C1 Dash Pad

[Terry D.]

For those of you who have installed a C1 dash pad what is the best glue to use? Also in the Al Knoch dash pad video it shows them using a glue gun that looks like an old squirt oil can with a foam applicator at the end of the nozzle. Anyone ever seen these for sale or did they fabricate their own?

Thanks
Terry

[Christopher R.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

Two points WRT glue:

1. Use glue that you apply with a brush. You can control it better. Spray glue is hard to control. 3M spray glue will lift and crater lacquer.
2. You don't need to use much. The pad is held in well by the radio speaker bezel, the inserts, etc.

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

i bought the contact cement and its glue gun from al knock. if the glue gun isn't listed in al's catalog, give them a call and order it directly. i prefer the gun applicator to the paint brush method. mike

[Art B.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

After reading the above posts, I would agree with the use of contact cement. However, back in 1990, I put a new dash pad in my '61 using 3M spray glue. The article I followed was by Loren Lundberg in The Restorer. I was careful to make sure the pad was trimmed to the point it fit perfectly. I used very little glue. The job turned out well. It still looks good after 25 years.

[Frank D.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

The only place I used glue on my '61 was on the forward flap of the dash pad where it dips down in the windshield frame recess - that's it...
Brush on contact cement worked just fine...

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

All good info.

Terry, I think you told me last week this will be your first dashpad install, correct?

Here are a few pointers to go along with Lorens great article in the Restorer and the videos.

A few of the pains of these is the foam behind the instrument cluster and behind and around the dash insert. The most critical cut to make is around the brackets for the grab bar. Use extra caution there. I use a x-acto blade making "rounded" end cuts to reduce chances of tearing.

Here are some pics of one I did recently. I started it with the intentions of doing a tutorial but I had to stop as the pad had some color issues that jumped out at me when the light changed in the shop. Al Knoch and his son Elliot are recreating their Turquoise ABS and soft vinyl recipes as I write this, after I gave them original samples to work with a month ago at the Winter Regional.

You have to trim out the foam behind the cluster area for it to fit properly. Also trim out the edges of the foam along the entire front edge of the pad before you lay the flap over the windshield frame body channel. Use a heat gun to help bring the flap over to prep for the glue-up later. As recommended, a contact cement works well. I always use solvent to clean the flap before glue. Then I scuff up the vinyl flap to give it some teeth to help the cement adhere better.

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When I get the new pad in a few weeks I'll continue the installation tutorial.

Rich
p.s. I used the red cluster from a '61 i'm restoring as a test fitting aid. The turquoise cluster is in the paint department right now.

[Terry D.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

Thanks Richard, but one question, why is this cutting of foam not mentioned in the Al Knock video?
Terry

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

Thanks Richard, but one question, why is this cutting of foam not mentioned in the Al Knock video?
Terry

That's a good question Terry. Over the last few years I've done about 5 or 6 AK pads. Some of them came with a gray duct tape applied to the backside of the vinyl before the foam was applied to the back of the cluster area. Also some on the areas behind the dash insert.

Some come without that tape barrier. I must say, with the tape there it speeds up the installation dramatically as no major t******* is needed.

I'll have to ask Al & Elliot about that again. You know how it goes......when you get the pad in the box, you want to get it in thew car asap so more fun can continue.

Rich

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

If you haven't already purchased the pad, you might consider one from Corvette America. I've installed 2 of them recently and none required any foam removal. They actually fit better right out of the box than the other brands I've tried even after hours of work.

[Dan B.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

That's a good question Terry. Over the last few years I've done about 5 or 6 AK pads. Some of them came with a gray duct tape applied to the backside of the vinyl before the foam was applied to the back of the cluster area. Also some on the areas behind the dash insert.

Some come without that tape barrier. I must say, with the tape there it speeds up the installation dramatically as no major t******* is needed.

I'll have to ask Al & Elliot about that again. You know how it goes......when you get the pad in the box, you want to get it in thew car asap so more fun can continue.

Rich

Rich, I was under the impression that Al's dash pads were now being made with just a thin black foam rubber backing (as the old GM replacement ones were back in the 70's). Reason I mention this is when I examined some dash pads in Al Knock's booth at Carlisle, that's the way they looked. The sales guy claimed that is the way they are making them now, without all that useless foam. I wonder why they continue to show that if they are still making them the old way. Dan

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

If you haven't already purchased the pad, you might consider one from Corvette America. I've installed 2 of them recently and none required any foam removal. They actually fit better right out of the box than the other brands I've tried even after hours of work.

Jim, I have samples of their pad material and grain. The grain pattern is not as close a match to the original grain. IMO it is too "grainy" and too deep.

Rich, I was under the impression that Al's dash pads were now being made with just a thin black foam rubber backing (as the old GM replacement ones were back in the 70's). Reason I mention this is when I examined some dash pads in Al Knock's booth at Carlisle, that's the way they looked. The sales guy claimed that is the way they are making them now, without all that useless foam. I wonder why they continue to show that if they are still making them the old way. Dan

The last one I received was the one shown above with the foam. I was not aware of the backing change. I'll check with them to see if the new turquoise pad will be with the new method.

============

Terry, which pad are you using?

Rich

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

Jim, I have samples of their pad material and grain. The grain pattern is not as close a match to the original grain. IMO it is too "grainy" and too deep.
Rich

Have you compared it to an actual pad? I recently replaced an original pad on a 59 and it was a perfect match.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

Have you compared it to an actual pad? I recently replaced an original pad on a 59 and it was a perfect match.

I have a 1959 dashpad piece here, date Jan 3, 1959. It's the area under the left kick panel top edge. I got the CA samples in December. To me it's a noticeably different grain texture and depth. The AK grain is a perfect match as they have the original molds, and that according to Al Knoch. Maybe something has changed at CA since then, I'm unsure.

Rich

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[Roger W.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

I replaced the pad in my 59 many moons ago. It was a GM pad that I purchased from a Chevy dealer. The only color available was fawn. It had to be dyed to the color desired. I did not have to remove any foam.

[Jim D.]

Re: C1 Dash Pad

I hope CA has changed their pads since I installed one in my '61 6 years ago. It was tedious to deal with the issues on the piece. The curve around the dash insert was the wrong circumference and the pad had overall length issues. It looks OK after much tweaking to deal with those problems but not perfect. I will say that I removed NO foam from their pad and that part was a pleasant surprise....

You got yours from CA? You must have forgotten your previous post on the CF. -

"Its actually Romeo Engineering circa 2008 and it was a royal PITA to get installed. The curved portion around the dash insert is not correct and the part around the end caps were murder to deal with. However I trimmed almost NO foam off the rear of the pad which was nice."