Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: timewarp]
#986341
05/08/11 07:21 PM
05/08/11 07:21 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 287 Massachussetts
RCKTMN
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Thanks for this write-up. I'm going to be needing a dashpad, because one of my projects came without one. Glad to hear about this supplier. Also, I know that I will be buying one set of door panels once I am certain that fronts and rears are available. I will buy a second if convertible rears are ever done. Paul
1970 Barracuda Convertible 1970 Newport Convertible 1970 Satellite Convertible 1974 'Cuda shell - '71 conversion 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass w/455 2003 RAM3500 CTD 2007 Magnum SRT-8 1968 Dart GT Convertible (My Wife's Baby)
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: RCKTMN]
#986342
05/09/11 12:30 PM
05/09/11 12:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 247 I DA HOE
3406pac
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Thanks for the review. I have been waiting on this info for some time, but the question still remains. Does it get any better than this? Or do we just have to settle for $600 of resemblance? The area around the script looks way off, is it not possible to reproduce? I assume it may get better in the future but is the consensus of the experts, that this is the best dash supplier? After all if you spend $75 k on a resto and go thru the trouble of paint dabs and stencils on hoses, is it ok to have the dash just ok? Thanks
AAR cuda
71 rag challenger
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: timewarp]
#986343
05/09/11 01:00 PM
05/09/11 01:00 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550 Sacramento CA
Morty426
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Thanks for posting! I just wonder WHY the vendors can't get the pads EXACTLY like OEM, the shape, creases, grain, script, Vin tag and script depression, etc. Sounds like a job for Super MIKE ROSS or Super DAVE WALDEN! They are CAN DO guys and wouldn't bring it to market unless it was correct.
Because majority of the people settle for "90%" correct reproduction stuff.What incentive does it give these manufactures to produce 100% correct stuff when the general public will buy whatever is available right or wrong.And when vendors do produce a nice piece and have to price accordingly becuase of cost of "correct" production,nobody buys.Example only 50-55 sets of Cuda front door panels sold?? Glad I'm not holding the bill on that one.
Well there are two problems there - economy and no rears.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: rayztoy]
#986344
05/09/11 01:29 PM
05/09/11 01:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,141 East Aurora (Buffalo) NY
RoadRunner
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There is some truth to the "settle" factor. Most of us are hobbiest and would spend $400-$600 on a dash pad. I am not sure too many would spend $1500-$2000. Even if it were 100% dead nuts on correct. For most of our cars, these pads work out well.
I think you could sell quite a few correct pads at the same price as these, but there are major challenges. You have to remember that when Chyrsler had these pads made for them, they did hundreds of thousands of pads. Their suppliers in turn could source the millions of square feet of the grained vinyl material. They could afford tooling to apply the foam to the frame and the vinyl to the foam. And amoritize the tooling over may different pads and years. Then, all of this was done 40 years ago. Companies and people come and go. Knowledge and technologies change. Environmental regulations may make some methods of production non-feasible. All of this adds up to not being able to economically have 100% OEM reporductions.
68 Road Runner (383/4speed, post car w/decor pkg) - Major Project 69 Road Runner w/472 Hemi & 4 speed. 70 Challenger R/T SE EF8 w/ V9J, U - A32 - Major Project 2023 Ford Mach 1
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: cataclysm80]
#986346
06/15/11 01:38 PM
06/15/11 01:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 247 I DA HOE
3406pac
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Any new reviews, comments or installation problems? thanks
AAR cuda
71 rag challenger
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 3406pac]
#986347
06/15/11 02:07 PM
06/15/11 02:07 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 396 BC
70RT27N
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Any new reviews, comments or installation problems? thanks
My Challenger dash is being shipped this week, so hopefully I can comment in the near future.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 70RT27N]
#986348
06/15/11 04:17 PM
06/15/11 04:17 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550 Sacramento CA
Morty426
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Any new reviews, comments or installation problems? thanks
My Challenger dash is being shipped this week, so hopefully I can comment in the near future.
Let us know how that comes out
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 440forPOWER]
#986350
07/07/11 11:00 PM
07/07/11 11:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 396 BC
70RT27N
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Any news on the challenger pad?
I have to cross the boarder next week to pick it up.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 70RT27N]
#986351
07/07/11 11:37 PM
07/07/11 11:37 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 18,582 Rust Belt, SW PA
Silver70
I Live Here
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I think the one I installed in a challger was an Ultimate Rides and I wasn't impressed. My challenger will get a cap. Like mentioned above, had troule with the trim fitting and I used repop a-pillar covers which were terrible too. The lower dash side area on the ds was the worst area on the ur one.
68 Road Runner, 69 Belvedere, 71 Challenger Vert 340 barracuda, 01 Ram CTD, 95 Ram, 04 Ram, 85 Daytona turbo Z 66 GTO, 06 Magnum RT AWD. 07 Ram CTD, 07 Ram
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: burdar]
#986352
07/09/11 10:07 PM
07/09/11 10:07 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,196 Harrisburg, Pa.
screamindriver
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That's exactly what my pad looked like when I got it back from UR. It looks like the same company to me.
I don't want to ...But I saw a UR barracuda pad at carlisle today and it has the exact same imperfection at the script as Ricomondo's pad...Something's not right here...
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spamtank
[Re: 70RT27N]
#986354
09/14/11 08:23 PM
09/14/11 08:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2 New Hampshire
spamtank
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Any news on the challenger pad?
