Dash fitment?

[Eric McClellan]

I seem to be finding differing information here. Is the dash piece supposed to go over the body panel? Does it bolt the frame? An inch seems like a long bolt.

I see that an inch or so is a normal gap from the body to the front dash frame. No worries there. How do I fill up the gap? Piece of wood?

I've looked through a ton of interior pics and trying to find a decent solution. (Yes, I've read the manual).

Any help would be nice.

Thanks

~Eric

 

[Michael Fling]

A wood spacer is what I used. I have modified the placement of my dash ends so that they go behind the body panel instead of on the outside of it. It gives a much cleaner look.

 

[PeteB]

I used a wood block also. To figure out the exact spacing for the dash, you have to install the door panels first so you can set the gap between the door panel and the dash when the doors are closed. I had my dash all set then discovered I had a huge gap between the door panels and the dash. :furious: I hate having to do things over...

 

[Bill]

I simply bolted it to the body. I glued a 1/4-20 click-bond fastener to the back of each ear on the dash, and drilled a hole in the body to match.

Its plenty solid.

 

[Alex]

Did the dash design change over time? The originals bolt to the chassis and fit perfectly around the windshield cutout (i.e., there's no forward or backwards movement on them needed).

 

[PeteB]

Alex,

If you don't have the optional door panels, then you can bolt the dash directly to the chassis. For those of us not building a race car, and have the door panels, you have to move the dash to the rear to meet the door panels.

 

[Alex]

Alex,

If you don't have the optional door panels, then you can bolt the dash directly to the chassis. For those of us not building a race car, and have the door panels, you have to move the dash to the rear to meet the door panels.

Do you have any gap at the windshield area? If i moved mine rearwards the amount of move back would translate to that much showing underneath the windshield. It's a perfect fit around the windshield area when installed directly on the chassis.

 

[Mesa]

The newer chassis have (I think) a narrower A post beam in them vs the older, thereby the dash if bolded directly is too far forward to meet the door panels. Although as Alex suggested, IF one bolts it to directly to the dash in a newer car it SHOULD be too far forward to align with the bottom of the windshield.

PS I believe the difference between the old and the new chassis A post thickness is 1 inch, this is the reason newer cars have to space out the dash in order to align properly.

 

[PeteB]

I've got a big gap between the dash and the body at the windshield. I enlarged the black border around the windshield to hide the gap.

 

[Alex]

I've got a big gap between the dash and the body at the windshield. I enlarged the black border around the windshield to hide the gap.

Almost like the dash is meant to be mounted directly to the chassis? =)
(i don't give up easily :drunk: )

 

[Bill]

From talking with builders of earlier SLCs, the body's front door jam used to bolt directly to the chassis uprights. Some time later in production, it changed and there is now a 3/4" - 1" gap.