Just dashes

polarus

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Just received my 72 Polara dash pad, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 6, it lacks the definition of the original and the number of speaker holes is different. Hard to tell from the photo's but the original pad has a step up that runs along the top, the new dash is more of a slope. Hemmings 005.jpgHemmings 007.jpgHemmings 003.jpgHemmings 004.jpg

Hemmings 005.jpg


Hemmings 007.jpg


Hemmings 003.jpg


Hemmings 004.jpg
 
How was the quality, fit and alignment?
A 6?
Looks like I'd be thrilled with it unless I was going to have the car judged.
But then again, for that kind of dough maybe it should be show quality.
 
I'll be working on it this weekend, I'll have an update.
 
I agree, all the contours on mine seamed a little soft. I opted not to have the speaker holes put in mine as I do not have a speaker.

It is better than what I had, not as good as it could be. No real options here.


Alan
 
Just received my 72 Polara dash pad, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 6, it lacks the definition of the original and the number of speaker holes is different. Hard to tell from the photo's but the original pad has a step up that runs along the top, the new dash is more of a slope.View attachment 60990View attachment 60991View attachment 60992View attachment 60993

You're right. You should have just run the cracked blue one. :thatswck:

Truth is, without the original molds available, it is impossible to find someone that can reproduce these dash pads exactly like the originals. They redid my pad as well and it does lack a crisp edge along the front. That didn't stop me from winning the 300 and 300 Letter Car Class at the Mopar Spring Fling; arguably the largest Mopar show on the West Coast. No one will ever know except you. Given the options available, that's good enough for me.
 
I would say be happy......

It looks A LOT better than the old one.
 
If you drove around with your eyes closed the blue one would have been good.
If I just kept my eye's closed I wouldn't need to restore the car at all, that's great advice. Just wish you came up with it sooner! lmao.
 
rexus31, I guess you're right it's just one piece in a big puzzle. I just wish that it was a little nicer for the time and money.
 
Without doing some really expensive tooling that would drive the price sky high, that is as good as you will get.

I'm sure the way they make these is in a mold made directly from a good dash pad. Remember the Michael Keaton movie "Multiplicity"? The copies are never as good as the original. It will loose the crisp lines and fine details.

It really comes down to there isn't much out there in repop land that's as good as the original.
 
Like I said before, Bob Baker is in the middle of efforts to repop that dashpad. He already has the 1971 pad available and is working on the 72 - 73 one now (very similar except for raised portion on right side). I gave him an excellent original one of those to copy and he is in the process. It would sell for half the price of the Just Dashes redo that you have, and be very good. His 71 pad is about as good as anyone could expect - I installed one already and it looks very nice. Few could tell it from original and it satisfies me, and I am particular. I have never seen a Just Dashes pad that I would accept. Unless the one I wanted could not be found in nice original condition or nothing at all was available and the original one had a lot of cracks.
Steve
 
Without doing some really expensive tooling that would drive the price sky high, that is as good as you will get.

I'm sure the way they make these is in a mold made directly from a good dash pad. Remember the Michael Keaton movie "Multiplicity"? The copies are never as good as the original. It will loose the crisp lines and fine details.

It really comes down to there isn't much out there in repop land that's as good as the original.

Actually no molds are made, they start with grinding down the cracks and most of the original vinyl, they then fill the cracks and sculpt the contours into the foam , they add a layer of thin foam (assuming they sanded enough of the old foam down). Once the shaping is all done they then vacuum form the vinyl over the pad and work it with a heat gun.

The problem happens when they lay the thin foam down, if they could just stick to sculpting the foam it might be better. I'm guessing they have a problem where the new meets the old.


Alan
 
I would like to see an apples to apples comparison with any other company before condemning Just Dashes. They did a very nice job on the pad for my 68 Monaco 500. Is it identical to the original? Of course not but it is very close and nicely done.
 
Actually no molds are made, they start with grinding down the cracks and most of the original vinyl, they then fill the cracks and sculpt the contours into the foam , they add a layer of thin foam (assuming they sanded enough of the old foam down). Once the shaping is all done they then vacuum form the vinyl over the pad and work it with a heat gun.

The problem happens when they lay the thin foam down, if they could just stick to sculpting the foam it might be better. I'm guessing they have a problem where the new meets the old.


Alan

Interesting.

I assumed they were just using the frame and adding a new molded cover.

That makes some sense to why it looks like it does.

I once was in a factory that made the foam for the factory dash padding. I saw how they made the foam and molded it into large blocks. The person that I was dealing with didn't really understand their own process very well and could not even begin to explain what the process was after leaving their plant. Interesting place... kinda nasty too.... I remember carrying hundred pound and fifty pound weights (I was checking a scale) down a long narrow hallway that I couldn't get a cart or dolly down....
 
By the way, Bob's supplier makes a complete mold using a perfect original dashpad - he also uses an original metal frame and that is why he needs your core. And he reports he isn't selling many. I guess people would rather spend $1500 for a Just Dashes blurred original redo, rather than $800 for a near perfect original molded one. Go figure?
 
Basically we are stuck between a rock and a hard-place.

If this was a Hemi car and I had more money than brains I'd just buy some low mile survivor and take the pad.

It isn't and i don't.


I could keep waiting till someone is ready to do it right but I'd rather not.


Alan
 
By the way, Bob's supplier makes a complete mold using a perfect original dashpad - he also uses an original metal frame and that is why he needs your core. And he reports he isn't selling many. I guess people would rather spend $1500 for a Just Dashes blurred original redo, rather than $800 for a near perfect original molded one. Go figure?

I was at Carlisle and intended to buy one. The one he had for me had a minor defect. He offered to take money off but I wanted it right.

Nice looking pads. Best alternative there is
 
I'm interested in the new dash pad, I e-mailed him a couple of times but never heard back, I'll try again. I have three or four good cores if he needs them.
 
By the way, Bob's supplier makes a complete mold using a perfect original dashpad - he also uses an original metal frame and that is why he needs your core. And he reports he isn't selling many. I guess people would rather spend $1500 for a Just Dashes blurred original redo, rather than $800 for a near perfect original molded one. Go figure?

Well, he did chose a niche market...sadly there is not a lot of big dollar C body restos being done. Also, marketing is key. I've heard of Just Dashes, but not this Bob you mention. Is he in Hemmings etc?
 
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