Dashboard replacement options

[Stainless]

I have a typical crack in my dashboard from the glovebox up to the windshield that I want to repair. I'm sure many of you have replaced or repaired your dashboards, so I'm looking for some feedback.

For those that have done this, would you recommend buying a replacement from DMCH, or recovering the original at a local upholstery shop?

I am more concerned with quality than price, even though I'm not sure how much a local shop would even charge to recover in vinyl. Is the DMCH dashboard a quality product and a good fit? Can I get it done better by a local shop? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Dracula]

If you want quality, take it to an interior shop or hot rod builder/restoration place near you. The DMCH dash is a piece of cheap junk.

[Stainless]

If you want quality, take it to an interior shop or hot rod builder/restoration place near you. The DMCH dash is a piece of cheap junk.

Interesting. What makes it so junky? Poor fit? Cheap material? Weak? A combination of those? Thanks.

[stevedmc]

Interesting. What makes it so junky? Poor fit? Cheap material? Weak? A combination of those? Thanks.

All of the above. The studs break too when you fasten the thing down. I would return mine but I'm too lazy to remove it.

If you want low cost and don't mind poor quality go with the DMCH unit.

If you want something expensive, have your old one recovered. My dash was given to me when I purchased the car.

[Stainless]

All of the above. The studs break too when you fasten the thing down. I would return mine but I'm too lazy to remove it.

If you want low cost and don't mind poor quality go with the DMCH unit.

If you want something expensive, have your old one recovered. My dash was given to me when I purchased the car.

That's awful to hear. I was definitely enticed by the DMCH dash since it is on sale right now, but a local shop sounds like the way to go based on your info. How difficult is it to remove the original dash without damaging it further? Thanks!

[Dracula]

The originals are tough enough to remove with relative ease. The only one you have to worry about breaking is the new one from DMCH.

[stevedmc]

That's awful to hear. I was definitely enticed by the DMCH dash since it is on sale right now, but a local shop sounds like the way to go based on your info. How difficult is it to remove the original dash without damaging it further? Thanks!

http://www.dmcnews.com/Techsection/dashboard.html

It took me a weekend to do the job but that was with limited tools and no experience. I estimate I could remove/replace the thing in less than 4 hours if I had to do another.

I doubt you could damage the original dash while removing it.

[stevedmc]

The only one you have to worry about breaking is the new one from DMCH.

On another note, can you believe that some people want to buy binnacles from DMCH even after experiencing the poor quality of dashes first hand?

[Stainless]

What is the new DMCH dashboard made of that makes it so weak? Plastic?

For that matter, what materials is the original dash made of?

[Dracula]

On another note, can you believe that some people want to buy binnacles from DMCH even after experiencing the poor quality of dashes first hand?

And can you believe how long it's taken them to come out with then in the first place? If the dashes serve as an example, quality control testing has NOTHING to do with the development time.

The new ones are a cheap plastic that tends to rattle and squeak. Mine's not nearly snug enough, but any further tightening will risk snapping the mounting studs. The originals seem to be some sort of reinforced foam, though I'm not completely sure.