1979 Dash replacement

[royhanks]

I have a 79 Spider that I removed the dash from. I got a used pre-79 dash but kept all the wood from my previous dash and polished up the gauges and sanded/re-varnished the wood. Now that I am putting it all together (79 wood and guages with pre 8\79 dash) its seems that all the pieces don't fit the right way. I did recap the old dash with a new cover from Vick's Auto.

Did I screw up? Do I need a 79 or post dash?

[BEEK]

there are 2 styles of dash. the easiest way to tell is the area above the steering wheel, the early one has a hump and the late one doesnt. unless you add in 83 on, but they are totally different. other than the hump at the steering wheel the wood is the same and the cut out is the same.

but when installing covers, they take up space and now you need to clearance the wood so things will fit again, not real hard

i have installed at least 100 covers

[royhanks]

It seems like the center panel where the "fasten seat belts" light if off center on the new dash, The old dash had a huge opening and the pre-79 has 3 holes.

[vandor]

On the 1979-82 Spiders the two round knobs in the center of the dash are farther apart. Have you kept the plastic piece from the old dash? You can simply use that. The wood pieces are the same size.

[BEEK]

oops. i did forget the spacing of the controls in the center of the dash, that hold on the plastic trim

[royhanks]

I figured it out. Steve sold me the dash and retrofit the metal on the dash with older version of center piece. I just drilled out the rivets and used my old metal. Thanks!

[royhanks]

Does anyone have a trick for getting the rubber seal over the dash?

[seabeelt]

Small piece of coat hanger in a "v" shape. Make sure the end is rounded over so you don't snag the rubber and rip it.
R/