New 240z owner with Cracked Dash In need of advice

[87mj]

Hi

 

I recently bought a wonderful '71 in excellent condition.  The odometer reads 59,000 miles which I believe to be correct.  I have owned a '73 as a teenager and later, I bought a '72.  They all had their 240z issues but I think I got one I can live with. 

 

The original owner painted it white for whatever reason (not that there is anything wrong with white, it just isn't the factory color and the factory paint was probably in excellent condition at the time).  The second owner painted it back to the factory color.  Other than that, it is completely stock.  The frame, including the front wheel wells look new.  Keeping the car stock is very important to me.  I want to keep it accurate to the period.

 

The problem is the dash.  It is cracked in 3 places.  I don't plan to sell the car, ever but on the other hand, I don't want to detract from it's value either.  I don't want to put a cap on it either.

 

The low mileage clam is difficult enough to defend, especially on a 45 year old car.  I would think it would be more difficult if I replaced the dash.  But those cracks...

 

Do you think the value of the car decreases if I keep an eye out for a replacement dash or should I just leave it alone? 

 

Thanks

 

 

[S30Driver]

Hello & welcome.

As long as the replacement dash is the correct one for the 71 model year you have, it can only enhance the value of the car.

 

I comes down to a decision for you depending on your skill level of refurbishing the dash or available budget for a dash shop to do the job or for you or to find a pristine (and difficult to find) perfect replacement.  A refurbished dash done by a reputable shop will quickly approach 2k.

 

If you look at the interior threads here, many members have documented the repair process, and achieved excellent results doing it themselves.

 

Fwiw, myself, I would probably look for a decent 71 dash on craigslist (from the PNW states where the dashes have rarely seen the sun) repair it at my leisure, and then swap it.  Then repair the original dash & keep it as a spare.

Until this is done, I would just buy an inexpensive dash cover (the carpet type) to get by in the short term.

 

Some pictures of the current dash would be helpful for experienced members here to evaluate & steer you in the right direction.

[sweatybetty]

if you have the extra $$$$

 

http://www.justdashes.com/2015/09/just-dashes-saves-botched-dash-restoration-for-a-datsun-240z/

[TomoHawk]

The best answer would be to ask Santa to bring you a time machine, so you can go back to 1971 (or whenever) and get a new one from Datsun.  And while you're back in the 1970s, bring back a bunch of dashes,  wiring, and headlamp connectors for all the other years, to get rich in the 21st century, so you can restore your '71...

 

 

Have a nice Thanksgiving

[87mj]

The best answer would be to ask Santa to bring you a time machine, so you can go back to 1971 (or whenever) and get a new one from Datsun.  And while you're back in the 1970s, bring back a bunch of dashes,  wiring, and headlamp connectors for all the other years, to get rich in the 21st century, so you can restore your '71...

 

 

Have a nice Thanksgiving

That is a brilliant idea. Problem solved.  I knew I could count on the forum.