Are all dash pads created equal?

[WranglerTJForum]

I need a new dash pad for my 73 K10.

I've been planning to order one from USA1 but I'm reading a lot online about how their wait times are absurdly long.

That got me thinking, are all reproduction dash pads the same? My gut tells me they're all made in one factory in China (or somewhere in Asia) and just marketed under different company names. However, I'm not sure how it works in the reproduction part industry.

Just wanted some feedback before I order a dash pad.

 

[legopnuematic]

No, not all aftermarket dashes are the same.

The two main types/material choices are urethane and vinyl. For OE styling.

Dashes Direct is a major supplier, made in the USA. They provide dash pads for many companies to sell. There are couple of smaller outfits that do their own like Cheyenne pickup parts. USA1’s source for dashes is unknown at this point.

The older urethane dashes lacked (from what I’ve been told) any steel under structure besides in mounting places. However I purchased a dashes direct urethane dash for my 79 from Jegs earlier in the year and it does have steel structure, so the process for the urethane must have been revised at some point.

@bluex and @TotalyHucked might be able to shed a little further light on the subject.

 

[TotalyHucked]

That is a common misconception with the automotive aftermarket, especially when talking about restoration parts, that they're all made in one factory and just distributed by several companies. While there are a small number of factories/places in the world that make each product, it is in fact more than one.

Spencer beat me to it, there's 2 different styles of dash pad repops for these trucks, Urethane (junk, usually) and Vinyl wrapped over a metal substructure. The urethane (in my experience) looks ok when you first put them in but they're very floppy and do not have the metal understructure that they should. I've installed both kinds and the Vinyl wins everyday. But as Spence also pointed out, apparently some have started having a structure added into them, this is a very recent change that I have not personally experienced yet. I'm wondering if that may only be for the '73-80 trucks cuz the urethane ones I've installed were all '81-up.

I work for AMD (Auto Metal Direct) and we carry the Dashes Direct dash pads. They're very nice and fit very well, I've installed a few myself. I also have talked to several people that actually dyed it straight out of the box before installation and it still fit just fine (I always test fit prior to dye just in case).

 

[bluex]

If you want one that fits an looks like factory then Cheyenne pickup parts or usa1 are the best ones out. Both are a long wait but that's the price if you want the best.

Alternatively find a upholstery guy that will recover your factory core. A little more expensive but not as long if a wait. That's what I did, maybe I'll actually get it put in sometime in the next 5 yrs

This is a 79 or 80 factory one recovered with some mods. I had the vin cutout deleted since my 78 has it by the striker.

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[WranglerTJForum]

That is a common misconception with the automotive aftermarket, especially when talking about restoration parts, that they're all made in one factory and just distributed by several companies. While there are a small number of factories/places in the world that make each product, it is in fact more than one.

Spencer beat me to it, there's 2 different styles of dash pad repops for these trucks, Urethane (junk, usually) and Vinyl wrapped over a metal substructure. The urethane (in my experience) looks ok when you first put them in but they're very floppy and do not have the metal understructure that they should. I've installed both kinds and the Vinyl wins everyday. But as Spence also pointed out, apparently some have started having a structure added into them, this is a very recent change that I have not personally experienced yet. I'm wondering if that may only be for the '73-80 trucks cuz the urethane ones I've installed were all '81-up.

I work for AMD (Auto Metal Direct) and we carry the Dashes Direct dash pads. They're very nice and fit very well, I've installed a few myself. I also have talked to several people that actually dyed it straight out of the box before installation and it still fit just fine (I always test fit prior to dye just in case).

By chance do you have a photo of one of the Dashes Direct dash pads on a C10 / K10? A Google search surprisingly doesn't bring up any good photos.

Also, thanks for clarifying. I wasn't sure how it worked with restoration parts. I know that generally speaking there usually are only a small number of factories in the world that build certain parts (i.e. automotive batteries) and they just sell them to other companies who then put their own brand label on them. Good to know about the restoration part industry.

