poorly fitting dash cover

[BadDog]

Has anyone else gotten a full-face dash cover from MSA that doesn't fit? I finally rec'd mine this past Friday after waiting for weeks while it was back-ordered, and it's not even close to fitting correctly!

I was trying to test-fit it, and removed my steering wheel and hazard pull knob (which I think I've broken now ) along with the defroster panel. I put the center of the cap in place, it fits over the 3 small guages in the middle, around the heater panel OK, barely over the tach, almost fits over the speedo, but is off about 1/4" for the left air vent, and then I look over to the right and the cutout for the glove box button is off, it doesn't fit right around the glove box, and the right air vent is off by about 1/4" or more.... ARGH!

Just thought I'd "vent" until I can call them to complain...

[Zvoiture]

I bought the full cover from VB and had some of the same issues. It fits really well under that Japanese Ninja-weapon thingy the defrost blows through, and it fits pretty well down the heater and radio columns, but is almost a 1/4 off at the edges, near the dash dimmer and opposite. Also doesn't go all the way down into the gauges.

I THINK it is because of swelling of the old dash in the sun. The numerous cracks are visibly raised and need to be ground off.

I have never attempted to cut the dash down and I have never glued mine on. It fits really snug and when you screw that Ninja thing down, it's not going anywhere. My original plan was for a hot day, parked in the sun, windows up...get that thing good and hot and see if it would 'mold' a little better. Doesn't work. The dash cover is too good of material. So for now, mine just sits on the dash. It fits well enough that nobody notices it--even Z people. Run into someone who has fought a dash cover, though, and they see it immediately! It is definitely not a concours fit, but it looks 5 billion times better than the original.

steve77

[BadDog]

Yeah, this one seems like it's just too "narrow" for the dash. I also thought about it pssibly needing a strech, but that plastic's too rigid to stretch much at all. Where it doesn't fit, it's because the holes don't line up, like my whole dash is slightly wider than the dash cover.

[2ManyZs]

Now you have me wondering about the cover I have sitting in a box in the garage, never put it in the car since I took the car apart right after I bought it. :eek:

Guess I'm going to have to take it out and check mine to see how bad it fits.:tapemouth

[BadDog]

I'm just hoping I have a bad one. If they try to give that "they all do that" crap or something like "your dash is swolen" I think I'll go ballistic ....

[Phred]

I was just about to order one. Does anyone know if all the dash covers are made by the same parent company, and then simply labled with different retailers names? Or does one brand fit better than another? I'm aware of MSA & VB, but I also picked up a business card at the Portland Roadster Show from a place called - Dash-Caps in Paradise, Ca. (www.dashcaps.com) The sales person said they only offered half caps for the 240's because they had problems getting the full cover to fit properly. But also said if enough interest was shown, they would likly work toward making the full cover again. Preferably one that fits.

I would like to ask all who have bought dash covers, to reply with place of purchase and quality of fit. Then we could offer a knowledgeable recomendation to those in need. Thanks.

Phred

71' 240 Vintage Racer/restoration in progress

[Zvoiture]

I don't want to scare anyone away from buying the full dash cap. That was not my intention. It looks wonderful. Fits very well. There are just a couple places where it is a bit snug. That is all. And I think these areas could be solved by some judicial shaving of the swollen cracks. It will improve you car 100% and looks a hell opf a lot better than those carpet things.

steve77

[BadDog]

I think it says in the directions now to shave down the cracks and fill them with silicone....

Anyway, I was finally able to call MSA last night and they've got it figured out. Since my car is 4/73 production, it probably has a '72 dash. The CS manager knew what the problem was as soon as he heard that I had a '73 and the dash cap seemed to be overall a little small. They're supposed to call me back today with an RA number, and ship me a '72 cap ASAP.

Who knows, it might've helped to avoid this problem if they had my production date on file, but I didn't have it handy when they asked for it when I called for my catalog back in March... and I guess it's good that it's MSA, where most of the staff seem to have first-hand Z knowledge (unlike VB). If they didn't have a clue as to the problem, I probably would've ended up getting one of those (IMHO) ugly carpety-type dash protectors....

So, I'm hopeful now that this will work out. I'm just kinda bummed that I may have broken my hazard switch pull-knob in the process

[EScanlon]

The 70 and early 71 dashes were one style, and could be discerned from the others by the LACK of an indent to the left of the Hazard Switch. Also, typically, the hole ABOVE the Hazard Switch may or may not be open to accept a Fog Lamp Switch, although some people would install lighters there and not in the fuse / ashtray cover in the center console.

The Late 71 and 72 dashes were another style, this one DID have the indent to the left of the Hazard Switch for placing a label / decal that denoted the operation of the Hazard switch.

Sometime in late 72 or early 73, I'm not sure, and since my car is a 71 haven't researched, there was a Manufacturer change. Technically the parts were supposed to be identical, but they are not as witnessed by these posts.

Hope this helps other people.

[z_pyro]

i have a 240 made in 1/71, and the previous owner put a pushbutton start in that indentation above the hazard switch.

[Sean240Z]

BadDog,

Sorry for resurecting an old thread, but.....

I was wondering if the '72 Dash Cover from MSA fit better than the '73 one you originally ordered? I've got the exact same issue ("but is off about 1/4" for the left air vent") with the full cap I just received for my '73 240Z (build date 6/73). I wanted your feedback before I return my full dash cap.

Cheers,

[BadDog]

I can't recall if it fit any better or any worse or just as bad, but it still didn't fit :-\ I ended up shipping it back, getting credit from MSA, and using that for a half-dash cover and some other stuff. The half-dash cover worked out pretty well. It (unintentionally) fools a lot of people into thinking I have a new dash until they take a good, hard look. I tend not to notice it myself really anymore....

-Ken P.