Dash pad delete defroster vents!

[71fordkid]

When you take your dash pad off, you find this:





So your wondering, What can I use for defrost vents now? Well your dash pad holds a little secret....




The pre drilled holes line up perfectly. I used a propane torch to melt the glue stuff, and then a wire brush after it cooled off to get the rest off.





Just thought I'd share a little bit of info I found today while doing some work on the truck and cleaning.

[fordman]

i used a wire wheel brush and then sanded these down and primed them. i have atleast one more pair that i havent sanded and primed yet though. i also sanded primed and painted another set red. they turned out very good in my opinion.

[71fordkid]

Im thinking of soda blasting mine and chroming them. I think chrome vents would look very good in a padless swiss aqua dash. =]

[kilog55]

wasnt this on here once before a couple of years back?

[fordman]

wasnt this on here once before a couple of years back?

it comes up from time to time. just like every other subject about our trucks. how many times have you seen the question what is a bump? it happens. i sometimes get stressed about some multiple questions. but why should i worry? i think i get that way because of other problems. i really wished i could drive one of my bumps again. it may not happen in a long time though. i actually may have to go back out on the road to work again. i really dont want to deal with that again.

[kilog55]

yeah its as if ford knew the dashes would be toast in 40 years and the repops dont fit for crap

get your tanker if your a driver and come north and haul water

[cdeal28078]

I think the better option, if you are like me and cannot afford a new or reproduction dash pad is to buy a plastic cover for the dash pad. I can hardly tell mine is a cover and I don't have to worry about the vents.
clint

[flyboy71]

yeah its as if ford knew the dashes would be toast in 40 years and the repops dont fit for crap

Probably more so they origianlly designed it that the vents attached to the metal dash and then they had to rethink it and add the dash pad for safety reasons in the event your head hits the dash in an accident. I doubt its a coincidence the holes line up and are countersunk.

[kilog55]

i know i was kiddin, but even if your head hit the dash pad i dont think it'd be pretty

[taylor351]

If we would stop dragging up old topics eventually we would run out of things to say.




Keith

[flyboy71]

i know i was kiddin, but even if your head hit the dash pad i dont think it'd be pretty

Without it its an early form of a crumple zone. With it its an early form of an airbag. Yeah either way I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Heck back in the day very few wore seatbelts either. I remember riding in my Dads bump with no seatbelts and a slippery vinyl bench seat. I flew off onto the floor more than once

[supreme1]

Looking thru holes in my dash pad looks like the dash is factory painted, is this true? Thinkd of taking off pad and buffing out and doing what 71FordKid suggested (chrome the vents). Anyone have any pictures of metal dash done up right??

[supreme1]

Also, if put in shoulder strap seat belts (a very good idea versus lap belts) won't hit head on metal dash. So if looks good Im down with it.

[fordman]

yes the dash is painted. and does look like fresh paint when the pad is removed. the only ugly looking part are the holes for the dash pad bolts.

[supreme1]

Maybe could find some rubber plugs or some stainless rounded mushroom bolts (what my dad used to them), about how many dash pad bolts holes are there and how big.