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Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:24 pm

i am going to remove the dash pad on my 71 vert i have an older ashtray but was wondering if the glovebox door is the same as the older ones ? i want it to look like the older bugs before the ugly dash pad

Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:52 pm

Thought about doing the same with my 72 vert but what about the large holes that it will leave for the defroster vents? Also there are holes that the dash pad attaches as well. If you do this post picks please. Would like to see how you deal with these problems. Thanks

Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:58 pm

i my self am doing this in my 69 as soon as i get my glove box door in, i have an ash tray on the way for a pre-67, it fits nice if you dont have the dash pad. i already have pre-67 dash grills fit like factory 69's as long as you dont have the dash pad in, now i have the nice chrome molding that i will in the future continue to get the rest of the pieces to have the molding all the way across dash just to to add a nice simple look.

clean and simple goes a long way.....

pic so far

oh the holes in the dash are plugged with 3/4" crome cap plugs found at any local hardware store.

Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:16 pm

i was thinking of fulling in the holes for the dash pad before the body goes in for paint and i will have to figure out something for the defrost vents . i also would like to add the chrome trim .

Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:06 pm

Just cut the vents down and sand them smooth.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:02 pm

Ok so I ordered a new glove box door I have an pre 69 ashtray I think all I need is the chrome and grills from a pre 69 also and after I full the pad mounting holes and paint I think it should look great. I also am turning my seats to lowbacks ! I. Hope it comes out as good as I think it will

Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:27 pm

I ripped off the pad on my '70, a steel dash is the only way to go!
Holes? Cut a filler sheetmetal piece and weld it in.
In regards to the door question, if you want, I can post a pic tomorrow of how a earlier door fits compared to the later one. I got a spare from a '65 out in the shed.

Dan

Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:53 am

The glove box doors are much smaller on a late car to clear the padding - you are looking at maybe 3/16" difference all around. Most folks just keep the smaller door, but I hate the big gap. Now, it should be as simple at getting and older door and just bolting it in....But Noooooooo....

The hinges are VERY different. I am doing this on my 69, but have not firmed up which way I am doing it yet (modifying/fabbing new hinges, Using early hinges and modifying dash or using late inside portion of door on the early door.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:14 pm

Here's some pics.
The yellow dash and the door with the lock and sticker are from my '70, the green dash is a '65, and the other glove box door is from a '64.

Notice the length and height differences, and the back of the doors shape and depth;

The door openings;

65 dash, 65 grill

65 dash, 70 grill

70 dash, 65 grill

Actually, the 65 grill and door fit pretty good in the 70 dash, but the opening has to be modified on the top to allow the door to close.

AND NO! I didn't open up the radio hole in the dash with channel locks, some previous IDIOT that owned the car did that "fer his steery-o" :x

Dan

Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:53 pm

WOW Those pics are great ! I can't wait to finish it now . The only thing that I almost forgot was what about the grab handle ? Will an older one fit ? It looks like it might be in a differnt spot .

Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:27 pm

I don't know about the grab handle. The mounts are on a different angled section of the dash.

It's probably just the plastic pieces that slip over the ends of the handle are different.

Oh, BTW, I read somewhere that if you use Ghia dash knobs, they don't stick out as far as the original ones. (Ghia dashes aren't padded where the knobs are).

Dan

Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:45 pm

This is the reason why I am going to cut my dash out and put a dash from an early 60's in instead.

Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:41 pm

I checked the other spare dash I have, it's a '67, and it has the handle still on it. The early handle is about 2 inches shorter in length than the late one, and the shape is slightly different.

I'm going to cut out mine and put in one of the early ones, too. I'm thinking of just making the whole car resemble a '67, I've got most of the parts anyway.

Dan

Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:25 am

I think the euro model bugs didn't come with a the dash pad or the high back seats so if there is a place to get the euro parts like dash vents it would prob be real simple to get the look

Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:07 am

exactly

dont know if euro bugs ever had dashpads, the 1200s didnt till the very end atleast
aussie bugs never got them till 73
so all the fatchicks prior had dashs like this