body and interior early heater faceplate fitment

[echappe]

Gruppe,

 I recently received my restored 3 piece "71 dash back from Dash Specialists in Medford, Oregon. All in all it looks really nice. I'm having trouble fitting the 2 heater faceplates back into the cutouts in the dash. I've tried coating them with soap. Has anyone on the board had this problem and how was it addressed. I'm hesitant to start trimming either the cutout or the faceplate but that might be what has to be done. the first foto shows the faceplate needs another half inch to drop in to be flush agaist the back plate

[echappe]

here are fotos of the entire dash

[Mike Self]

Is it both the right side faceplate (with the single temp control lever) and the left (upper and lower volume controls) that are giving trouble or only the left side?  

 

Did they sent you back the same dash you sent them?  From mid-72 on the heater had four control levers and fastened to the dash completely differently; if they inadvertently sent you the lower section of a two piece 72-73 dash, I would think you'd have trouble fitting the right side control, as on your car the bracket and face plate installs from the back side, while on the 72-73 cars, the bracket (that holds the levers and bulbs) installs from the back, while the faceplate snaps in place from the front.

 

If it is indeed the same lower dash section that you sent 'em, you may have to do some careful trimming with a razor blade or Xacto knife. Try making a thin cardboard template/tracing of your faceplates so you can see where the trimming is necessary and so you won't remove too much material.  Just take it slow and easy.

 

mike

[echappe]

Yes they sent the same dash back and the newly vulcanized vinyl is just larger around the opening. Yes it is both sides, I'm going to talk with Dash Specialists tomorrow.

thank you for your feedback