Berlina dashboard construction

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Stevan Thomas asks "Does the 2L dash have a metal core? I was under the
impression it's entirely 'plastic'. Is there a separate wiring loom that
covers the dash area? The reason I'm considering the replacement is my car had
a small leak around the windshield (since caulked) and along with the radio
suffering a bit, the dash bounces a lot more than any other car've seen and
has a "sag" in the middle."

Just rechecked (visually and with a magnet) the two-liter Berlina dash I have
loose here, and it is apparently similar in construction to the 1750 and
first-series Alfetta Berlina dashes I also have here and to the 1750 and 2000
GT Veloce dashes in remote storage; attachment is by one bolt on either side
and one under each of the top defroster vents. Those four steel brackets, the
side air conditioning vents and the glove box are all attached with threaded
fasteners (some of them studs) to a steel armature, and all of the instruments
and switches and the main cluster are mounted in a steel armature, all of
which appears to be continuous. Since the dash is uncracked I didn't do any
destructive cutting to verify that the construction is as it seems to be, with
a single continuous steel core, but I would be very surprised if it wasn't.

On the wiring loom question, there is a block connector for a separate loom
for the console, and two block connectors that plug into the main instrument
cluster, but no general separate wiring loom that covers the dash area
generally.

I am puzzled by bounce and sag in the dash. I would check whether the two
bolts under the top defroster vents were in place; some DPO (or DPM) could
have left them out, or loose. If things were not properly tied-down it is
possible that there could be fatigue-cracking in the core after years of
stress, or possibly some hidden accident damage. Certainly I have never seen
sagging or bouncing in any 105/115 dash (or any other Alfa dash). If somebody
else knows better I hope they will chime in. Andrew? Kevin?

Good luck

John H.
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