 

[WranglerTJForum]

If you want one that fits an looks like factory then Cheyenne pickup parts or usa1 are the best ones out. Both are a long wait but that's the price if you want the best.

Alternatively find a upholstery guy that will recover your factory core. A little more expensive but not as long if a wait. That's what I did, maybe I'll actually get it put in sometime in the next 5 yrs

This is a 79 or 80 factory one recovered with some mods. I had the vin cutout deleted since my 78 has it by the striker.

You must be registered for see images attach

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That's a sharp looking dash pad to say the least! Is that vinyl or leather?

 

[Beast496]

Don’t use classic industries urethane. It looks good, and does have some steel where the clips lock into, but they pull away very easy and cause the pad to pull up. That’s what I’ve got. I’ve finally got it to stay put, but it took some epoxy, self tappers and a few cuss words that I’m positive I patented during the process. Go with vinyl over steel.

 

[bluex]

That's a sharp looking dash pad to say the least! Is that vinyl or leather?

Vinyl, leather is harder to stretch an glue on the curved portions. There would be more seams if it was leather.

 

[WranglerTJForum]

Don’t use classic industries urethane. It looks good, and does have some steel where the clips lock into, but they pull away very easy and cause the pad to pull up. That’s what I’ve got. I’ve finally got it to stay put, but it took some epoxy, self tappers and a few cuss words that I’m positive I patented during the process. Go with vinyl over steel.

That must be what is in the truck now. The dash pad is warped beyond belief. The rest of the truck looks great but someone clearly replaced the dash pad at some point with a cheap, urethane pad.

I'll go with vinyl. Upon further research it appears that USA1 uses Dashes Direct dash pads.

 

[WFarm]

This is a Dashes Direct vinyl over steel unit I installed last February in my 75 K5.

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[WranglerTJForum]

This is a Dashes Direct vinyl over steel unit I installed last February in my 75 K5.

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Thanks, that's what I was looking for. Looks factory to me!

 

[TotalyHucked]

By chance do you have a photo of one of the Dashes Direct dash pads on a C10 / K10? A Google search surprisingly doesn't bring up any good photos.

Also, thanks for clarifying. I wasn't sure how it worked with restoration parts. I know that generally speaking there usually are only a small number of factories in the world that build certain parts (i.e. automotive batteries) and they just sell them to other companies who then put their own brand label on them. Good to know about the restoration part industry.

This is one of the Dashes Direct in a NSRA giveaway truck. We work closely with Brian Harrison and he's one of them that pulled it out of the box, dyed it and stuck it in for this giveaway truck. Said it fit perfectly, just had to trim one small long piece to get the gauge bezel to go in. Wasn't even a spot where you'd ever see it had been trimmed. I told him "you're awful brave not test fitting it" haha. But I've talked to several people now that did the exact same thing and have had no backlash on the fit.

Harrison’s Rod and Custom Builds the Ultimate Giveaway Truck for the NSRA Street Rod Nationals

This 1977 Chevrolet C10 pickup was given away during the 2023 NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky.

inthegaragemedia.com

 

[TotalyHucked]

If you want one that fits an looks like factory then Cheyenne pickup parts or usa1 are the best ones out. Both are a long wait but that's the price if you want the best.

Alternatively find a upholstery guy that will recover your factory core. A little more expensive but not as long if a wait. That's what I did, maybe I'll actually get it put in sometime in the next 5 yrs

This is a 79 or 80 factory one recovered with some mods. I had the vin cutout deleted since my 78 has it by the striker.

You must be registered for see images attach

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By chance did Chuck do that for ya?

 

[waterpirate]

Do not buy lmc.
Eric

 

[Old Guy Bill]

The Dashes Direct urethane was fine for my old truck, it fit, wasn’t expensive, and Jeggs had it.
It's definitely not the quality of the vinyl but neither is my truck...

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