vintage dashes 280z

[72ZDave]

Only communicated through Facebook messenger with me, but I was able to meet them at their facility before I purchased to see what they had. Not the most convenient, but it worked.

[Dave WM]

I used the phone, but yea facebook is best method. Agreed a website would be nice.

[wheee!]

I fought the Book of Faces for years and eventually crumbled due in part to this dash. I had to connect through face book to get mine ordered. I still only use the app for Datsun stuff.

[52crankman]

Can someone please provide a phone number and address for Vintage Dashes?  Am planning a trip to CA and want to stop in.

[theguppies]

On 12/19/2019 at 10:07 AM, S30Driver said:

Does anyone have the contact phone number for Vintage Dash?  Could not find it online.   Need to source one for a friend with a 75 280z.

Hello, you can reach me at 4086035922   

1 minute ago, 52crankman said:

Can someone please provide a phone number and address for Vintage Dashes?  Am planning a trip to CA and want to stop in.

Hello, number provided above. We are not there all the time. We would appreciate if you let us know which day you plan on stopping by so we can be there. 

[S30Driver]

Thank you, will forward your number to Joyce, the owner of the 75 280z.  I gave her your email address, she may have already contacted you thru that.

[Dave WM]

Finally getting around to installing the new dash.

Removal went easy, the cluster of connectors on the pass side and a few singles on the driver side. those on the driver side were removed while the dash was being pulled off, the cluster were undone before the removal process. I also removed the steering wheel all the plastic parts, and the turn signal/combo switch just leaving the bare steering shaft and the ign cylinder. That had those silly tamper proof bolts that I did not want to fuss with. removed the console finisher and the floor console of course.

I removed the gauges tack and speedo, the vents the hoses. it was a good time to tidy up the connections as they were quite loose due to the loss of the foam that surrounds the hard plastic junctions. I wrapped some electrical tape around the plastic junction ends to increase the OD so the hoses would fit nice and tight. After I sorted the HVAC I moved on to the actual dash install. some observations:

On mine the hard point above the cig lighter was misaligned, I ended up drilling my own hole for that sheet metal screw. Careful so as not to punch thru the das pad.

carefully cut out the hole for the cig lighter and the two holes for the dimmer pot and trip meter setting. The instrument cluster fit well for the speedo and the tach, the other gauges required a lot of finesse to make sure they were set in enough to make sure there were no gaps around the bezel. It seems to me this could be a bit deeper to allow for a less precise fit being required. I ended up adding some foam tape the backs of the straps that hold the gauges in place, as is the were just a bit too far forward for the straps to hold them tight up to the dash. A good bump and I suspect they could jar loose leaving a gap from the bezel to the dash. Not a show stopper just something to make sure you have secure so it does not happen.

Everything installed I moved on to the glove box. this is something that should be addressed. The flap of material around the opening is too thick. On my OE dash the flap of material is JUST the plastic covering. On the V dash its got about 3/32 of foam under the dash material That is just enough to keep the small screws that go around the perimeter from engaging the clip on retainers that fit on the metal dash. I ended up digging out the foam with a small screw driver to thin this out. I should have done this before starting the process with the dash off the metal frame. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.... just look at your OE dash and make sure the glove box area is the same.

Overall the fit and finish are very good. I presume as good as the OE but for the glove box mentioned and the cig lighter metal hard point being misaligned. I caught the cig lighter and corrected before installing the dash. I thought I could get away with the glove box, but ended up fixing that after all was installed.

I have the dash mostly back installed, just have to go around and tighten up the 10mm bolts around the edges, it was a bit of a struggle, my wife helped with the wires on the driver side, after a failed 1st try, we got it. Had to get the dash close enough to connect the wires and still install with out tugging it loose.

Another warning you maybe tempted to remove the mount that fits under the AC control panel, it was in the way making things hard. I removed it but failed to consider how I would struggle with reinstalling it after the dash was in. the very control panel that I was trying to avoid made it very hard to get the mount back installed.

I am making some videos, not so much of the process as that would be nearly impossible to do by myself, but stages of completion will post up later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave WM]

got it in and started the car, checked out all the functions  electrically (lights/radio/instrument/signals/buzzer) have to button up a few things, install the steering wheel and pray the speedo works, what PITA that was.... you need raccoon hands to get up in there and attach that.

[Dave WM]

Done, I am attaching the last video, see parts 1-8 if you are interested in some of the details

 

[theguppies]

Wow! I love that video. Thank you for doing it Dave! soon everyone will be experts at installing dashes. 

[Dave WM]

Glad you liked it. It would be helpful for sure to have a couple helpers with lifting it and getting into position.

someone posted on my youtube that getting the speedo hooked up is easier if you leave the tach out until the dash is in place. I presume installing the tach after the dash is in is not a problem. I did not do it that way but would be something to look into.

[S30Driver]

23 minutes ago, Dave WM said:

 

someone posted on my youtube that getting the speedo hooked up is easier if you leave the tach out until the dash is in place. I presume installing the tach after the dash is in is not a problem. I did not do it that way but would be something to look into.

That was me Dave......  The only time you can't do it is with a dash cap installed which prevents the instruments from coming out towards you.  with the vintage dash, this is not a problem.