Dash replacement

[steve6864]

Tackling the replacement of my split and cracked dash with a new one from DMC.After taking off all of the nuts,is the leading edge(windshield)glued,it still seems to be in there pretty solid.I don`t mind if it gets ruined coming out,it is really bad.Thanks.6864.

[stevedmc]

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

[WelmoedJ]

After having taken it out, you'll have 2 options:
1. Replace it with a new (plastic) from Houston.
2. Take off the vinyl and have it covered with real leather in the colour of your choice.

The original one has a metal plate as an interior frame.
So once you diecide to recover you only have to strip the vinyl off.
Carefully done, you can repair the cracks in the underlying foam before the leather goes on.
Result: a very nice dash (the binnacle and glove compartment lid can be recovered in the same way).

Mind that you have to remove the center console to prevent the dash damaging the top of the console.

Welmoed.

[1batt4u]

If someone recovers the original dash, they would have to poke holes for the speakers. Kinda annoying to do.

[stevedmc]

If someone recovers the original dash, they would have to poke holes for the speakers. Kinda annoying to do.

I wouldn't. Whenever I get around to it I am going to remove my dash speakers and install some real speakers in the foot wells.

[TTait]

I have a recovered dash in one car, and a Houston one in the other. The recovered one is done with vinyl, but it looks nice. The guy who did it was a professional vinyl guy and he cut the holes in it - looks fine.

If its recovered with leather, remember that its thicker than the vinyl. This can cause fitment issues around the perimeter, as well as where the binnacle and glove box door have to fit in. I have a leather covered binnacle with the Houston Dash, and it is a very tight fit as the binnacle is a bit larger than oem.

And Steve, you can fit great speakers in the car using the original mounting locations - read this thread and consider the infinity speakers mentioned there. If you have an OEM dash you will need coupling nuts from ebay as well - the info is all in the thread.

[stevedmc]

And Steve, you can fit great speakers in the car using the original mounting locations - read this thread and consider the infinity speakers mentioned there. If you have an OEM dash you will need coupling nuts from ebay as well - the info is all in the thread.

I do have infinity speakers. I am using cut PVC as a spacer so the tweeter doesn't hit the dash. The problem I have with them is they are too small to give good sound and the other problem is with the DMCH dash. I tightened one of the studs to mount a speaker and the stud broke off. So now I have a speaker that is dangling from one stud.

[TTait]

The PVC spacers may be the solution. You may be able to use RTV to get it all back together.

If you already have the fronts, get the rears too, they are extremely well matched.

[stevedmc]

I do have infinity speakers. I am using cut PVC as a spacer so the tweeter doesn't hit the dash. The problem I have with them is they are too small to give good sound and the other problem is with the DMCH dash. I tightened one of the studs to mount a speaker and the stud broke off. So now I have a speaker that is dangling from one stud.

I need to retract the negative comment I made about the Infinity speakers. I removed them from the dash this evening, placed them on the floor, and to my surprise they sounded fine.

What was causing them to sound like crap was actually the PVC spacer I was using. It turns out the spacer was putting pressure on the sides of the speaker that was causing it to make a sound as if the speaker was blown out. Removing the spacer corrected the problem but of course I can't mount them under the dash without spacers.

For now they are disconnected, but when I get around to it I am going to mount them in the footwells and angle them slightly towards the center of the car.