<VV> dash pad on 63 spyder

[Geoff Johnson]

Hello!
I think the important thing to decide is what you like best.  Padded dash 
or bare paint.  IMHO I think it would be the same amount of work either way 
to make it look nice.   I think it is not any worse then some of the other 
jobs you listed that you have done to the car to put a new dash pad in.   I 
put a new dash pad in my '63.  The repruduction  pads fit nicely.  The 
hardest part is final placement.  The old dash pad has to be removed.  Then 
the fun part, removing the old glue holding the original pad down.  So you 
would have to do that either way.  The next  part is trimming the new pad 
to fit.  I lucked out on this as I have a front clip with the dash that I 
could place the new one on and "fit".  I recall you have to lower the 
steering column and remove the instrument panel, or at least pull it out a 
bit, and also remove other associated trim. Then you have to glue both 
sides with contact cement, then its time for placemnet.  You have to have a 
helper there!  Do a couple of dry runs without glue to practice placing it. 
Since after you get the glue on there and it hits, it will not come back 
off!  Once you and yo buddy are set, carefully place it, and smooth it down 
into place.  Mine went fairly smoothly but not perfectly.  Unfortunately 
about a week after I put the new pad in, the car took a hit from a cell 
phone driver and sat for a year during major body and engine repair.  I had 
not got all the  trim around the front of the windshield in, and it sat 
without it for the whole time, so pulled away a bit, otherwise it fits 
perfectly.  One other thing I heard is that it can be conciderably easier 
to do with the windshield out.
Hope that helps!
-Geoff Johsnon
63 Monza Cp
66 Corsa Cp


--On Monday, April 5, 2004 10:19 PM -0500 turbobraf <turbobraf@cox.net> 
wrote:
 (the exterior has been
> freshly painted also).
> i understand from some people that the dash pad removal and installation
> is difficult to get done correctly.
> I am thinking then of masking and painting the dash pad instead. anyone
> in the group done either of the above with any success?