Re: Fixing Dash to Install Old-Type Radio

["Paul Irvine" <pi@domain.elided>]

Jon Durham wrote:

<After a1986 attempt to steal my radio, which destroyed the middle
<console and the dash portion where the radio goes, I installed the more
<modern radio without control knobs. I wish I hadn't because it looks not
<so good and crowds the headlight indicator lights.

<Is there a good fix to this part of the dash so I can install the old
<type style of radio with a volume and turner knobs?

Jon - I did this when I replaced my dash. The replacement dash had the radio
mount cut out so I hacked the living daylights out of my old dash until all
that was left was the flat center section where the gauges and radio go.
This makes a perfect doubler. I pop riveted it along the bottom under the
radio. The top is secured by the clamps that hold the gauges in place (you
can put some adhesive or glue between them too if you like).

So if you can get a trashed dash from a junkyard (there should be plenty of
them) you can do that. It's lots of fun hacking up the junk dash, you'll
feel oddly relaxed and tension free for sometime afterwards. Otherwise you
could cut a plate that shape and after removing all of the gauges and lights
hold it against the back and trace all of the cutouts. Then go to work
honing your sheetmetal skills cutting out all those circles and notches and
the radio mount. Probably not anywhere near as much fun as the
aforementioned.

Paul Irvine - Antioch CA
Project Alfa - http://home.pcmagic.net/pi
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