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Mexican dash pad didn't work for me!
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72VWSB
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:38 pm    Post subject: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Bought the Mexican dash pad for my 72 vw Super beetle. Well, I tried to install it today with no luck! The two bolts fit but the trimming that was required just to get it to fit on top was terrible! Also, these dash pads, you have to cut all your own holes. Now, if you have a Super Beetle like I do, there are 3 upper vent cuts, two front vent cuts and five switch holes. (And none of these are marked) (I figured I'd mount the dash and mark the holes through the hood area but never got that far) You also have to cut out the glove box area. Now, I imagine I could eventually get this pad to fit but gave up after I ALSO noticed that the bolts were too short so the spacers would not fit. I measured my old dash bolts and they were 30mm. The bolts on the new one was 20mm. And, to top it off, the nuts you took off wouldn't fit the bolts on the new dash...they are a tad larger. So, I'm out the money I paid for this dash...I ordered a new one with all the holes cut out from WCM... Sometimes and far too often, I tend to waste money trying to save money!

I might add that this Mexican dash pad might work much easier in other standard bugs but not so much in mine! Too many cuts to make and poor fitting...
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Wow!
I thank you profusely for that report- saves me buying one myself and finding this out. I did wonder whether those front vents were already cut or not- they are not if I am reading your post correctly, which means one of these WOULD theoretically work on my 69 (without those front vents.) But if it's that bad I'd be tempted to just stay away. Plus it sounds like my main other issue- that of the glove box door fitting correctly-- would also be an issue with this one. Rolling Eyes
Can you post a pic of the pad ?
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72VWSB
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 8:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

sb001 wrote:
Wow!
I thank you profusely for that report- saves me buying one myself and finding this out. I did wonder whether those front vents were already cut or not- they are not if I am reading your post correctly, which means one of these WOULD theoretically work on my 69 (without those front vents.) But if it's that bad I'd be tempted to just stay away. Plus it sounds like my main other issue- that of the glove box door fitting correctly-- would also be an issue with this one. Rolling Eyes
Can you post a pic of the pad ?


I'll get a pic posted tomorrow...
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:52 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Replacing the padded dash on a 72 super is a real pain in the ass, i just put one from WCM on mine with the help of a friend, it's got to be one of the worst jobs on a bug [for me]. took two days. it does look good when complete.
I also added a leather wheel skin to cover the crack's in the steering wheel, that helped a lot.
Just glad it's over. Wink
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72VWSB
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 7:05 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

lboos wrote:
Replacing the padded dash on a 72 super is a real pain in the ass, i just put one from WCM on mine with the help of a friend, it's got to be one of the worst jobs on a bug [for me]. took two days. it does look good when complete.
I also added a leather wheel skin to cover the crack's in the steering wheel, that helped a lot.
Just glad it's over. Wink
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lboos,
Did you have any difficulty getting the glove box to work right? I seem to have read someone really struggling with the glove box. Any words of wisdom in the install except patience? Ha! I see you have a cigarette lighter in your 72 SB, I don't have one in mine and mine was a A/C car...
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 8:47 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

dart451 wrote:
lboos,
Did you have any difficulty getting the glove box to work right? I seem to have read someone really struggling with the glove box. Any words of wisdom in the install except patience? Ha! I see you have a cigarette lighter in your 72 SB, I don't have one in mine and mine was a A/C car...


I believe this might be the thread you are referring to:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

OP had tons of trouble getting the glove box to fit right (second page of the thread.)
This video he posted talks about the trouble with the glove box (about 40 seconds in):


Link


I guess there are just never going to be any good repro dash pads anymore. It's a lost cause.
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72VWSB
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:03 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

I want to also say that Antonio, the person that sells the Mexican dash pads is a upstanding gentleman! I have been conversing with the man about this problem and he is very prompt with his dialog! I just want to make it known to all my fellow Super Beetle owners that this dash might not be for you! Mexico never did make a Super Beetle model so there certainly might be some changes that took place with the two models... Don't take this Thread as a bash for the Mexican made dash pads! It was not my intent. I have read several threads here how well this pad fits the Standard models so we know it DOES fit the Standards...
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:08 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

sb001 wrote:
dart451 wrote:
lboos,
Did you have any difficulty getting the glove box to work right? I seem to have read someone really struggling with the glove box. Any words of wisdom in the install except patience? Ha! I see you have a cigarette lighter in your 72 SB, I don't have one in mine and mine was a A/C car...


I believe this might be the thread you are referring to:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

OP had tons of trouble getting the glove box to fit right (second page of the thread.)
This video he posted talks about the trouble with the glove box (about 40 seconds in):


Link


I guess there are just never going to be any good repro dash pads anymore. It's a lost cause.


You know, I saw this whole video myself! And yes, he had difficulty with the glove box. However, one thing I noticed when I was trying to fit the Mexican dash pad is this. On the new dash pad where it meets around the glove box opening, there is a bit of foam on the inside inside edge! Now, if I look at my old dash I took out, there is NO FOAM on the outside edge at all! So, I might be wrong here but perhaps this is the reason the glove box does not fit properly! I will look at the WCM dash pad and see if it also have foam on the inside of the glove box opening...perhaps it need to be shaved off for a proper fit but I will research it when it arrives...
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:20 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

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I posted pics of the new dash next to the old dash. I also posted two pics of the glove box area, new and old. As you can see there is no foam on the inside of the old dash's glovebox cutout. On the new one there is almost 1/4" foam on the inside of the opening! Could this be the glove box fitting culprit??
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:24 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

dart451 wrote:
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I posted pics of the new dash next to the old dash. I also posted two pics of the glove box area, new and old. As you can see there is no foam on the inside of the old dash's glovebox cutout. On the new one there is almost 1/4" foam on the inside of the opening! Could this be the glove box fitting culprit??