I have to cross the boarder next week to pick it up.
I'm following this thread with interest. Hope your dash pad worked out okay. Any updates?
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: screamindriver]
#986355
09/14/11 11:05 PM
09/14/11 11:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,169 Richmond, VA
rayztoy
super stock
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Joined: Jul 2005
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I don't want to ...But I saw a UR barracuda pad at carlisle today and it has the exact same imperfection at the script as Ricomondo's pad...Something's not right here...
I agree with Colin...
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: rayztoy]
#986356
09/15/11 01:27 PM
09/15/11 01:27 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,706 Nebraska
70VcodeCoronetRT
top fuel
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I received my Carolina pad a few weeks ago for my 70 challenger. At first I was very pleased. It looked great. Then after starting to reassemble my fuzzy feeling went away. The top contour of the dash is off. What I mean is the 2 outer speakers of the 3 speaker dash don't sit flush against the dash pad. There is a slight gap since the curve of the speaker grill doesn't match the curve of the dash pad. I could go on and on about the fit of the AC vents, the gap on the RH side of the pad. And the VIN pad not even close to the factory holes. But I just get more upset. Oh yeah no $195 core charge returned yet either.
Last edited by 470bee; 09/15/11 01:29 PM.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: timewarp]
#986357
09/15/11 01:57 PM
09/15/11 01:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,624 Fort Worth, Texas
xs29j8
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Example only 50-55 sets of Cuda front door panels sold?? Glad I'm not holding the bill on that one.
Hopefully that will change when the matching rears become available.
Tav
I hope so to Tav.If not it might discourage them from going forward with the Challenger panels and other manufactures and vendors from bringing new parts to the market.
I believe it will, I would order a set of white panels for my `Cuda 440-6 today if a full matching set was available. I got tired of constantly re-dying panels, so I started just running black panels in the `Cuda... Seat backs are not as critical, but the side-by-side front/rear interior panels gotta match.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 70VcodeCoronetRT]
#986358
09/15/11 06:19 PM
09/15/11 06:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,169 Richmond, VA
rayztoy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jul 2005
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Richmond, VA
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Quote:
I received my Carolina pad a few weeks ago for my 70 challenger. At first I was very pleased. It looked great. Then after starting to reassemble my fuzzy feeling went away. The top contour of the dash is off. What I mean is the 2 outer speakers of the 3 speaker dash don't sit flush against the dash pad. There is a slight gap since the curve of the speaker grill doesn't match the curve of the dash pad. I could go on and on about the fit of the AC vents, the gap on the RH side of the pad. And the VIN pad not even close to the factory holes. But I just get more upset. Oh yeah no $195 core charge returned yet either.
I'm liking my Just Dashes pad better everyday, and its price justified.
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Re: spamtank
[Re: spamtank]
#986359
09/16/11 09:11 PM
09/16/11 09:11 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 396 BC
70RT27N
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Any news on the challenger pad?
I have to cross the boarder next week to pick it up.
I'm following this thread with interest. Hope your dash pad worked out okay. Any updates?
Sorry for the delay in this response, but I am just getting back to this part of the project.
I am going to start by quoting member '470bee' who said this a little earlier in this thread:
"At first I was very pleased. It looked great. Then after starting to reassemble my fuzzy feeling went away"
At first, I was interested in the appearance of the grain, stitching, script and overall appearance. I've attached a photo that shows some of these things. Initial impression was pretty good.
Then I got into attempting to fit some of the speakers and grill.
My car has a 3 speaker non A\C dash.
The dash frame I got was a single speaker A\C dash.
The A\C vents on my new dash frame are not really a concern, because they were covered up easily.
But the outboard speaker holes that were obviously cut open by a true craftsman, leave MUCH to be desired (I'll have to get into this later).
I thought I would be finished with the dash swap by now, but I now realize that I have just started...I hope to have more tomorrow.
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Re: Review and pix of '70 'Cuda Carolina SuperDash dashpad
[Re: 70VcodeCoronetRT]
#986360
09/22/11 12:34 PM
09/22/11 12:34 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,165 Florida
cataclysm80
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Quote:
What I mean is the 2 outer speakers of the 3 speaker dash don't sit flush against the dash pad. There is a slight gap since the curve of the speaker grill doesn't match the curve of the dash pad.
Of coarse I can't see yours specifically to see how bad it is, but as far as I know, this isn't unusual. First of all, make sure you have the correct speaker grills. The 70 Challenger "J" grills are unique. 70-74 barracuda & 71-74 challenger "B" grills are the same. I imagine you have the correct grills, but I had to mention it just in case. The new dash foam is different from the old foam. The old foam would expand and contract at a different speed than the vinyl covering, which is why the dash cracks after the vinyl gets brittle. I suggest tightening the grills down as much as you can without stripping any threads. Over time, with heat cycles from parking in the sun with the windows up, the new foam should give way a little to the constant pressure of the tight grill, and the grill may settle down a bit. After a whole summer of driving, you might find that you can tighten them a bit more. This was the case with my 70 'Cuda Just Dashes pad several years ago. I've seen several junkyard E bodies where the dash grills didn't fit perfect, and they didn't appear to have been messed with since the factory installed them (until I took them apart). Some are better than others, and they've had 40 years of heat cycles for the foam to adjust. Another option is to carve out some of that foam from the side of the speaker opening to get the contour you need, just be carefull.
The other things you mention are deffinately legitimate complaints.
Tav
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