The Dodge Challenger Message Board

I finally bought a new dash, and along with the install of adding the new Ralley Gages, I will be adding it this weekend. And that brings up a problem.

I need the VIN Rivets. Any clues?

I would just use regular pop rivits and be honest about it. A dab of black paint on them might help.

Anyone else any thoughts on this?

i am not totally sure but i think rt specialties has them they are on the web as well if you cant find them they are based out of mesa az tom race or tim race is the owners name they are repo but they look like the originals i thought year one had them as well but i may be wrong.....

You could try Ed at MOPAR-Ed's Restoration Parts. I'm not sure, but he might have had some at the Spring Fling. (559)645-7243 or email him at mopared@earthlink.net

Well, here is what I found today. It is totally illegal to have these rivets, or make them. Jon is now busted and sent my check back. He says he is out of stock, but he is out of business. Looks like the rivets are my choice.

Toodles.

I had a feeling that was the case.

I've read that a Chrysler Dealership can do it for you. They will have to fill out some forms to send away for the rivets and they will have to install the tag on the dash, but it can be done legally.

Interesting. Can they do it while in the car, or do they have to have the dash out? I will call, that will be easier.

If you check out Moparts.com and follow the On-line Swap Meet/E-Body parts for May trail, you might find some really interesting rivits being offered there on one of the first three pages. I can't remember exactly where I saw them, but they were there.

Found it. And it is the same guy that got busted.

Well, one day until I get into the dash pad removal and new dash. If anyone has done this and has some recommendations of things that right now are unforseen, I am open for any comments or help that you might have.

If not, everyone have a great holiday, if you are in the USA that is

Holiday weekend in the UK too! Monday off work! Going to a car show with the Challenger on Sunday!

The bad news is that my in-laws are staying with us over the weekend.

I had my mother-in-law last weekend and my parents this weekend. But, I am still diving into the dash. I hope it turns out to be as easy as it should.

Have a great weekend.

BTW, Not Challenger related but My wife is heading over to the UK on June 6th. She will be there for 2 weeks, visiting and playing tourist.

What is the weather like now?

Nice, but as the holiday is here it will probably rain ! Tell her not to worry about about all the animals over here, it's dying off now, and yot wouldnt know there was a problem if you didn't read about it on the News, June is usually good for weather, mild, i.e. mid 60's and everything is green and flowery! post up if she needs to know any nice places, England is a bit bigger than London, where everyone seems to end up!

Thanks for the info. She is over there on the 7th.

I got the new dash pad in. I was not much fun pulling all those speed nuts, and with all the concern on the rivet, I totally forgot the VIN pad and had to pull it out and to that again. Dumb. BTW, the rivets were way to easy to replace. I removed the old ones with out too much trouble and then epoxied them right back again on the new pad. Looks way bitch'n.

Tomorrow, the cluster. I am ready and it is primed.

i have been following this thread w/interest as my dash though complete needs some help. it is out of the car and has the factory rivets just dashes will redo your dash and send it back. they warn you to remove and keep your vin tag because they cannot send it back if you leave it on,...what about other alternatives like a dash cover that looks like the original it just fits over it. does anyone have any experience w/these on a 70 challenger? i would be surprized if there is because of the nameplate is stitched into the dash on this yr only and how would you make that look right...hmmm

Does anyone know if the dash pads, ones that glue over the existing dash, sold by Paddock are any good. I've heard different opinions of them.

Those aren't really pads. They are styrene plastic vacu-formed skins that glue on the old pad covering the damage. They do not have the give a dash pad has. If you want a new pad, try Just Dashes in Van Nuys, California. They run about $4 to $5 hundred I'm told and are true replacements for the old pads.

Thanks Jack,
Do you happen to know how the skins that glue on look when covering an old, cracked pad. Is it decent or not worth the trouble. Price difference between a new pad and these skins is about 4 hundred or so. I'm not too worried about keeping things original because I like to customize my things. I definitely don't want a cheap dash look if that's what I'm going to get from the skins.

I've never seen one installed, but I have seen them on display and they do look much better than a cracked dash. The buck or mold must be a pretty high quality on as there is some texture on the surface...... not as defined as the real thing, but there is some there and they come in black, last I saw.

does anyone know how " freshen " up the dash face plate around to pods?- mine are faded but still in good condition- no scracthes of dents

thanks-john

p.s-- thanks for the glove box lock removal

hey someone else finally asked the same question as me..lol i still wonder about the 70 type dash(if it is excluded) cause they were stitched in and it would be hard to make it look right i think will you let me know if you find out anything else on this?

Just Dashes will sell you a "new" dashpad but it will cost about $750 U.S.. Just dashes takes in damaged pads and strips the old vinyl covering off, fills in the cracks, sands down any irregularities, and then glues a new cover over the pad. This costs $600 plus a core charge of $150 if you aren't sending in your pad. I've heard they do very good work.
I,too, have a problem concerning the dash in a Challenger. The previous owner threw away the original '70 pad and replaced it with a pad from a '71. Now I will need to search and pay for a good example.

I think you can find any old 70 dash pad at a cheap price as long as the core is good. Then send it to just dashes and have it redone. I had mine done there for my T/A.There is another alternative though. Year One now has the dash pads for the 70 Challenger. This is something new they just started carrying.I have seen them and they look just like the original, very good.I have their new catalog. If you would like the part number you will have to let me know how many speakers and if you have A/C or not.They came out with this pad after I had mine done at just dashes. This is your call. Don't misunderstand just dashes does great work and YO's pad is also good. It depends on how soon you want to get your dash in. Just Dashes takes about 6 weeks. If you need a rush job it will cost you an extra 25% and turn around time is about 2 weeks.I think I paid $795 plus shipping. YO's cost is $769 in Black and $869 in colors. THERE IS NO CORE REQUIRED for YO. Hope this helps.

Mike wrote: Does anyone know if the dash pads, ones that glue over the existing dash, sold by Paddock are any good. I've heard different opinions of them.

That is an old question..., any new answers out there?

They work great for a fast and cheap remedy to a cracked dash pad. The 70 style is the most difficult, as you need to cut alot of the stitching area out for a good tight fit. The caps work better if you appy them out of the car and have a second set of hands to help hold the cap to the dash while you wrap masking tape around it. Other than feel and a very close eye, most would never know the dash has a plastic cap.

Thanks! I think I will order one of those! I am quite sure that it will look alot better than my old, cracked dash-pad. I will keep you posted if I buy one. The job should be quite easy to do, thanks to the fact that I haven´t the windscreen in place.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 2452527602

SF wrote: I finally bought a new dash, and along with the install of adding the new Ralley Gages, I will be adding it this weekend. And that brings up a problem.

I need the VIN Rivets. Any clues?

I just saw an add on moparts.com, e-body parts 4 sale, a couple of days ago. Guy was asking $40.00/ pr. Galen Govier also sells them for $35.00/ pr. I will try to find his number later and post it.