The dash I got had been opened from the plastic (previously attempted install?) it had what appeared to be a defect in the passenger side ac vent, or tooling scratches? I contacted WCCC and spoke with Junior he promptly contacted dashes direct, and they sent me another one that was New..These guys take care of there customers. The dash installed easily..note that it's a bit too thick where it butts up to the window causing a bit of difficulty for the dash 2 windshield trim.also the vents are a bit offset from the real vents..but it looks legit..thanks guys

This pad looks good. Speaker holes are non-existent. More for looks than function. It was very difficult to get the windshield trim to mount. Car looks better with this new pad installed, but i dont know how long it will last due to the AZ heat.

Just a few weeks ago I installed this dash pad on my '67 XR-7. It was an easy install and it looks amazing. Only issue I had was screwing in the windshield trim. I still haven't been able to install the windshield trim.

Recently installed the 2016 version of the black repo dash pad. I would recommend purchasing this product to anyone with a non-concourse level Cougar. Finding a replacement either NOS or grade A used, is getting harder and harder for the average enthusiast to find.



I have owned my current Lime Frost 68 since 1983, and just couldn't take another day of looking at the crack just to right of centerline running from the front edge to the window trim molding. Being a customer of Don Rush since 1997, I knew at some time he would have an affordable reproduction that doesn't have a casting flaw.. This is that product.



Drove down from Seattle and picked up the dash in Salem. Got home, unpacked it and yes the smell reminded me of Secaucus, NJ in the 1960's. Followed instructions and laid it out on flat surface until temperature was above 70 F.



Original Plan was to wait until October and do the installation when I do the factory correct A/C installation upgrade. Ha! on the third day I began the installation to see what it looked like in the car.



I've had my dash out many times so being somewhat versed in this procedure I decided to follow the step by step procedure found in Section 12 of the Ford Service Manual to see if I could offer any additional comments in this review. My conclusion is without any special tools except perhaps a plastic trim removal tool for the dash face panel the average enthusiast should be able to install this item at home in one day.



I only encountered two minor problems during the installation. Both related to the window trim molding. During the factory installation 2 ea #6 screws held the dash pad to the sheet metal frame below the windshield rubber trim. Very difficult to locate and I'm not sure if they were a production line item, or necessary following production. Secondly were the screws for the interior windshield (reveal?) molding.



The reproduction dash pad did not have the notches cut in for the molding screws access like the original. Necessary to match the pad up with the original, and cut notches with a razor knife. Also the most outboard molding screws were very difficult to get started. Solved this by temporarily installing longer screws to get started, shimmed the molding in place, then reinstalled the correct length screws.



I would also recommend purchasing a new dash pad fastening kit.



As stated in the ad, the new pad is made of modern and thicker material than the original. When installing the heater controls on the left, and blank (soon to be A/C vent) on the right, the thicker pad gives those pieces a slight camber. During the A/C install I may use a file to correct this slight flaw.



Another tip would be to run a straight edge and true up the sheet metal mounting flange spot welded to the dash sheet metal. The reproduction dash mounting studs and frame are very high quality in form fit and finish. The grain looks OK and the molded stitching is nice. the indentation above the instrument panel looks very close to the original.



As a long time Cougar owner I would not hesitate to purchase another one for a future project



Dave Nashif.

I just bought a 67 RX7 and it was missing the dash pad. This worked perfect and WCCC had everything else I was missing for the install. I am sure once installed after the rebuild it will be perfect! Thanks WCCC you have become my next best friend.

All the thoughts on the prior reviews pretty spot on and thankful for the comments as well as Dons and other how-to videos i reviewed on YouTube prior to the removal and install. Can't stress enough the extra long thin phillips head screw driver, magnetic, for removal and reinstall of the windshield side edge screws. The material was much easier to cut and trim than i expected, which was necessary for the cutouts where the screws go on the windshield side as well as to trim where the environmental control panel mounts as the new dash pad material is thicker than the OEM, so necessary to trim for those lower panels on the drivers and passenger side. The threads mounted in the dashpad are a different thread than OEM so you cannot use the OEM nuts that you remove from the dashpad, but it does come with washers and nuts to fit the new threads, so you need to use those, don't think you can re-use the OEM nuts and set the others aside. Other than some some trimming and fitting, fit and finish was great, very pleased.

It couldn't have installed any easier. As one of the last pieces to a 17 year project I couldnt be any happier.

Fitment is accurate, I didn't need to fight with it to get it to line up. You may want to take a drill to the speaker holes if you wish to use your speaker, and order the clips that the dash panel screws thread into or use your old ones. Leave your windows open and let the dash air out after you install it, or it will leave a film of scum on the inside of your windows. Other than that it's a great dash pad and easy to install.

 

My original dash was warped, bent and horribly ugly....After sitting in the sun to straighten out, it went in smoothly....What a difference....Looks like it been there since 1967..Thanks guys for a great and reasonably priced product..

I had a mixed experience installing this dash pad in my 68. Overall it's nice quality, looks good, and seems like it will last. But I had to do a fair bit of work to modify it to make it fit properly.



Firstly, there was no cutout for the dash-mounted VIN plate. That's forgivable since it's a '68 only thing. Secondly, the front lip (nearest the windshield) is supposed to have U-shaped cutouts for the screws that attach the metal trim there. I had to mock up the pad in the car and carefully locate & mark where each screw hole is, then remove the pad again and cut a "U" around those marks. Thirdly, the thick flanges on the "face" of the pad didn't allow the A/C vents or plastic dash bezel pieces to install correctly, so I had to trim those away completely.



Lastly, the pad is thicker than original, and I'm finding that the lower / outer edges slightly bump into the door panels with the doors closed (more so on the passenger side in my case). This makes the door a little harder to close, which isn't ideal. Maybe over time the constant pressure will reshape it and it will improve.



It also has a bit of an upward "bow" when installed, so I'm going to have to try laying a weighted board over it for a while to flatten it out.



Another note - the holes in the speaker grille area aren't really holes. They look fine but they are blocked off by material and you can't see through them. So if you plan on using a dash speaker, you may want to spend some time carefully clearing material out of the "holes". Good luck with that.



All these issues aside, it's a nice looking pad with correct texture, and it seems well constructed. It can be a bit of a pain doing all these modifications to make it work, but once installed it really spruces up the interior. It's a lot better than a warped, cracked 50 year old piece, so I still recommend it.