My Olds windshield was cracked after a tree limb fell . The glass installer noticed rust along the dash panel and below wiper trim panel, and advised me to seek a body shop to fix that area before he installed the new glass .
the shop can fabricate a new channel, but I suggested a new cowl grill panel like OPGI sells . Theres also rot along the dash top. Does anyone know where I could source a patch panel for the upper dash , or just have shop weld a new strip there ?
here's the area in question

the cowl grill panel i was looking at is this part

any suggestions appreciated
jeff

 

Belden Speed sells the channel patch panels.

https://www.rustreplace.com/home/196...972-cutlass442

 

Thanks Joe
sounds like a common rust area from east coast cars

 

Sadly, it's a common rust area on all of them. The clips that hold the stainless trim scratch the paint when you install them, and the design of the trim traps leaves and debris which turns to mulch and attacks those scratches.

 

I thought Belden only made the top pieces. I bought a lower channel for a Chevelle and modified it. Here is the result.

 

They've expanded their products. Check the link I provided. Now if we can only convince him to start making the piece at the bottom of the back window on the 68-72 cars.

 

Funny, this is all I see.

 

Well, damn! I thought diagram this was showing the lower channel, but if you look closely, it's the top. DOH! Sorry about that.

 

Haha! No worries. I made the same mistake a while back when I was looking for the lower channel myself and ended up buying the Chevelle patch....took a little cutting, but worked well.

 

I appreciate the info, I ended up ordering the opgi cowl top repair panel. Mines been eaten away on the edge of dash metal a few inches , but body shop says they can weld a strip along there, and the cowl section will make rebuilding the channel easier .

I was told about the Chevelle metal panels but seems like everything else this year is out of stock w a long lead time

 

beautiful repair work !!! Did you reuse your Olds dash top then graft in the chevy piece? I'd love to blow mine apart, but haven't space or skills to do the work myself ...and our 4 yr old daughter keeps us busy lol

 

Yeah. I just grafted in the Chevy piece. Not a big deal. The curvature is the same. You just need to do some minor surgery on the piece to get it to fit right. The rust went further up the dash to where the speaker is, but there was enough meat to not have to cut too far. I cleaned that part up and used a small amount of bondo to smooth the area out.

 

Getting ready to start a dash/cowl repair. I bought the top cowl and repair patch panel below but its not thick enough to cover all the rust on the Dash. Where did you find the chevelle dash repair panel or 69 cutlass dash repair panel? Many thanks!

 

I have the same rot on my 69 looks like this might do the trick dash patch

 

That is what I used to repair mine. You just have to trim it up a bit to fit. Not a big deal. I was a total rookie when I did mine.

 

i have this piece that goes up a little higher inside the windshield


, but as joe says rust from the clips even got this one a little .

 

Great pics first time I have seen this area even remotely intact 😆…👌
cheers