Restoring cut dash for stock radio

[uplander]

Can it be done? Any recommendations? How bout welding on a chrome decorative plate with the stock holes on top of the dash (upon which i could mount the radio faceplate)? Would this be a better approach than trying to re-weld and then re-paint the dash to perfection? Or is that not a bid deal? Thx.

 

[NicksTrix]

take the dash out. replace the material that is missing. cut your new holes and do the body work and reinstall. not that big of deal.

 

[StnePny]

Nick is the MAN ....

( I wish he would come back home & help me on my Bronco .. )

 

[uplander]

Great. Thanks.

 

[thegreatjustino]

It's like doing body work on any other panel. Patch, grind, fill, primer, sand, and paint as necessary.

When I did this a while back, I had an uncut dash to use as a template. I made a rubbing of the stock radio holes, transferred them to a piece of sheet metal, cut them out, then trimmed the sheet metal to the correct size to patch the cutout.

 

[Broncitis]

Welding in a patch is the easy part.

The trick it to weld in the new without getting the dash warped / oil-canned and to have to look totally straight when done.

It can be done with little to no filler, but is not as simple as just randomly welding in a patch plate.