Please Allow Me To Vent...

[gearheadboy]

Well if you haven't read about my dash project let me fill you in. I'll try to make this short and sweet. My factory 88 GT Smoke gray dash was ehhh. So I decided to buy a NEW aftermarket. We after looking at the Late Model Resto site (the only one that has one yet) I bought one.
Read the AD:
If your Mustang interior is looking a little tired, you may think about replacing that worn or sagging factory dash pad. Mounting just like the factory Ford Mustang dash pad, this new reproduction uses a metal backing and three small tabs with nuts for a great factory style fit! Already molded in gray, it may be a close enough match to smoke gray, but if an exact match is nedded it can be painted to match Smoke gray, Titanium gray, or Opal gray using our vinyl spray dye.

The feel of this replacement Mustang dash pad is nice and solid but still soft just like the factory unit. Textured to match the factory instrument bezel dash area. If you are looking for a great replacement Mustang dash pad, this is the part you have been waiting for!
Well...I ordered gray..figured it could be right on or close or I'll paint it and if it gets scratched it will be gray underneath.. I got it. Moulded black, painted DARK DARK gray. I mean almost black. Well ok...I got this..but it wasn't prepped before they painted it and is flaking before install. So I call. Send pics. (oh and it has a slice in it where it was cut from mould incorrectly) They will refund but I have to pay to ship it back or exchange but I have to wait. Well, the other option was to order a black one (which is the color they mould it in) and prep it correctly and paint it smoke gray. I chose this option. So while this goes on I'm now out $200.00 until my first one reaches them. Well I get the new one and it is moulded in black. I prep it, paint it, and install it..I'm happy..THEN I try to install the center dash vent... it doesnt fit. I mean not even close. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Now I have a POS dash that I painted and am out for it and shipping.. can't get worse right? WRONG. I also bought a new cluster lens, mine had a small crack just below the trip reset..ORIGINAL FORD TOOLING IT SAYS.. Sure is. SAME CRACK !! Saw it as soon as I pulled it out. No more Late Model Restoration for me. I'm sticking with CJ Pony Parts.

 

[88LX5.Oh]

I also bought a new cluster lens from LRS and it had a piece broken completely off. That part had the worst packaging I have ever seen from LRS. It was wrapped in cellophane and had a little bit of paper around it. Needless to say I was not pleased. But, my dash pad actually turned out really good. Nice fit and decent color match. All the rest of my interior is probably faded so maybe it's closer to factory than I really think.

 

[88LX5.Oh]

 

[RangerJoe]

Besides Summit, CJ's has the best customer service around. Their prices are a touch high, but shipping is FREE, and they run 20% off sales all the time. I just bought a new hatch mat for $72, to my door.
Joe

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

How is CJ gonna be any different from LRS?

Do you think they have a different Chinese repro part that'll have better fit and finish, or are you saying that when they ship you the Chinese repro part that is the wrong color, or the paint flakes off because it was prepped poorly (who did the paint prep?), or has a center vent hole that is too small, they'll just ship you out another at no charge, w/o getting the defective one back first?

 

[gearheadboy]

CJ does not have the dash pad. Only LMR has it and I see why. It's crap IMO. If you look at the installed pic of 88LX5.Oh, his doesnt fit either. The vent does not sit back in the pad flush. Not NEAR flush. And the pad should be GRAY to match your dash not black..the dash pad and vent should be the same color. LMR stated that they DID NOT do the prep, which I believe becasue the color is NOT smoke gray or any other Mustang color and they stock SEM that is a perfect match. And my issue was not that I had to pay for the second before they would ship it, my complaint is that when it is all said and done I will be out return shipping for the first (that was damaged etc.) and I will be out the full $99.00 for the second (which I prepped and painted causing it not to be returnable), PLUS because the dash vent hole is so wrong I broke one of my mounting tabs off of my vent which will cost about $50.00 for a good used one. So I'm out $149.00 and am right where I started actually behind because I had a good vent to start. Not to mention the cluster lens that is a POS too.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

CJ does not have the dash pad. Only LMR has it and I see why. It's crap IMO. If you look at the installed pic of 88LX5.Oh, his doesnt fit either. The vent does not sit back in the pad flush. Not NEAR flush. And the pad should be GRAY to match your dash not black..the dash pad and vent should be the same color. LMR stated that they DID NOT do the prep, which I believe becasue the color is NOT smoke gray or any other Mustang color and they stock SEM that is a perfect match. And my issue was not that I had to pay for the second before they would ship it, my complaint is that when it is all said and done I will be out return shipping for the first (that was damaged etc.) and I will be out the full $99.00 for the second (which I prepped and painted causing it not to be returnable), PLUS because the dash vent hole is so wrong I broke one of my mounting tabs off of my vent which will cost about $50.00 for a good used one. So I'm out $149.00 and am right where I started actually behind because I had a good vent to start. Not to mention the cluster lens that is a POS too.

Sorry for all of your trouble. It sucks to have to deal w/ stuff like that.

On another note,.....You could always make the dash pad out of wood.

 

[88LX5.Oh]

Their cluster lens must be very brittle or something. And as you stated, yes the vents aren't flush. Never noticed that before, actually. Also never paid attention to how it was stock because it was so faded and tore up But is the pad supposed to match the vent color and not the DARK portion of the dash? If that's the case then my color is way the hell off from the vents color.
And I broke the tabs off the vents too. As I recall there's 2 on the top side and 2 on the bottom. I ended up breaking 3 out of 4 if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[larrym1961]

Sorry for all of your trouble. It sucks to have to deal w/ stuff like that.

On another note,.....You could always make the dash pad out of wood.

Mike, you could possibly make one for him. I seen your Mustang featured in a Magazine, your quite talented and do nice work.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Mike, you could possibly make one for him. I seen your Mustang featured in a Magazine, your quite talented and do nice work.

why thank you,.....and if he wants one, he can make his own damn wooden dash pad.

 

[gearheadboy]

Ha Ha! Maybe a piece of diamond plate and a bejesus bar. I glued the edges of my peeling stocker down and taped it up. Left it sit for 2 days and installed it. Looks good. And the broken vent tab can't be seen installed. So its together and I'm satisfied. Thanks for your concern Mike, and you are right. It sucks when finally give in and spend the buck to do the job way better than right, and get burned. Just a bad day in the garage. I'm good now and hopefully someone else can benefit.

 

[Noobz347]

why thank you,.....and if he wants one, he can make his own damn wooden dash pad.

Yeah! Mike still hasn't even started my body work and interior!


Oh, and thank the maker for the 85/86 dash setup.

 

[Jarrod@latemodel]

Why don't you give me a call directly and see if we can work something out. My direct line is 254-296-6531. If you have sent pictures in before, then I should be able to pull them up from your account.