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New padded dash

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tao724

Jedi Trainee
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I bought a padded dash from one of the major suppliers, (it is beautiful), but I am having a problem. The dash is for a 73 Midget. The padding foam is too thick on the drivers side end, and the heater control dial will not fit! The pad is two thick for the mechanism to fit properly. Any one else come up with this? Any easy answer? If I accept this as a fixed problem, I just won't have a heater control knob.
Incidently, the other gauges and light indicators do not fit perfectly either, but they are acceptable.
Cheers.
 
Can you trim the back side of the foam to make it thinner? This is a good thing to know before I try to install one. I've got a prototype fiberglass dash I purchased that has been sitting in the back onf my garage for the last 4-5 years. Until I can find some MOWOGS to work under there I just may leave well enough alone and keep regluing the dash pad every other year,
 
It would be a very difficult thing to trim the padding. Its spread like a thick layer of 'cake frosting' over the entire back of the replacement vinyl facing, with the level of thickness being greatest over the heater control knob opening. The thickness is still much in other areas as well, but the turn signal light indicators, hegh bean light indicator, and reverse lamp indicator fortunately 'snug' into the foam. The other gauges have clearance due to the retaining pieces being screw debth adjustable. Its still a good looking replacement front.
 
I'd try using a transfer dye of some sort and cut and try on the high spots til you get it. Would be tedious but if you are careful it should work. For fitting metal parts in wood gun stocks I use an old lipstick! Shave away where the color is till its bedded correctly. Course this would'nt work for the dash but use the same technique. Lamp black from a kerosene lamp was used in the old days for gun inletting also. Soot on the steel dash might work.
KA
 
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