Dash Completed!

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Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
862
Reaction score
11
Location
San Diego, CA
My Car
1971 Mustang Grande
She is named Victoria and sports a 302 with a C4.
My son and I finished reinstalling the last of the dash pieces today. I took all the plastic panels off, scuffed, primered, an resprayed them semi gloss black to include the center piece around the radio bezel. While I had the dash apart I took out the instrument cluster and tore it apart, cleaned it and put back together while installing led lights and removing the bulbs. As usual I forgot to disconnect the battery, so I blew a couple fuses when disconnecting the radio and horn, so I will have to replace them soon for everything to work correctly again. I got rid of my fast and furious style steering wheel and refinished my old wooden grant by sanding and priming the wood and painting it semi gloss to match the dash, then I steel wooled the chrome to give it a machined look. All in all I think it turned out great! Here are before and after pictures. Not a bad fix for about $20!

image.jpg


Here is the instrument cluster in the dark, the picture doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea right...

image.jpg

 
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Looks nice, I just went with a white dash (everyone thinks I may have a problem with sun light reflecting off of it).

 
Here was the dash before this latest update.

image.jpg



Looks nice, I just went with a white dash (everyone thinks I may have a problem with sun light reflecting off of it).
I would be interested to see how that turned out, my dash parts were silver before, but I got over the two tone dash a while ago. Black all the way, now all that's left is carpet upholstery and headliner and the interior is done!

 
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Here was the dash before this latest update.



Looks nice, I just went with a white dash (everyone thinks I may have a problem with sun light reflecting off of it).
I would be interested to see how that turned out, my dash parts were silver before, but I got over the two tone dash a while ago. Black all the way, now all that's left is carpet upholstery and headliner and the interior is done!

Sound system next with 6.5 in the door and double din navigation radio.

20140816_093550.jpeg

 
Last edited by a moderator:
My son and I finished reinstalling the last of the dash pieces today. I took all the plastic panels off, scuffed, primered, an resprayed them semi gloss black to include the center piece around the radio bezel. While I had the dash apart I took out the instrument cluster and tore it apart, cleaned it and put back together while installing led lights and removing the bulbs. As usual I forgot to disconnect the battery, so I blew a couple fuses when disconnecting the radio and horn, so I will have to replace them soon for everything to work correctly again. I got rid of my fast and furious style steering wheel and refinished my old wooden grant by sanding and priming the wood and painting it semi gloss to match the dash, then I steel wooled the chrome to give it a machined look. All in all I think it turned out great! Here are before and after pictures. Not a bad fix for about $20!


Here is the instrument cluster in the dark, the picture doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea right...
Very nice! Can't wait to see it next month!

 
My son and I finished reinstalling the last of the dash pieces today. I took all the plastic panels off, scuffed, primered, an resprayed them semi gloss black to include the center piece around the radio bezel. While I had the dash apart I took out the instrument cluster and tore it apart, cleaned it and put back together while installing led lights and removing the bulbs. As usual I forgot to disconnect the battery, so I blew a couple fuses when disconnecting the radio and horn, so I will have to replace them soon for everything to work correctly again. I got rid of my fast and furious style steering wheel and refinished my old wooden grant by sanding and priming the wood and painting it semi gloss to match the dash, then I steel wooled the chrome to give it a machined look. All in all I think it turned out great! Here are before and after pictures. Not a bad fix for about $20!


Here is the instrument cluster in the dark, the picture doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea right...
Very nice! Can't wait to see it next month!
Thanks, I am looking forward to it!

 
71_resurrection,

Your dash is looking really good. A known solution to the dim lighting in the speed-o-meter pod is to remove the 3 , 10890, Mask - Instrument cluster, and repaint the old white areas with a brighter white paint. I have done this in several mustangs and it makes a different.

2vchpi8.jpg


Source: Ford Master Parts Catalog, Copyright: 1975

mustang7173 :D

 
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Thanks for the advice mustang7173, next time I have it all apart I will definitely do that to help out the distribution of the led lighting. I got my wife's fancy camera out today and pulled the Mustang out of the garage for a bit to clean her and took some better pictures of how my dash turned out.

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Your dash is really looking good. I do like the three spoke steering wheels. I see that you have an aftermarket console. How do you like it? Would you recommend it? I have a full console, but I want some cup holders and I can't use the one that goes in the ashtray, the shifter would always be in the way. Thanks...

 
The center console is ok, doesn't look very mustangish, but it serves its purpose. I wish I could spend the time to alter a factory console the way I want it with a couple of cupholders in the place of the useless ashtray. But for now, the one I have works. Not a bad replacement, but a little pricey, I think it was about 180 like 12 years ago, it has held up though.

 
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