Dashboard Ideas!

[mikenicki]

I have a 68 F100 and I took out the original dash pad and i really don't want to put it back if I don't have to. Any ideas on what I can do that won't look like a hack did it?

[fordman]

some guys arent doing anything to replace thiers at all. others have welded up the holes for a permant solution. if the pad is in half decent shape it can be recovered. or you can buy used ones on ebay or new ones from the vendors. i heard jcwhitney was the best deal on price and quality of these pads. and experiment that i may try myself is to make one out of fiberglass and then put padding over it and then recover it. i dont want my old cracks showing through if i just had it recovered the way it is now.

[texrodder]

Like fordman said weld up the holes,Ive done a couple and seen many more, its not hard, the repainting of the dash it the hardest, but the results are worth it.here is a link to a magazine truck that has a smoothed dash,scroll down for it.
http://www.classictrucks.com/features/0 ... index.html

[SoCalExile]

Yeah I definitely prefer the bare look:





I can take better pics if you'd like.

[fordman]

socal how does that floor mat reach across the hump does it go all the way across to the doors or is it too short really?

[mikenicki]

Thanks for the ideas, I was kinda thinking about welding up the holes and painting the dash, but wasn't sure how it would look. The original pad wasn't bad, but I didn't know how to remove it and a few beers made me think I did and well it ended up in the trash can. .

[70_F100]

socal how does that floor mat reach across the hump does it go all the way across to the doors or is it too short really?

It looks like the original floor mat has been painted blue, along with the rest of the inside of the cab.

The "short" one looks like a universal mat.

[fordman]

the dash pad has 14 nuts that hold it to the dash. they do stick to the metal dash when tring to remove them and you have to be carefull if removing it.

[cdeal28078]

Another option that I used that I have not seen mentioned is a dash pad cover. You have to keep the original pad on the dash for it to work. I shaved down any cracks and RTV'd the cover onto my old pad. Looks almost original. You have to look to see the difference. Mine was around $89 about 10 years ago. They might come loose after a couple of years but they don't crack.
I have driven my truck so many years I would never like the looks without the dash pad on there.
That is me though
clint

[mikenicki]

I keep going back and fourth on what to do. If I cover the holes it will be a pain in the ass to ever put a pad back on, if I do put the pad on I may have wished I didn't.

[SoCalExile]

socal how does that floor mat reach across the hump does it go all the way across to the doors or is it too short really?

It looks like the original floor mat has been painted blue, along with the rest of the inside of the cab.

As far as dashpads go, either a PO did an awesome job of covering the holes or the dash in it didn't come with one. Was the dashpad an option or was it standard?

The "short" one looks like a universal mat.

It leaves about 1-2" on both sides. It is a genuinely blue mat, but I don't know where it came from. I pulled it out of the cab and leave it in the garage.

More pics:

[fordman]

i have a mat that looks just about the same size as that one. mine is a dirty clear color. it came out of a parts truck. i always though it was soem sort of car type of mat myself. or a low hump truck mat.

[cdeal28078]

That floor mat looks like one that was in a 66 LTD we had years ago. Isn't that the LTD symbol in the middle of it?

[SoCalExile]

That floor mat looks like one that was in a 66 LTD we had years ago. Isn't that the LTD symbol in the middle of it?

Funny you should mention that. It used to have armrests from an LTD and i suspect the engine/trans is too ('72 model year).

[fordamericana]

My dash pad on My 67' was so badly tore up and picked at I removed it, and used the vent grills out of it, cleaned and painted them black to match the interior color scheme I started. I them got some automotive carpet at wally world, and cut my own dash cover, and glued it down to the dash. (Got tired of it floating about the place with the heater on and the such) and then I put the vent grills over top of the openings (after having trimed the carpet material around the vent), and attached them with polished stainless screws and some beauty washers. If I had taken the time to finish the edge of the carpeting facing the vehicles passengers I am certain it would look much nicer. Maybe a revamp on the project is due... Might even get around to posting some pics on here and see what all everyone thinks about it...