DASH REPLACEMENT IN MY 720

[dhp123166]

If you are a 720 owner you know that OEM dashboards do not age well, especially the colored variety.

 

The first picture shows my "solution" for all 5 years I have owned the truck.

 

The second picture shows what lies beneath my "solution". YUCK!!!!

  

 

One day a few weeks ago I happened upon this pristeen dash on sale in S. Carolina for the low low price of $35.00 (!)

 

After convincing the seller to ship it , it arrived via FEDEX earlier this week.

 

It was pulled off a long wrecked 85 720 and stored for 20 years, the vinyl is still supple.

 

This thing is in such sweet shape and to preserve it even further I coated it with one can (three coats) of the item in the bottom picture. Yes it is clear coat.

 

 

  My only employee Anthony and midway through the project;

 

 

Now the finished product.

 

This was tits easy and took the two of us 2 1/2 hours to complete. It also gave me a chance to ditch the hacked in stereo wires that the P.O. installed.

 

What do you think ?

 

[datzenmike]

Not bad. I like the 720 dash and put a later round gauge one in my 620.

[dhp123166]

I'd love to see pictures of that!

[datzenmike]

 

 

 



To do this I had to close the air supply hole in the middle of the cowl and cut a new one over by the glove box for the 720 heater fan, then the 620 wiper motor was in the way. Had to mount it out in the cowl. Then the light and wiper switches were on the steering column and wouldn't fit the 620 column nor would the 720 clam shell... so I had to use a 720 steering column. Had to use all 720 harness (and fuse box) out to the front for everything. Does have the variable pulse delay wiper though and I added the 720 4x4 gauges. Everything worked except the high beam indicator lamp. Even the 4x4 engaged light worked.

[dhp123166]

As previously stated, I would love to SEE that!

 

Photobucket has continued its' downward slide from crappy free service to crappy pay to play service.

 

All my above pictures were hosted by;

 

 https://postimage.io/

 

And it didn't cost me a dime.

[Lockleaf]

I have just now made my first post from postimg.io. i have officially switched from photobucket

[Charlie69]

Beautiful dash and great find.  Beautiful truck!  Nice work keeping this truck in pristine condition.

[dhp123166]

Thanks.

 

Already got a bubble, Eh what do I want for $35.00? Haha!

 

[Crashtd420]

You can always try using a small pin, i have seen window tinters poke a small hole to smooth out a bubble in tint and it never shows..

[dhp123166]

New roof rack.

 

Don't know what I will carry but I like it all the same;

 

[tdc]

http://imgur.com/is where i take all my photo hosting needs. you don't even need to make an account there to host images if you don't want to, but doing so allows you to manage the photos you upload.

 

anyway, awesome job on the dash! mine looks crap, but i mean the truck doesn't look terrific anyway, so it's fine for now. 

 

i never really understood the roof rack on a truck thing, but you can't deny it looks pretty good when done right.

[dhp123166]

Thanks.

 

I am going to repair the old dash and shoot it with truck bed liner and have it for sale in the next coupla weeks if you are interested.

[olskool720]

In your opening post, you said that "especially colored dashes" don't age well.  Are there non colored dashes???

 

I never thought to put clear coat on the dash  : \  Hmm, is that what caused it to bubble?

[dhp123166]

Colored as a opposed to straight black which seems in some cases to age better.

 

No, excessive heat cause the bubble, it has been hotter than f down here.

 

You'll be glad to hear that the bubble has not increased in size.

[dhp123166]

720 restored dash on eBAY now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Here is the link;http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/142480882565?

 

[tdc]

that turned out great! i may steal that idea someday.

[dhp123166]

Thanks. Now I just need to sell the thing.

[Tinman]

Interesting idea.  The textured finish also hides any blemishes in the work.

[dhp123166]

You ever seen bedliner without the textured finish? It looks awful, like bad paint.

 

I saw a 720 4x4 for sale on Craigslist the other day where the whole truck, including the dash, was sprayed with bedliner.

[reelmagic]

On my 85 blue interior the front piece of the dash (closest to the windshield) is a lighter shade of blue, yours is the same color!!  Did you paint that or is my faded?  My doesn't look faded it looks like it supposed to be like that.  My dash is in very good shape, other than the same bubble you have.

[dhp123166]

My new dash or the old dash?

[reelmagic]

on your new dash

[dhp123166]

I don't think my new one is faded at all as it was in storage out of the sun for 20 + years.

 

The old one was very faded.

 

I believe the later years 720 blue was darker than the earlier years too....

[KoHeartsGPA]

Dashboard is easy to restore, I'm in final stage of restoring my 620 dash, all you need is lots of patience and labor ;)

[dhp123166]

Thanks.

 

Already got a bubble, Eh what do I want for $35.00? Haha!

 

 

Actually, having now seen three of these blue dashes in great shape like this one, I can say I believe this bubble to be a factory defect.