulling and stretching required to get your cover in place?

Is an adhesive used?

Oh - hope you enjoyed the welcoming committee.

Regards

Jim

 

[Stitch]

Well, I might be buying - that looks outstanding.

Please tell me about the installation process for your covers.

My dash pad is brittle and has a couple of good sized gulleys in it. It feels like if I gave it a dirty look it would turn into a pile of powder.

Is much pulling and stretching required to get your cover in place?

Is an adhesive used?

Oh - hope you enjoyed the welcoming committee.

Regards

Jim

Thanks for the compliment on my work. Your dash will have to be repaired before the cover can be put on. There a couple of differed ways to repair the dash. First thing you'll have to do is take a razor blade, sandpaper, or a grinder and knock down the high spots around the cracks. If it's above the level where the dash used to be smooth and flat then it needs to be knocked off. Next you'll have to fill the cracks. You can use fiberglass, house expanding foam, or closed cell foam. Once you've filled the cracks you may have to cut the foam to get it level or sand the fiberglass depending on what you use. Once you're done with that, you need to glue a layer of 1/8" closed cell foam across the entire top of the dash. That foam is there to smooth the top of the dash out. You can black sand it and get it really smooth. Make sure you feather the edges of the foam. Then you'll need to take the dash cover and stretch it across the dash and glue it around the backside. I don't recommend gluing the cover on the surface of the dash. Just glue it around the backside. It may take a couple of tries Fo get the cover lined up properly but it's not too bad and it stretches into place pretty easily. The cover really doesn't need to be stretched that much. And you'll need to glue t around the back. 3m spray glue should be sufficient.

And I'm not worried about the welcoming committee. I've been lurking around here enough to know that there are good people here too lol. I've dealt with worse people when I was in the military. FYI, I never knew a moderator to be an instigator too. That's one too many hats to wear at the same time lol.

 

[NMC_EXP]

STITCH.

The dash pad I bought LAST YEAR was literally BRAND NEW. It had a manufacture date of less than three weeks from when I bought it. And it said original GM PART. I got it from the GM CHEVROLET DEALER.

Don't know about GM but at Caterpillar the date on the box or bag has nothing to do with the date of manufacture of the part.

Only here in Denver and in Albuquerque is the altitude at 1 mile and dry enough to cause issues with interior upholstery.

As altitude increases, so does the amount of UV light reaching the surface. However, UV damage occurs at sea level as well. Just takes a little longer.

Humidity will not affect the rate at which the volatile plasticizers in plastic and rubber evaporate.

Regards

Jim

 

[NMC_EXP]

Stitch

If I ever get the mechanical bugs exterminated I'll start on the cosmetics. Hopefully you will be hearing from me soon.

Regards

Jim

 

[Stitch]

Look forward to doing business with you

 

[wallew]

First and foremost, GM has the date of manufacture PRESSED INTO THE BACK OF THE PAD. So you KNOW when it was made. At least the one I BOUGHT had it pressed in the back. AND I'm talking about a steel form, covered in some form of foam and then the vinyl pressed around that. It IS an OEM spec dashpad. Was it MADE by GM? Were they EVER made by GM? No clue. But a Chevy dealer is where I got mine and they claim it IS an original GM part. It fit like it should.

An interesting side note is that LMC trucks USED to sell this exact GM dashpad. But when the price of it went above $600, they said the demand disappeared. How well I understand. You can literally price yourself out of a market if you are not careful.

Re:Altitude not effecting plastics and rubber products statement is MAINLY true.

We owned a SAAB that we bought new about twenty years ago. The rubberized glue dried out and the side mirror glass literally fell off the other part of the mirror. I actually caught one of them as it fell and saved it. It popped off when I closed the door. So I was lucky.

But Saab said they had cars experiencing this problem ONLY in Albuquerque and Denver. Those were the only places where this occurred because of the ALTITUDE AND THE UV rays, the rubberized glue dried out. Because it was the side mirrors, the glass HAD to have some form of insulation from the vibration of the road. Hence the rubberized glue.

They replaced both side mirrors once they figured out a new glue and we never had a problem with that again. Unfortunately for us, it was basically a LEMON that after two plus years of nothing but problems we figured it was either built on the Friday before or the Monday after a holiday weekend.

There were just TOO MANY PROBLEMS to deal with. And the poor dealership STOOD behind the product . But we sold that car before the warranty ran out.

 

[cjtroutt]

Ditto Wallew Ditto I still can get parts just like you and they are brand new not nos
I buy and you bought to and we have what we wanted.

 

[MuleMac01]

mmmmmm dash pads i need to replace mine soon but dont have the cash .... temp fix i have a rug dash cover over it oh did they put gray dash pads with red/ brown seats/? and set belts in thes trucks from the factory?

 

[48cj2a]

There was recently a large lot of NOS GM doors on GL. I would not doubt that there is still a cache of NOS gray dash pads sitting somewhere too.