I recently bought a replacement dash housing assembly for my 66 442 from The Parts Place (part # IN3409T). OPGI also carries this repro dash housing (part # C242169). The housing fits 1967 and also the 66 with slight modifications for the wiper switch.

Overall, it's a decent repro and fairly replicates the original GM part. However, unlike the original, it is chrome plated over the entire plastic housing which causes a problem. It grounds everything and renders the components inoperable. Specifically, the gas gauge and gen lights. After hours of troubleshooting, looking for wire and harness connections (and at least $1000 in labor) my installer discovered the cause and corrected by grinding off the chrome at the attachment points where the components screw into the housing.

Through product testing, the manufacturer should have known this and indicated so in the instruction or sales documents. Better yet, they should have made the part correctly and chromed it in the appropriate places only, like GM did in 1966. I did a product review on the Parts Place site, but feel like they should at least compensate me for the hassle and expense this has caused. So for any of you looking to use this reproduction housing, beware.

 

So that’s what was giving them so much problem with the install? Man that sucks.. best of luck on getting any kind of credit..

 

Yup. Really ticks me off that these part suppliers don't give detailed installation data. Would have saved me $$.

I would have thought that I'm not the first one to encounter this problem. Hopefully, anyone else who is installing one of these dashes will see the post.