SI 63 Lark dash covers

[Kurt]

The Avanti post got me to thinking. Has anyone ever ad experience with the Lark dash cover? I was thinking about purchasing the set.

[mbstude]

I bought one a couple of years ago. Easy, simple to install (I had the dash out) and the finish product turned out very, very nice.

I didn't buy the glove box cover as I had a NOS Vanity assembly.

[Kurt]

Thanks Matthew. I am toying with the idea of putting a 63 dash in my 66/looks like a 64 project. Nothing else on the car is original any more might as well do the dash also!!

[Bredehoft]

I. too, bought and installed one of these kits. I will say that I expected better, but the only issues I have with it are because of what it is - an ABS overlay. Every one of my issues is because it is just a little too big. It does look good, but I had problems with interference in the following areas: the glove box/vanity - with the matching vanity cover, there is very little room to open the vanity. The sides of the vanity cover rub on the sides of the dash cover. The ashtray is the same way, but there is no cover on the ashtray - it just rubs and really needs some sanding on the cover to get it to slide in and out. the trim in the radio area is now too long as it sticks out on the right side and interferes with the vanity cover. This almost needs a slot cut in the dash cover on the left side so this trim plate can slide into it and not stick out on the right. Either that or the trim strip needs to be cut or bent to stop the interference. Finally, be careful when you cut the dash cover for the speaker grille - I can see the cut edges on mine.

All of this is because of what it is a COVER not a replacement pad. And the fact that it iis ABS plastic, a little thicker than 1/16" (I'd guess about .100"). It is unavoidable - it is NOT a dash pad replacement, but is a cover and as such, is larger than the original.

As for finish, I like it. I wiped mine down and painted it semi-gloss black and if you don't know about the problems, it looks very good.

I am not trying to be negative about this product - it is much better than the baked and cracked dash I had. But don't think it will work for a restoration - it won't. But is wasn't meant for that.

Oh, it does NOT include a cover for the little pad on the extreme right of the dash (but I think they tell you that).

--george

[1935]

Does the SI dash cover go over the cracked and broken stock dash pad, or do you remove the stock one first?

Thanks, John

[mbstude]

It goes over the original cracked pad.

I started with a relatively decent original dash.

[1935]

Matt - Thanks for the quick response. Your dash looks great!
Unfortunately, mine looks like the surface of the moon. The car sat in an open-sided carport in Eastern Washington for 20 years. All the vinyl is dry and cracked.
I think if I attack the dash with a sander and a bucket of Bondo I can get it level enough to apply the dash cover.
John

[Jackson]

Try this thread on same topic.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?16050-Daytona-Dash-Pad&highlight=dash+cover

[StudeRich]

/Cut/Unfortunately, mine looks like the surface of the moon. The car sat in an open-sided carport in Eastern Washington for 20 years. All the vinyl is dry and cracked.John

John; it sounds like you got one of the nice '63's from the 285 car collection at the McDonald Apple Orchard Auction in Donald, WA 6/24/2001 right?

There were four '63 Wagonaire's and my son got one of them, and between the three of us, we got 5 nice rust-free Studes.

[stratovue]

We are out of the 1963 Lark dash caps and at this time there are no plans to make more. The price of the part keeps going up, the time needed to trim the parts is about an hour each, and the reviews on the product are mixed (as you have read). I am currently having a mold made for 1961-62 padded dash covers (original type, not dash caps), and if successful may eventually remake the 1963 padded dash covers. However, the 1963 construction is complicated, has metal inserts and the project will be costly. No promises that it will ever happen.

Ed Reynolds
Studebaker International

[BRUCESTUDE]

How about '64 dash covers? I know a few folks that can use one!

[StudeRich]

A custom fit "Dash Mat" is about the only fix for now, there never have been any "Covers" or new pads but there "were" a few NOS, but a bit distorted '64 Pads at SASCO, there may still be a few left at S.I.

[laughinlark]

I think Ed's post helped me decide to put a flawless Black 66 dash into my 63 Lark.

Gordon

[StudeRich]

Go for it Gordon! The '65 & '66 Dash Pads were made by a different vendor than the '63-'64, I am pretty sure in Canada, anyway the fake leather grain on the Vinyl is coarser than '64 and holds up to the shrinking and splitting caused by too much Sun or heat WAY better, and the '66 has no trim panel on the ends.

It bolts right in, with the only difference being the Speedometer moving from the Right to Center dash cluster location. I checked the Speedo. Cable length, they are both the SAME!

[StudeMichael]

There is always "Just Dashes" but be prepared to pay $850.00