Dash-crash

[Chuxwagon]

Does anyone have a clue what is beneath the cracked, faded, funky, nappy dash pad on my '70 Waggie? Is it steel? Is it plastique? Is it airy spaces? I can't really tell by peering up under it, anybody out there know?
By the same token, anyone know who *might* make a replacement? Coverlay (the same folks that provide the replacement dashes sold in J.C.Whitless) did everything but snicker at me over the phone. You guys got any sources? Or should I just hope it's steel and cut off the offending cracked, dried, bootleg-lookin' nappiness and seek Jeep bliss without that beat-up vinyl?

[carrotman]

My 76 Chief has good old American steel under the padded dash. I didn't think the 70 had any pad over the dash.

[Chuxwagon]

Oh, it's there, it just wasn't built to survive the Carter years.

[illegalFSJ]

Yeah there's just solid steel under the "crash pad". The pad was part of a "safety package" from the mid or late 60's until it became standard in (I think) the early seventies.

[illegalFSJ]

I dunno about being built to last, though. The crash pad on my '72 was in beautiful and original condition when I had it up til 2 years ago. Maybe it just didn't get enough UV rays.

[Chuxwagon]

So does that mean I could chisel this thing out of my Jeep and just repaint the steel underneath and not look like a 'Joe Dirt' extra? Once was enough for me.

[joe]

Originally posted by Chuxwagon:
Oh, it's there, it just wasn't built to survive the Carter years.Must be a southern or previous owner thing...the pad in my 72 is perfect. They do though have a tendency to curl up at the pass side corner after some years.

[Chuxwagon]

They appear to do that QUITE well down here (although this particular specimen did a TDY in Montana). Case in point, my pass. side looks like some strange, cracked tostado... with cheese dip...

[Chuxwagon]

Well, add this to the list: 1970 dash pads are attached to the steel dash with a little adhesive around the weatherstrip and about six uphostery thingys (those spring loaded widgits we always tear in the door panels) other than that, the dash pad just lifts out. I think, dispite a little surface rust (to be fixed on the the next off day) I just increased my potential resale value. Thanks for the guidance, guys.