WOW look at the difference in the glove box door opening!!! Shocked
The new one in your photo is the new Mexican VW dash pad correct? (NOT the WCM pad?)
I'm not sure there's any way to remedy that except to just cut the opening larger. Confused
You might be correct that part of the issue is the extra foam padding on the new dash, but I don't think it's the only issue. It simply looks like the opening is just not large enough.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:31 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

I wasn't quite done with trimming the inside opening of the glove box area. I had already cut some out of it but it needed more trimming.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:06 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Mine is a pretty std dashpad, I think I bought it from Jbugs a couple of years ago. All openings were there, other than for the radio (and 'grab handle').
I worked on it for about three weeks, off and on, to get it to fit properly! A real PITA! Especially without warm temps to soften the pad - hair dryer only does so much! I could have picked a better season for installation!

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Fitted the pad, prior to installation, multiple times to trim the openings correctly. Once installed at the top, I could not pull it down enough to make the attachments at the bottom. I had to get help to shove the fan switch bezel into place and get it secured. Terribly tight fit.
I began on driver's side and worked across the dash to the right. And slowly pulled the dash downward and into place, as I went. I was finally able to get the bottom attached, and then fought with the glovebox for a couple of days before I conquered it. It took a bit of strategically placed contact cement with clamping (in several places!) before I could get the glovebox door to open and close.
A couple of decades ago, the nice dashpads were of quality fit, and installed easily. Seems like that applies to most VW repros anymore,...
Best of luck with your installations, everybody!
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 11:41 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

I never really seriously considered running my dash bare metal, but now I think it might be a viable alternative, even with the additional cost of the modified vent covers, knobs, etc.
This is ridiculous.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

[quote="dart451"]
lboos wrote:
Replacing the padded dash on a 72 super is a real pain in the ass, i just put one from WCM on mine with the help of a friend, it's got to be one of the worst jobs on a bug [for me]. took two days. it does look good when complete.
I also added a leather wheel skin to cover the crack's in the steering wheel, that helped a lot.
Just glad it's over. Wink

lboos,
Did you have any difficulty getting the glove box to work right? I seem to have read someone really struggling with the glove box. Any words of wisdom in the install except patience? Ha! I see you have a cigarette lighter in your 72 SB, I don't have one in mine and mine was a A/C car...


Yes i did have a problem with the glove box fit, we used a elect. heater and some contact glue [fast drying] we both pulled and held and had to do some more cutting, the door does not fit as good as it did, but good enough for me.
Putting the plastic vents back on was also a prob. under the hood, i gave up on a few and just blocked them off, they never worked that well anyway, and i'm a fair weather bug driver. Wink
The job is a hard one, but it makes a big diff. when done. don't give up.
Best of luck.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Now we all know why I just glued a strip of real VW carpeting to cover the cracked top of my dashboard !!!
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 5:11 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

dart451 wrote:
[

lboos,
Did you have any difficulty getting the glove box to work right? I seem to have read someone really struggling with the glove box. Any words of wisdom in the install except patience? Ha! I see you have a cigarette lighter in your 72 SB, I don't have one in mine and mine was a A/C car...


One more thing on the glove box door, not only is it hard to fit the new dash, but the door hinges on the "car" will run you crazy if you don't pay attention when you removed the glove box door. i had to get under the hood with a mirror to locate the very small hinges [female] to connect the glove box door hinges to the car.
Don't let all this talk about how hard of a job it is stop you, if someone else did it , so can you, just takes time, having a friend help is a must. good luck. Wink
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 5:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Well, I got my new dash from WCM and it looks really good! Also, look at the second pic...the inside of the glove box door opening has no 1/4" of foam around it like the Mexican dash had. This one looks much closer to the old original dash! Wish me luck guys/gals

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:41 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Previous owner of my car removed the dashpad, but did not stop there. They added bondo, and installed metal pieces to cover the vent holes and stuff. They painted the dash to match the car color. Two holes in the dash (I am installing an oil pressure gauge, and cylinder head temp gauge). Since I am repainting the car and changing the color I was toying with the idea of putting a dashpad back on it, but after seeing the trouble people are having with the install, and all the bondo I will have to chisel/grind off to get back down to metal, I might just leave it. Bought the car off ebay, photos showed the dashpad missing, but there wasn't enough detail to show they had sculpted the dash with bondo.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:08 am    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

bomberbob wrote:
Previous owner of my car removed the dashpad, but did not stop there. They added bondo, and installed metal pieces to cover the vent holes and stuff. They painted the dash to match the car color. Two holes in the dash (I am installing an oil pressure gauge, and cylinder head temp gauge). Since I am repainting the car and changing the color I was toying with the idea of putting a dashpad back on it, but after seeing the trouble people are having with the install, and all the bondo I will have to chisel/grind off to get back down to metal, I might just leave it. Bought the car off ebay, photos showed the dashpad missing, but there wasn't enough detail to show they had sculpted the dash with bondo.


If I had a metal dash instead of the padded, I'd be most happy! Unless of course the job done on the metal one was less than desirable! I've always liked the metal dashes...
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Mexican dash pad didn't work for me! Reply with quote

Well, I have tentatively installed the new dash from WCM and it fits surprisingly well! I might have to drill one new hole on the bottom right but it seems most of the screws are lined up! I haven't attempted the glove box area yet, that will come a little later!
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