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Anyone ever remove the padding from their dashpad? I know i've seen this done before but I cant find any pictures of it.

Anyone ever remove the padding from their dashpad? I know i've seen this done before but I cant find any pictures of it.
bear76 did it, I believe. Maybe try a search under his name?

wow that was fast, yup bear76 is the guy i was thinking of. Here's the thread:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197821

wow that was fast, yup bear76 is the guy i was thinking of. Here's the thread:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197821

I'm still trying to find out if it's steel or aluminum. I'm assuming steel. I'd like to get one and weld up the holes, grind it smooth, and start from scratch.

I'm still trying to find out if it's steel or aluminum. I'm assuming steel. I'd like to get one and weld up the holes, grind it smooth, and start from scratch.
That would be pretty trick...I`m not too sure what it is:confused:

I'd almost bet it's steel. thin gauge i guess ..??

I'd almost bet it's steel. thin gauge i guess ..??

If it was thin enough, it probably would be pretty easy to replicate from scratch with some time and the right hand tools. It'd be a good introduction to metalworking, for sure. :wink1:

It'd be nice to make some without all the holes. Some folks would probably like an all-metal dash painted to match the rest of the interior, or one bedlined.

Again...A/C vents and round holes for gauges would be optional.

:thinking:

If it was thin enough, it probably would be pretty easy to replicate from scratch with some time and the right hand tools. It'd be a good introduction to metalworking, for sure. :wink1:

It'd be nice to make some without all the holes. Some folks would probably like an all-metal dash painted to match the rest of the interior, or one bedlined.

Again...A/C vents and round holes for gauges would be optional.

:thinking:
but if you have an all metal dash i think it would hurt when something doesn't go right and you have to relieve some stress by punching something :D

I'm still trying to find out if it's steel or aluminum. I'm assuming steel. I'd like to get one and weld up the holes, grind it smooth, and start from scratch.
Well I pulled off the vinyl padding off my dash today. My dash doesn't have nearly as many holes as bear's did. I'll post a pic later tonight

Alright here's what my dash looked like after i pulled off the vinyl and the foam padding:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r120/muddermilitia/Dash%20Mods/DSCF0994.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r120/muddermilitia/Dash%20Mods/DSCF0995.jpg
I started striping it down with an abrasive pad on a die grinder. I gotta search for my wire wheel, I can't find it right now. But that would be much better for cleaning this up. Plans are to weld shut the few holes that it has, cut and rivet a panel to fit over the pass side where the a/c vent holes are, and reinforce some it. Then paint it and add a few custom touches.

It's steel, but very thin guage. The corner where the upper right side of the guage panel would mount is very weak and every time i picked this up, it would try and fold down at that spot

Alright here's what my dash looked like after i pulled off the vinyl and the foam padding:

I started striping it down with an abrasive pad on a die grinder. I gotta search for my wire wheel, I can't find it right now. But that would be much better for cleaning this up. Plans are to weld shut the few holes that it has, cut and rivet a panel to fit over the pass side where the a/c vent holes are, and reinforce some it. Then paint it and add a few custom touches.

It's steel, but very thin guage. The corner where the upper right side of the guage panel would mount is very weak and every time i picked this up, it would try and fold down at that spot

Interesting...

I can't tell by the angle of the pics...is yours a pre-1980 dash pad?

I'm pretty sure its original to the truck, so that would make it an 89

I'm pretty sure its original to the truck, so that would make it an 89

Reason I ask is, it looks like the "visor" that hangs over the gauges isn't straight across, more like it has two angles in it that would match the shape of the instrument panel faces.

From what I understood, the post-1980 trucks all had a visor that was straight across.

Reason I ask is, it looks like the "visor" that hangs over the gauges isn't straight across, more like it has two angles in it that would match the shape of the instrument panel faces.

From what I understood, the post-1980 trucks all had a visor that was straight across.
Well now ya got me wondering, I can't remember if it was angled or not. I'll see it this weekend and compare it to some other dashes. If it is an earlier dash, that would make sense because awhile back I tried to install a CUCV guage trim to go with the military theme of the truck and it wasnt fitting too good.

Well now ya got me wondering, I can't remember if it was angled or not. I'll see it this weekend and compare it to some other dashes. If it is an earlier dash, that would make sense because awhile back I tried to install a CUCV guage trim to go with the military theme of the truck and it wasnt fitting too good.

Hmm...sounds like it could've been swapped. Funny thing is, I only recently became aware of the difference between the two, so of course I want the other one (always wanting what I don't have :() :doah:...

well i checked it out today and its definitly an earlier dash. The area above the gauges is angled and not flat across.

well i checked it out today and its definitly an earlier dash. The area above the gauges is angled and not flat across.

Ok... I don't know if you were in my other thread or not, but I found that dash pad with no A/C vents, but also without the trim, so it's just smooth across.

http://www.dashtops.com/dashboard/buydash.cfm/5480

That's pretty cool, but too much money for me. Especially for a trail rig.

That's pretty cool, but too much money for me. Especially for a trail rig.

Yeah, well I found out it was just a slip-on cover anyway... :doah: :(