| Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #69904] |
Thu, 07 January 2010 11:23  |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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The weekend project has now extened to multiple weekends. What a surprise. 
The interior work on the firewall is done and the wiring harness is back in with rebuilt neutral safety switch, a new ignition switch, cleaned up vac hoses for HVAC and all the PO garbage removed. I've moved onto the dash itself. What a mess. The biggest problem is the PO had glued a foam backed fabric to the plastic dash. It's all rotted but tough to get off. SOme kind of red, rubbery contact cement. yuck. Anyway, I'm making an aliminum reinforcement "ring" to go around the plastic dash where the insturment cluster attaches. It's broken and heat warped. This should fix it pretty easily. Updated photos are here... http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5384
I also cleaned and glued together the HVAV defroster duct to seal it up. It's generally poorly fitting plastic with little molded clips holding it together. I figured if I can keep air from leaking thats more that will ge to the vents. I still have to repair the old fire damage. Thats tonights project.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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| Re: Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #69905 is a reply to message #69904] |
Thu, 07 January 2010 11:33  |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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""The weekend project has now extened to multiple weekends. What a surprise. "'
You have a lot more ambition than I do  It sure is nice to have a nice shop to work in!!
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #69923 is a reply to message #69904] |
Thu, 07 January 2010 13:07 |
Dave Wilson
Messages: 94
Registered: September 2009
Location: Livonia, MI
Karma: 0
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You're doing a great job Jeff. I would love to attempt that on my instrument panel. My '77 has all sorts of cracks in the plastic around the defroster vents.
I'd be interested in hearing how many hours you figure this took when you're all finished. I'd hate to start it if a trip was on the horizon!
Thanks for taking the pictures and keeping us informed.
Dave Wilson
'77 Eleganza II
Photos @ http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member.php?uid=2183&protype=1
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| Re: Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #69977 is a reply to message #69923] |
Thu, 07 January 2010 20:07 |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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Really, it hasn't been that bad a deal. Greanted, I didn't have to deal with the screws or rivets at the windshield base but, this looks far more intimidating that it really is. Once the dash is out, there's only one wiring harness and a little pigtail for the heater fan. Once all the PO crap is out of the way, it's not bad. I'd be willing to bet that with a little help and a couple of 12 packs, its a long weekend kind of job if you have all the material you need handy.
I'll make a template of my aluminum support plate and if folks are interested, we can cut them for those that don't have access to the material or metal tools. Let me know who's interested.
So far, my materials list has been some aluminum sheet, a couple of rolls of adhesive backed foam tape, a tube of construction adhesive and a roll of that foil covered foam insulation and the metal tape for the edges.
I'll keep everyone posted on the progress.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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| Re: Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #69984 is a reply to message #69904] |
Thu, 07 January 2010 21:36 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Wow Jeff you the man on the dash cage. I've been wanting to reproduce that part for a long time but needed a good survivor original to copy. I guess molding like OEM would be cost prohibitive so your path seems the best.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #70038 is a reply to message #69995] |
Fri, 08 January 2010 09:43 |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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OK Michael. I'm going to finish up the support piece today. Dan Gregg is possibly going to come up and help out today.
In looking at it last night, I think I'm going to make the template out of plywood and then bend a small lip on the inside edge to give it some more regidity. I don't have a bead roller but that may help to. For those with less remaining plastic than mine, it would help out.
I'll come up with a "kit" that has the support plate, pre-drilled and the rivets etc. Don't tear anything apart yet. It might take me a little while to get it all together.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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| Re: [GMCnet] Updated Dash rebuild pictures [message #70213 is a reply to message #70209] |
Sat, 09 January 2010 14:13 |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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I looked for some of that but couldn't find it here in cosmopolitan Silver City. I got some quilting filler I think will also work if I need it.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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