I've got a nice dash cluster in my '69, but the two tabs that hold the steering column cover are broken off. I've got the original cover plate and would like to re-install it.

I've tried to make new tabs from sheet plastic, but have not had any luck getting the tabs to attach to the dash cluster.

Has anyone else found a way to fix this problem? I've seen many many dash clusters with these tabs broken off.

Thanks in advance.... :beers:

Steve, plastic welding isn't working for you?

I have got to try the plastic welding, JB weld works too.

I made 2 thin metal brackets. I mounted them to the metal part of the lower dash. Then drill holes to match the plastic cover. If I remember correctly I also had to twist them 90 degrees to match the contour of the plastic cover. I drilled bigger holes in the bracket and used the metal clips over the holes.

I've never tried plastic welding. How do you do that? I assume there is a kit?

I have been fixing ABS (fexible plastic like astrovent tubes, kickpanels, RS water shields) using a soldering iron. I use a regular tip to melt and smear the backsides of a crack (or seam) to bind it, then get some excess material from a similar type plastic part and use it as a filling rod while melting into the smeared crack area. Then I have a flat heat plate from a vinyl repair kit (like a soldering iron) and use that to remelt and smooth the repaired area. I was amazed on how well this worked. My cowl astrovents had long cracks and a little time and technique fixed them. Then I shot them with some satin fusion and they look and function great.

Now the dash is hard plastic, not sure if the same trick can be used. I have to do some tests with some broken peices. :)

You can find various plastic repair kits here at Eastwood.
http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=plastic+welding&p=Q&ts=custom

I've got the Airless plastic welding kit model 6. I am getting pretty good at it now. At first I was trying to weld both sides of the repair which left a rough finish which needed to be sanded quite a bit to get it smooth and if the finished side is textured it's pretty much impossible to duplicate. Now I just tack (heat until the two pieces melt together) the two cracked pieces together enough to just hold them temporarily and then I melt a deep "V" groove in the back and then fill in the created channel with the repair rod. I then smooth it out with the larger flat head attachment and finally melt in a piece of the fine screen (strengthens) to finish the repair. I had to cut my reproduction pillar posts in half and take out a good quarter of an inch of material. I used the plastic welder to fuse it back together and then used a little JB weld to fill in the imperfections, sanded, and then painted the whole piece. It came out quite good.