1970 Camaro OER dash pad with a big bulge

[80WA7113]

Once bench assembled like you did, are you then able to install assembled as one large piece?
Or did you assemble out of car to ensure the puzzle pieces fit together, and then broke it down and installed piece by piece?

Yeas and no. You can leave to RH lower dash in place but you must remove the LH lower dash because it installs under the steering column. Once you've gotten everything dialed in on the bench, reassembly and alignment of the lower LH side of the dash is a snap.

 

[unrestored72Z]

Yeas and no. You can leave to RH lower dash in place but you must remove the LH lower dash because it installs under the steering column. Once you've gotten everything dialed in on the bench, reassembly and alignment of the lower LH side of the dash is a snap.

If installing in 1 piece sans lower left, is it difficult to attach gauges to power?
Or it's the better method even if that diffulty is added; due to no chance of breaking bezel tabs?

 

[80WA7113]

If installing in 1 piece sans lower left, is it difficult to attach gauges to power?
Or it's the better method even if that diffulty is added; due to no chance of breaking bezel tabs?

Maybe I didn't fully or clearly understand your question. By installing in one piece, did you mean with the gauges and bezel also installed?

If so, I would definitely recommend installing the gauges and bezel after the dash is installed. I think it would be near impossible to plug your cluster in by installing the dash with the gauges installed. There's just not any room to groove up there once everything is in.

 

[unrestored72Z]

Maybe I didn't fully or clearly understand your question. By installing in one piece, did you mean with the gauges and bezel also installed?

If so, I would definitely recommend installing the gauges and bezel after the dash is installed. I think it would be near impossible to plug your cluster in by installing the dash with the gauges installed. There's just not any room to groove up there once everything is in.

Thanks...added clarification helped.

 

[grzewnicki]

I have same bulge in my OER (installed 2012), dang I wish NPD had their dash out then. Like Krabben I had to V notch the sheetmetal in my dash by VIN to get the OER one in (WTF? who checks the fit on these). Also had to fab extra hold down tab by VIN. Then finessing the lower dash sections took making a few brackets up to pull and prod the OER into the right shape, plus shaving bits and pieces off of it to get LH vent outlet to fit. I probably had 20 hours in, put it in, take it out, put it in take it out. Hopefully your shop can knock it out in 6 hours. If your running a good shop your gonna have people good at coming up with any necessary solutions and doing them quickly.