Rallye dash and door panels

[plumkrzy3]

I went back thru the archives to try and find an answer to my dash question, but thought I would just go ahead and ask, my search also prompted me to ask the door panel question. 

Ok, on the rallye dash, I know there were at least 2 different versions, 8 grand tach and 7 grand tach, but apparently there was also a difference in where the reset knobs were for the clock and odometer, can you tell me what years these differences were?

On the door panels, from what I can read, all of the reproduction ones are not worth the money they are charging for them, is that the general feeling I'm getting from everyones posts?

I started a 70 Challenger restoration 15 years ago and then it was put into storage and I'm just now getting back to it.  I changed it to a rallye dash at the time and now I am trying to determine what it originally came out of.  I also changed the interior from blue to black because at the time used parts were cheap and plentiful and I couldn't find decent blue replacements, but the black door and quarter panels are not quite as nice as I'd like and I was looking at buying some reproductions.  Thanks for the input.

Keith
Rapid City, sd

[4Cruizn]

Welcome to the community!  The rallye dash had different knobs on the 1970 version only I believe!  The 71-74 were the same although I believe some later models came with 8 grand tachs and not just 70's!  As for the door panels, some members have had some success with dye  . . but if you're not interested in trying that , replacements are available.  Alittle different but not a bad part.  I have them in my convertible and I think they fit just fine!   

[hemi71]

Stay away from the repo door panels, they are not close to the originals in grain pattern or fit IMHO.  But thats just me.  Find yourself a nice set of originals, and dye them if you need to. Properly done dye, with good prep being the key, will bring great results.



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[MEK-Dangerfield]

Stay away from the repo door panels, they are not close to the originals in grain pattern or fit IMHO.  But thats just me.  Find yourself a nice set of originals, and dye them if you need to. Properly done dye, with good prep being the key, will bring great results.

   

   Well said, but the key here is getting a "nice" set. I bought after-market after being tired of seeing cracked up originals. They were from Year One. I didn't have a problem with fit, but they feel a little harder than the originals. As for your gauges... if you want to be correct, it has an 8 grand tach., and the reset knobs for both the trip odometer, and clock, come thru the woodgrain panel. Keep in mind, you can get a later year set of gauges to work for you, as they connect the same way. Welcome aboard here too. 

  Mike

[plumkrzy3]

Thanks for the responses and the welcomes.

I assumed the repo panels were not the same grain pattern, but that really doesn't bother me much, it's not going to be a 1000 point show car, it was more of the fit issue that bothered me from reading previous posts.  Actually my door panels are in pretty good shape, its the rear panels that have the evil cracks on the edges, but I figured I should buy a complete set, so they were the same grain front and rear.  I'm assuming there is only one manufacturer and then everyone like Year One, etc. sells their product or is there more than one company actually making them?  And is one better than the other?  

On the dashes then, if my resets are thru the clear plastic and not thru the woodgrain below, it is out of a 71-74?  It does have the 8 grand tach. 

I have another set-up that someone removed the factory tach, cut the clear plastic and installed a Sun tach, I'll have to see which version that is.  Looking for parts for it to repair, I know the tach can be bought repo, but I haven't seen the lens anywhere.

Keith
Rapid City, SD

[MEK-Dangerfield]

OK,
  If the rear panels are your biggest concern, then I would keep an eye on E-Bay. They aren't that expensive compared to the original door panels.

  Yes, you have a later year Rally gauge setup. Does that bother you??? In all honesty, that is more low maintenance. The reason being, that clock reset cable on the 70 setup can come undone. As for the clear plastic covers... sorry, they don't make those repro yet. 

  Mike

[70RTdroptop]

I thought that the 70-71 rallye dashes had the reset knobs through the woodgrain, and 72-74 knobs were through the lens faces. I also pulled a 72-74 rallye dash from my car to replace it with the correct 1970 rallye dash, but the one I pulled had a 8K tach, which seems almost contrary to some of the info I've been getting in related posts. Well, everyone knows that Ma Mopar did some unexplainable things.

[plumkrzy3]

  Yes, you have a later year Rally gauge setup. Does that bother you???

No Mike, it doesn't bother me at all, it's not a 100% correct car anyway and like you said, it's probably a more reliable setup anyway.  I was just trying to determine what year the dash is.  I had thought from reading other places that the 70-71 had the resets thru the woodgrain and the 72-74 had the resets thru the lens face and only the 70's came with the 8 grand tach, but apparently that isn't accurate information, was thinking someone here knew for sure and maybe there is no definitive answer, things came from the factory in some odd configurations.

Keith
Rapid City, SD

[Carlwalski]

Stay away from the repo door panels, they are not close to the originals in grain pattern or fit IMHO.

  ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


I went through 3 sets, all about 2" out either way (it's a lucky dip you see). They don't fit, wrong grain and the holes for mounting them were all off!!!  If you want the absolute best for your car, originals are the only way you'll get that result. Restore them or if you are the luckiest guy in the world you may come across some "NOS" panels, but you'll find Jimmy Hoffa before you do them. lol I ended up using my originals, they came out just fine. 

 

[lemurfart]

gorgeous

[fishn4cuda]

70-71 8 grand tachs had the knobs through the wood grain. Any 7 grand tachs had them through the guage lenses. 8 grand tachs were only for the 70-71 models. All others were 7 grand tachs.

[Super Blue 72]

70-71 8 grand tachs had the knobs through the wood grain. Any 7 grand tachs had them through the guage lenses. 8 grand tachs were only for the 70-71 models. All others were 7 grand tachs.

   But just to add my 2 cents some early '72 models came through with the 8K tach with the reset knobs through the woodgrain.  My guess is left over '71 stuff.  My '72s build date was 8/17/71 and has the early style and I've seen some other '72s with the 70-71 style from the factory.