Installing dash pad question

[cmayna]

The bottom edge of the dash pad has a small lip. Does the dash pieces (bezel, AC vent cover plate, thingy on RH side) squish against this lip holding it against the dash or do they push up against the lip.

I ask for none of these pieces seem to have a recess along their upper edges to compensate for the thickness of the pad material. If infact they do squish or press against the bottom lip then none of them will be flush against the dash itself. The top edge will be tilted forward toward the cabin.

 

[1497]

Squish against the lip, holding it against the dash. I trimmed the dash pad quite a bit to get everything to get somewhat close. All of my dash trim fit is a compromise. I have pieces tilting out at the top as you said and even have the center piece shimmed with a little foam so it lines up with the adjacent piece and won't rattle. As much as we complain about the fit and finish of some reproduction parts, the 67 68 dash pad has got to be the biggest failure. If you are using an original pad, disregard my rant.

 

[cmayna]

Wow, wish I had reduced the thickness of this lip before I installed the upper edge of the pad.

 

[sigtauenus]

Craig, all my dash pieces need to come back off and be trimmed and re-aligned. The dash pad on the far right needs to be trimmed so that a/c vent fits right against the trim over the glove box, the piece over the glove box is pushed down against the metal dash contour just below it unevenly, the instrument cluster is about 1/32 or so too close to the a/c vent in the middle so that doesn't sit down flush, so that right side of the cluster bezel needs filed down or I need to trim the dash pad on the far right side to move the entire cluster slightly leftward.

I know these things were just thrown together at the factory and my standards are probably way too high for how this was originally designed and assembled, but its really amazing how poorly some of this stuff fits.