How about it anybody know of a less expensive source for the lower half of the dash in these dashes?

 

I may be stupid, but what the hell is the "lower dash" ?

 

my 2000 has about 5 big cracks in the top of the dash.one crack looks like its about ready to snap off and brake.the dealer told me 700 to put on a new dash top cover.but i know lmc sells them for $130 but thats just for the dash cover.this is the only thing i ever found for the dash cap info. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dj3RIQG2T4

 

The lower dash panel is the piece that everything else gets bolted up to. the upper is the part that goes up to the windshield that everybody calls a dashboard which in days past it was all one piece top to bottom. now the dashboard is made of several panels. One of which I almost threw away while cleaning out my truck yesterday. (the piece that goes in front of the glove box latch lol) but any ways the lower dash panel is the panel that the rest of the dash is attached to the glovebox, the cup holders, a/c switches, passenger airbag override switch, radio head unit, instrument cluster, black bezel w/ vents,etc. It all bolts/screws on to the lower panel even the front of the top panel screws down onto it.

Not a bad question you and I may have a different term for it. I'm calling it the only thing I know to call it. if there is a more proper name for it I'm all ears.

I did have a thought about it though. I could take and expoxy the old lower dash back together paint it to give it a slicker surface the make a fiberglass mold from it put the correct holes in it in order to have something to tighten down on with the new dash panel, put small bolts through the holes and tighten down nut-serts to them so that the nut-serfs get embedded into the new panel. put some realeaseing agent between the mold and the other panels so they don't come completely apart when I go to break them free from each other. should be able to reproduce the grain pattern and all with this method. and possibly be stronger as well. specially since I believe everything either bolts directly to it from one side or through it. meaning that I'm pretty sure there's no tricky screw holes to place from the back side of the panel.

 

Look again at the LMC link I posted that's again not a cap it's an actual replacement panel. the caps are like 2 pages further into the catalog. Big difference between the pictures as well as the descriptions. yes the call it the dash pad on that link but click next page till you get to page 95 I believe if I remember correctly. you'll immediately see the difference. price is about 2x's as much as well on what I posted that a dash crap!

 

So directly underneath the upper dash, there is another dash(lower) that is molded similarly to the upper? Or are you talking about the front.

 

http://youtu.be/caTB8fR18So

 

I just lucked out and found a guy locally that has a BRAND NEW "dash cap" for 50.00

 

Zman I'm talking about the front. Where everything else mounts.

And dash "Caps" is not exactly what we're looking for in this thread. Thanks anyways fellas.

 

OK thanks B , I am curios as to how that part of your dash is broke. Isn't that pretty much all metal framing?