Reproduction lower dash pads 1972

I bought all three reporduction dash pads (upper, lower left and lower right)and the shift console from Ecklers for my 1972 corvette. They don't seem to fit very well. The finish on them looks good, but they don't fit together very good in several places. Has anybody else had this problems with reproduction pads bought from Ecklers. I think they actually came from mid america and were sold through Ecklers. Are there other manufactures of dash pads out there that would be of better quality, and also is there any body out there that could restore the ones that I took out. Thanks. Jimmie

Al Knock used to be the best for interiors, I assume he still is.

if your original dash pads are not broken, auto acc of america (corvette america) sells dash pad skins ----marty

Al Knocks quality has gone down the tubes in my opinion. I have a repro 70 console in black from Al Knock. The grain is wrong, the shape is wrong and it just does not fit. I ended up buying an NOS piece that fits perfectly without any modification. However NOS parts are hard to find and will cost a small fortune. Found mine on e-bay.

If you want correct grain and pieces that fit, bag any of the repro interior parts. They all stink and require quite a bit of modification to get them to fit decent. That includes even the door panels. Place any interior repro next to an original and I have yet to see one that is indistinguishable from the original. A lot of times you ruin the new parts because they need so much rework that by the time you rework one piece now there is a different problem with another piece.

If your original parts are not too bad you can have a good vinyl repair guy fix them. If the shell is broken you can use JB Weld and furniture clamps to repair the shell.

I did this on my 70 and you have to look real hard to see the repairs and I know where they are.

All that having been said, some guys claim that by putting all the pieces in the hot sun to make them pliable will allow for the best fit and finsh because you can kind of mold them to fit.

I am still trying to figure out how to get the piece of Crap Corvette America repro pillar post mouldings to fit properly and stay in place. The grain is differnet than the originals on those too. It wouldn't be so bad if the people that make these things were more up front rather than saying they look just like the originals once installed. Bunk!

Trust me when I say all interior repros stink! True with my GTO and still true with the Roadster.

I hope this helps in spite of my ranting but people need to just stop buying the repro garbage being put out there for C3 guys.

Good Luck!



Bill

Bill
I agree with you totally. With what these reproductions cost, you would think that you would get better quality. All three pieces that I bought from Ecklers are terrible fits. I still have my orginal parts, so when I do get a little extra money, I might try and get them restored. Does anybody out there know someone that would do a good job on restoring the dash pads, or any of the panels inside the car. Thanks, Jimmie