Do dashes need to be fitted?

[kmoses]

I just pulled a crack free dash from a '78 to go in my '79. I was able to install it but I am not happy with the fit. The '78 dash contacts fully with the windshield gasket in the center 24" then the gap starts and widens to the point that the gasket lip will not stay on top. Looking at my old '79 dash, the gasket lip overlapped evenly but when looking at the underside it looked like it had been shaped and trimmed with a sander. I am thinking about tracing the contour of the old '79 dash and compare it to the new '78 one. Has anyone run into this before? Did the '78 and '79 spiders have the same windshield curve?

[So Cal Mark]

virtually any used dash will be warped

[kmoses]

So pull the '78 dash back out of the '79. Make a template of the '79's curve and cut the '78 to match?

[kmoses]

The dash is in and fits great! The shape of the dash was fine but thickness of the dash where it fits between the windshield gasket and bulkhead was to thick. That was solved with a air grinder and 80 grit sanding disk.