Big news at Carlisle

[DCAspen]

Stopped by to speak with the guys from ABC Mopars,and what do I see,The 1st repo dash pad for F-Bodys !!!! Yes it is true,price was $329.00 with core exchange.My question to all you F-Body followers.............Who has dash pad cores?ABC needs the metal cores to make this long awaited part a reality.Let me know what you have. DCAspen

 

[volare 77]

Did Chris drop off his cores??? I may have one but I would need it when I buy a new one from them. What is he giving for cores outright?

 

[XfbodyX]

Thats great for the ones needing them.

I never thought of keeping cores on purpose, but I think ive got 2 green ones. I just never got around to tossing. Is the place buying the cores?

I never knew the dash pads were so hard to come by, Ive had 2 nos on loose on my back porch for probably 10 years collecting dust. But I just moved them to a safer place.

I never looked close but just like the other F parts not well made since they look like thin black plastic wrapped over very thin foam on the metal frame. I wonder what a stripped fram looks like?

Probably a hard process if not well setup to do it.

 

[Aspen500]

These cars were not designed, built, or expected to be around 40 years later (like just about every other make and model ever produced in the world) so some things just don't survive well. Dash pads all depends on where the car lives, is it parked outside all the time or is it garaged a lot, etc. Luckily, my dash pad is like new yet but for many of the f's, a new dash pad is a much needed item. Seems like a fair price, considering the work it took to get to production and the labor they take to produce. I've seen the process and it's quite the job and you definitely have to know what you're doing and have the equipment to do it.
Who'd have thunk any company would do this for an F-body? Now, if the console lids materialize, THAT I could use. Mine's OK but it's been unwarped (dewarped?), glued, and repaired. It won't last that way forever.

Sorry, no cores in my possession.

 

[XfbodyX]

Ive a pretty nice console lid in a dusty parts car BUT then the console would be near worthless without it.

Its pretty amazing how good some junk lasts in the right conditions. GOOD BODY

 

[DCAspen]

Can't remember the last time I saw a console lid retainer not cracked.I heard thru the grapevine that the console doors will be made also.

 

[XfbodyX]

I need to look again, but I think the whole lid was replaced in the 90-s (a prior owner repainted the car and replaced some wear items) as I recall that sticker on the bottom is some sort of parts ticket.

 

[DCAspen]

Can you get a closer picture of it?

 

[volare 77]

I had the console lid bottom piece 3d printed. It turned out pretty nice. It was a little thicker then the original. My original bottom piece wasn`t broke but it was somewhat out of shape.

 

[XfbodyX]

I had the console lid bottom piece 3d printed.

Thats pretty cool, probably an easy part to do.

DC, I will take a pic of that tag on the bottom.

 

[volare 77]

The finish texture was a little different from OE but it looked pretty nice.

 

[Aspen500]

3-D printing would be an option. Problem is, there's no place, that I could find, that does consumer 3-D printing around here. The only one I found is geared towards manufacturing, not the regular guy off the street with one piece to make.

 

[volare 77]

I kinda feel like the spring pressure from the hinge makes the one end curl on the lids. They all curl up in the same place. The last time I talked to ABC about the lid he said he needed a good core to reproduce them.

 

[Aspen500]

Sounds like a plausible theory, it makes sense. Kind of like most, or all, original AAR and T/A hoods are bowed up in the middle from the hinge springs over the years, even though they have lighter springs than steel hoods.

Pretty much all the console lids I've ever seen are bowed up in the front to some extent, even on low mileage cars. Cracking is another common trait.
They need a good core to use for patterns and stuff. That may be the stumbling point.

 

[volare 77]

And then he said he couldn`t guarantee the process of the mold not damaging the sample lid . I was going to send him a dash pad until he told me that.

 

[slant6billy]

We have a few. We have to junk yard dive for a few more. Lets get this party started.

 

[DCAspen]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[XfbodyX]

Ive two to give up as long as it dont cost me $ anything to give them up.

Maybe 1-2 more.

Sorry to say of no one wants them they will get tossed, no reason for me to store junk. My family calls me a hoarder way too often and they just might be correct.

 

[XfbodyX]

No interest? Hate to toss them but ive no reason to keep them.

If the company needs cores they could at least send a ups call tag??????

 

[volare 77]

The company that makes them uses either with metal or resin core so they probably don`t care to much about having the metal cores. Probably more work for them in stripping the old one.