Hi guys.

I have a radio that I don't like in the car.
To install it, as they have done to many cars, they cut the dashboard and now I find myself in the situation where I want to install a radio that is as faithful as possible to the original and I have no option but to change that entire part for another.
Well, I wonder if any user has the design of that part to print it on a 3D printer and that way not have to buy the entire part, with the effort that would be required to change everything.
Thanks in advance.

Regards

 

Finding an intact used dash panel replacement will probably be easier and cheaper. Others may have different thoughts.

Also, Antique Auto Radio makes a repro-look A-body AM/FM bluetooth stereo unit which is a direct fit into the stock dash opening - it's pricey but it's as faithful to the OEM radio appearance as any aftermarket radio gets.

https://vintageautoradio.com/product...th%C2%AE-radio

 

Seems like someone like Just Dashes would make a repair panel for the popular old cars. Especially for our Cutlass/442 which uses a plastic wood applique over the radio opening. Seems they could make a piece and sell it as a kit with instructions on how to cut and attach patch and then put new applique over it. But No they don't...

 

Looks like they cut it with a rabid beaver. Replacing the piece would be the easiest.

 

Wow vintage auto radio is a year out on turn around. Legendary a year plus. So tired of this. I thought Cliff Ruggles was a wait at 4 months.

 

Unfortunately, dash butchery was rampant back in the day. Yours looks unusually rough cut.

Here are a few options that I came up with in a different thread. Once repaired, a new wood grain vinyl can be purchased to cover the scars.

​​​​​​​

 

Hi guys.

I agree with you 100%, the cut to put the other radio in was done by pinching, I hate cut dashboards, it is a topic that I will never understand.
The idea of ​​the 3D model comes because I am from Spain, and for me it would be less expensive to 3D print the radio area and attach it, even so, I would have to order the wood stamping from the USA, with the cost that this will entail.
If anyone has a broken dashboard at home but that area is fine, I would be interested in buying it.
Thank you

Regards

 

FYI, Retro Radio has similar units, and is the only lower cost seller I found that has the original-looking ***** and escutcheons (click through all the options).

Retro Manufacturing

 

Since you are going to have to pay shipping for SOMETHING you are better off either buying a nice used complete lower dash plastic OR having someone cut out the radio area on a donor dash plastic and shipping that to you.

There are A LOT of these dash plastics laying around. You might even consider one that has had minor mods made to it for a replacement radio....such has minor filing or enlargement of the radio post hole areas. Yours, as is obvious, had most of the radio post/**** depressions cut away. Something that has had minor cutting could be relatively easily repaired w/some donor ABS flat plastic (from the same dash plastic would be the easiest.

NOTE: The radio in the car, from the factory, used a METAL BRACE that was attached to the back of the radio on a small threaded stud that is part of the radio metal case. The other end of the brace was attached to the METAL PART of the dashboard structure.....SO....that is what really helps solidly mount the original radio. This prevents the thin/flat nuts that get tightened down over the radio control posts from overly stressing the dash plastic once the radio is installed. These metal braces are also readily available and they are ALSO available from the reproduction vendors. Someone shipping you a donor plastic piece might be nice enough to order the metal brace here in the US and send it to you with the donor plastic piece and include that cost in whatever deal you work out....ONE shipment for all the pieces you need VS. two or more shipments.

ALSO: "cjsdad" mentioned and showed a pic of a Buick Skylark radio bezel. Those are ABS plastic (not metal as he suggested) but I don't know if the rectangular radio cutout is exactly the same as the Olds radio cutout. I have both here (Olds and Buick) so I'll see if my Buick piece is easy to access to make some comparative measurements. The Buick radio bezels are readily available as well...both originals and repro. Fairly common Buick part that doesn't go for real big $.

MAYBE someone here has a junky Olds lower dash plastic w/a decent radio area. These dash plastics can get somewhat distorted and "saggy" over time and those units don't have the value of a super nice one. I'll see if I have anything in inventory.

 

Radio support bracket (there is also a nylon strap that was used in addition to this bracket....also available from repro vendors but not as "critical" as this metal bracket):

https://www.inlinetube.com/products/...2ckHNCX5kF2E4v

 

Here's a very good radio and ***** opening for a '70-2 Cutlass/442. Everything perfectly intact, not broken, etc. This is just a picture of the radio area....the piece is the complete lower dash plastic but it's a bit "saggy" over around the heater control area so this is a excellent donor for the radio cutout area.

 

Here's another option. You can buy the 68-69 Bezel and make it fit into the 70-72 dash. It is a lot of work but it can be done:

before:

 

That's a great job- 71!

 

I like that gauge layout. I never liked the 70-72 dash as much as the 68-69. That layout almost has a modern feel to it.

 

Thanks guys - all that dash work was done by Frank Trimble in MD who also did most of the work on my 71 442. For the gauges it got old trying to see the tach around the right side of the steering wheel banging through the gears with the manual trans. Now I can look straight at the tach that has a shift light built in too. With the 6 speed trans it makes a huge difference. It's nice having the other gauges right in your face to keep tabs on everything. I also have the hand held for the FiTech TBI in the ash tray which I can pull out and adjust and then put back in there.

-Joe

 

My goodness, that change you made is quite a job, the entire dashboard had to be removed to do the installation, I congratulate you.
It is the bezel that you have indicated to me from 68-69, does it fit perfectly to the 71 radio? I'm telling you this because in one of the photos you posted I see part of the dashboard under the radio.
To glue the bezel, did you use sikaflex?
Thank you.

 

That donor looks very good, I think it would be worth doing the test to see how it turns out.
Do you have a price in mind? The cut would be from the heating control area (before reaching the heating hole on the right side) to the right side of the dash, so I would have a fairly wide area to cut, although I would really use a maximum of 5cm more on both sides of the radio.
​​​​​​​Thank you.​​​​​​​

 

The Custom Auto Sound radio has a black bar on the bottom of it. Here's a pic:


If you compare the blue dash pics on this thread with my pics with no radio installed, it think you will see they are extremely close if not exact. I think if you get a donor dash it would great but if not this gives you another alternative.

Sorry no idea on the glue used since as I mentioned it was done by someone else and it was years ago.

-Joe

 

Here you go - I zoomed in on one of my non radio pics for you - sorry it made it blurry and it's my phone taking a pic of my monitor but you can compare this one to the blue dash above.



-Joe

 

Thanks for the help, Joe.
It's clear to me how that radio works.
When I get all the material, I'll post how I did the process.
I'd like to scan the part so that users in the same situation can 3D print it to install it in the dashboard. Hopefully, I'll find someone who has a 3D scanner for this.

Regards

 

The lower dash is made from ABS plastic. I used black ABS plumbing cement with good result when I made my dash modifications. It takes some time for the solvents to flash off and fully cure so make sure the repaired section is well supported and left undisturbed for 12-24 hours to avoid warping. Here's some pics from my dash mods:

Rodney





I modified my dash to move the cig lighter below the map light and center the radio a bit. Also removed the ashtray and made the compartment big enough to hold my i-phone.


I used the ABS plumbing cement to reattach the lighter socket to the dash.