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T34 Repro dash pads
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ALLWAGONS
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:52 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Racoguy,

I have a spare top and bottom dash, maybe we can trade for something cool.

Martin
allwagons
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racoguy
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:43 am    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Hey Martin, thanks for the offer.
Always willing to look at that, are yours OG ones?
Maybe shoot me a pm when you get a chance.
John
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racoguy
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:48 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Curiosity got the better of me this morning and I decided to fit the top pad to see how it looks, if nothing else to at least give my opinion on the fit.
DO NOT BUY them, the fit is not acceptable.

Looks ok ish when looking down from the top but looking straight at the dash there's huge gaps between the metal dash and the pad.
Corners where it meets the pillars is also not right, very unhappy.

Maybe I'm too fussy or people just don't care about this type of detail but I won't be using them, lets the whole interior down if you know what you're looking at.
Would have been soo easy to just spend a little more time getting it right.
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Erik G
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:20 am    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

can they be fixed, or is it too far gone to consider? Pics?
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racoguy
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:33 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Erik G wrote:
can they be fixed, or is it too far gone to consider? Pics?


Shouldn't have to fix $400 worth of new dash pads, you can't do anything
with them without taking the outer covering off which will destroy them.
The shape is wrong unfortunately. The top pad I made years ago from scratch fits 1000x
better.
When I vacuum formed mine the glue I used was wrong so it bubbled in the sun.
In just wanting to get to the end I decided it quicker just to buy some and install
them.......wrong.
Yet again I'm back to fixing what I already have.

I'll get some pics next week once I've calmed down. Just super sick of wasting good
money on this car.
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OKType3Tim Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:18 am    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

I purchased last summer and just got around to trying to install last week. The top pad didn't have the correct tip profile to clear the roof pillars. I had to modify it to get any use. Supposedly, there is a version 2 that addresses the issue.

Bottom pad: mounting studs come nowhere near to matching the dash holes. So, I'm using my original bottom pad.
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Last edited by OKType3Tim on Wed Apr 25, 2018 1:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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racoguy
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:28 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Well Tim I have version 2 which still doesn't have the correct shape.
The fit on your RH pillar is nowhere close to what it should be. This being my point I was trying to make, you buy these parts and then spend a huge amount of time trying to make them fit. Hugely disappointing.
Here's version 2 top pad fit. Better but still no good, check the gap to the dash vent as well.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Compare that to these next 2 images which are of the top pad I made completely from scratch originally and am now in the process of re wrapping with vinyl.
My original vaccum forming did not stand up to the NZ sun so I will just wrap with ordinary vinyl this time and see.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Lower pad also no good, as mentioned the relief for the steering colum is too tight, had to use longer bolts just to hold it up meaning it now sat lower than before. Not acceptable.
There's a 10 mm gap to the metal dash, that's black cloth tape hiding it a little.
I've now removed that also and I'm making a new lower one as well.
And so it goes on and on and on and on. More money down the drain


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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OKType3Tim Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:56 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

Yes, I was/am agreeing.
The tops are supposed to be notched. I hadnt seen version 2; so that's extra disappointing that it still isnt designed correctly.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 3:50 pm    Post subject: Re: T34 Repro dash pads Reply with quote

When these were announced last summer, I waited a bit to see if any words of discouragement showed up. None did in a short amount of time, so I ordered a set of LHD pads. It wasn't until several days ago that I was able to try to install them. As mentioned above it turns out that I have a "Version 1" set. And there is now a "Version 2" available.

The version 1 lower pad turned out to be a compete waste, and my money was refunded for that pad. The mounting studs don't match the dash holes. And the curvature of the pad is wrong. I started from the right side of the car, and was able to fit the first (right most) stud in; convince the next stud to go in; crammed the 3rd stud by creating massive deformation in the pad; and at this point the other end of the pad was sticking out the drivers window. "literally".

So, on to the top pad. I have a top pad that the previous restorer covered in something that would have been appropriate for your living room easy chair. Sort of a heavy, very thick Naugahyde type material. Stripping it off, I have a fairly decent pad except that one tip has been damaged by the previous work.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The good tip looks like this:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


From the previous posts you can see that the reproduction top pad doesn't have the correct tip profile. Making a template from my original pad, the tip should look like this:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Peeling back the covering from the bottom of the reproduction pad reveals that it is made from some type of fiberglass material. Note the black line where I have traced my template onto that substrate:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That shows just how much the tip design is off. Very carefully using a dremel tool I was able to cut away the substrate, revealing the hollow construction:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Using some heat to stretch the padding and covering material, along with some adhesive, I was able to reattach the covering material.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Unfortunately, the accuracy/quality-control of the mounting studs was still an issue. Yes, I do have it installed, it is better than what I had, I still wish it was better.
Left tip not bad:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Right tip not so good:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


In addition, two of the four mounting studs broke loose when I started to snug them down. SO...I suppose it will be a matter of destroying the unit if I ever pull it out.
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