1970/71 Challenger/Cuda dash

[ssdriver]

Hi, new here.
I don't own a Challenger or Cuda at the present time but I am hoping to soon. During my online searches I have noticed that many of these cars have the dash to the left of the ash tray in some sort of misalignment, is this do to poor workmanship or ill fitting repro parts? Can any one please explain to me why this is so and can it be corrected.

Thanks. Bob

[Katfish]

I think it's a little of both.
I replaced my original dash (which had a dash cap) with a recovered dash from Ultimate Rides.

The original with dash cap fit great (very little gap), the UR pad has a sloppy 1/2" gap.

But I'm sure not every pad left the factory fitting perfectly.

[CUDA JAS]

hard to tell with that pic...an I am not sure of your actual question.

Here is a pic of mine:
 


is it that gap between the plastic part and the steel dash frame by the ash tray you do not like?

I know that trim piece has a few screws in behind that need to be in to have that piece fit nice.

Jason

[ssdriver]

Sorry for the bad pic, snagged it off the net. Yes, it's the area just to the left of the ash tray. There is a large gap between the ash tray door and the piece that wraps around the lower section of the dash. The dash pad comes down to meet it and they do not meet very well. Looks real bad in my book and some of these were restored cars.
Just curious as to why it is like this and can it be corrected.

Bob

[PlumCrazyRTSE]

I think what you're seeing is where the plastic trim piece ends and the metal dash from behind shows.  It looks perfectly normal in real life, no real gap to speak of.

[anlauto]

Yes that's normal

[Katfish]

Yours looks good, not happy with mine.

[Katfish]

Oops,  different problem.

[ssdriver]

Great pics. That's the area in question. That one looks good compared to some I've seen.
Here's a link for a Challenger, pick the small pic that shows the radio and you'll see a good example of a poor fit.
http://www.thebaycitymotorcompany.com/P0000051

[ssdriver]

Here's another:
http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/chicago/1971/plymouth/cuda-S404.html

[anlauto]

Great pics. That's the area in question. That one looks good compared to some I've seen.
Here's a link for a Challenger, pick the small pic that shows the radio and you'll see a good example of a poor fit.
http://www.thebaycitymotorcompany.com/P0000051

Also shows that high dollar car has the wrong instument cluster in it...

[PlumCrazyRTSE]

Great pics. That's the area in question. That one looks good compared to some I've seen.
Here's a link for a Challenger, pick the small pic that shows the radio and you'll see a good example of a poor fit.
http://www.thebaycitymotorcompany.com/P0000051

Yeah, the dash on that car doesn't look like it's put together right. 

On mine, that gap at the top really isn't noticeable unless you take a picture from down low like I did.

[ssdriver]

Just for the record, what about the dash makes it the wrong one. Which car are we talking about-Challenger or Cuda.
You can never have enough info when looking for car.

[anlauto]

Just for the record, what about the dash makes it the wrong one. Which car are we talking about-Challenger or Cuda.
You can never have enough info when looking for car.

Clock and trip meter have remote knobs in 1970-71, meaning they go through the woodgrain. In 1972 the knobs went thought the clear lens of the clock/speedo.

[ssdriver]

So your saying this is probably a 72 gauge cluster.