I'm curious about whether I have a dash cap or it's the real dash. How can I tell?

If there are no cracks, splits, gaps or huge chunks missing, then there is a good possibility it's a cap.

Look around the edges, such as the opening of the glove box. You can see where a cap sits on top of the original dash.

Also, when you open the doors and can look at the side of the dashboard, you can see the edge of the cap. None of the caps cover the sides. They stop after about an inch or so. Steve is right, if it looks to be in good shape, the odds are its a cap.

carl

Hmmm...apparently it isn't a cap then. Guess I got lucky

Just look at the "eyebrows" of the center gauges. If they do NOT have crisp angled fronts and curves, chances are it's a cap, or it's been re-skinned.

FWIW

E

No shame in having a cap. Some fit quite well.

I think given the alternative of a cracked, split, faded dashboard, they can look really nice.

carl

It wouldn't bother me at all if it's a cap. Just curious because it seemed like a cap would be obvious. Would a pic help? Also...what is good for removing adhesive residue? Stuff looks bad in person and looks like rust in pics and I'd like to remove it. Kerosene?

I don't see any indications of that being a cap. Looks like a mighty nice dash you have there. Hope it stays that way.

As to adhesive removal, stick with Orange/citrus based products. Look for orange bottles with names using variations on "Goo" and "gone". Very effective, though slower, and no change of harming the plastics.

Thanks and thanks. In a car like mine I doubt the original dash will add to the value of the car but it's good to have my curiousity dealt with

Goo gone is easy to find but I'd love to have some kerosene too. I have a friend who had an 84AE that won many car show. He used kerosene. But judiciously of course.

To be clear many of the goo removal products have Xylene in them. You can buy a full quart of pure Xylene at home depot for less than a small bottle of the commercial citrus scented equivalent. Another cheap solvent is acetone. It's the active ingredient in nail polish remover but once again a quart of the pure stuff minus the perfume is a lot cheaper.

I agree that the dash looks original and not a cap. While I've never examined a cap closely I'd expect one to be made of relatively hard ABS whereas the original dash is really vinyl covered foam. I'd expect an original dash to have more "give" to it but don't blame me of you press on it with a finger and cause the first crack.

To be clear many of the goo removal products have Xylene in them. You can buy a full quart of pure Xylene at home depot for less than a small bottle of the commercial citrus scented equivalent. Another cheap solvent is acetone. It's the active ingredient in nail polish remover but once again a quart of the pure stuff minus the perfume is a lot cheaper.

I agree that the dash looks original and not a cap. While I've never examined a cap closely I'd expect one to be made of relatively hard ABS whereas the original dash is really vinyl covered foam. I'd expect an original dash to have more "give" to it but don't blame me of you press on it with a finger and cause the first crack.

I missed this post somehow. Thanks for the headsup on the Xylene and the dash. It definitely has give and no...I didn't crack it. It's actually not hard at all. I'd guess it was bought NOS to replace the original or it's just been very well cared for.

Any speculation on what it's worth?

I'm thinking of doing a turbo swap and this dash is expendable if I can buy a cracked dash and put a cap on it and the extra cash could come in handy.

L28et's might be cheap but the rest of the necessary stuff isn't