Hey guys, has anyone out there ever replaced the dash top that the vin # slot in it in a 68 camaro before and if so, could you guide me through the process.Pictures would be a bonus.Thanks,,,,,,Camaro BOB

I did the upper dash on my '69 basket case. I've got some pics at www.craig-on.com (http://www.craig-on.com) . They're on the "Older Pages" part of my Project page.

I'm a big time armature, so take any of my advice with a big "grain of salt". That said, here is some of the steps I encountered.

I cut the old dash out with an air sheet metal saw, Kett electric sheers, and tin snips. On the front of the dash(the part you see from the interior), I made sure to cut the old dash out under the dash pad area to ensure my work would be hidden.

On my car, the cowl metal under the flange of the upper dash that the wind shield rests on was toast. I had to patch that area with sheet metal strips (butt welded) before reinstalling the dash. I used plenty of 3M weld through primer all over the place and coated top and bottom of patch metal with a product called Zero Rust(POR 15 type stuff). Regarding the flange on the old dash under the windshield, mine was so far gone it pretty much pulled right off, and I ground down the few intact areas that needed the spot welds drilled out. If the rust had not been so bad, I would have drill out all the spot welds on the flange to remove the dash.

Once I removed the rotted old dash I made a template from the old piece by taping paper to it in the front (interior side) and tracing the cut (with a razor knife) so the paper assumed the same shape of the cut edge. I then took that paper off and taped it to the new panel in the same place and position and marked the new panel with a marker using the paper as a guide. I used this marker line to trim the new panel for a good butt weld seam.

I installed the panel by butt welding the front and plug welded the flange to simulate the original spot welds. Used plenty of Vise Grip weld clamps to hold things in place.



[This message has been edited by craigon (edited 10-28-2001).]

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[This message has been edited by craigon (edited 10-28-2001).]