Recent Just Dashes or Dashboard Restorations Experiences?

[Richard Oben]

Yes the dash is in the car. I had to get more stuff done, body shop already has the car as of yesterday. We can pull it out in about and hour. I will figure out later where to send the other dash or what Pete is going to do.

Without the dash the car would not run or have gauges. Before I put the hood and fenders on I wanted to make sure it ran and stopped and all that stuff.

I can tell you that there is more wrong than right. This is after the second attempt:

This is what in the later cars is the cig lighter, on series one cars it is not used. The first repair was worse. I have those pix on another data card and my wife has hidden it. If anyone really wants to see the first attempt I will dig them out or you can email me. Richard 'at' northracecars.com

Cowl fit

The door to the glove box this is as high as it will go. For now I will bungee it from the back without the paper glove box. to hide as much as of the misfit as I can.

[ajmcforester]

Yes the dash is in the car. I had to get more stuff done, body shop already has the car as of yesterday. We can pull it out in about and hour. I will figure out later where to send the other dash or what Pete is going to do.

Without the dash the car would not run or have gauges. Before I put the hood and fenders on I wanted to make sure it ran and stopped and all that stuff.

I can tell you that there is more wrong than right. This is after the second attempt:

This is what in the later cars is the cig lighter, on series one cars it is not used. The first repair was worse. I have those pix on another data card and my wife has hidden it. If anyone really wants to see the first attempt I will dig them out or you can email me. Richard 'at' northracecars.com

Cowl fit

The door to the glove box this is as high as it will go. For now I will bungee it from the back without the paper glove box. to hide as much as of the misfit as I can.

It looks like the dash frame was bent or twisted a little I wonder if the passenger side was made taller also. If something flattened the frame end it could look like this if they didn't shape it back properly. Was the package ever damaged from you to them or visa versa??

On a lighter note has anyone used Just Dashes and would give a review, I know they started off as Z Dashes (I talked to the owner on the phone). I never seen their work on Z cars, I know they make very accurate reproductions for other cars.

Also maybe some of you with good experiences can take some detailed pictures so the rest can see the work these companies do

[Richard Oben]

Dash was not twisted by me or them. It fit and bolted up perfectly back in the car. The area to the passenger side of the glove box was not cut down enough when the pulled the old cover off and put the new cover on. It is just too thick in that area so the door will not close. It is much more apparent in person. In the pic the guy is holding the door as far up as it will go, the latch is at least a half inch from lining up. And they had the latch with the dash, no excuse in my opinion. Cheers Richard.

[Inf]

That's a real bummer Richard, I hope you get your money back.

This whole thread makes me that much more apt to sticking it out with my half dash cap for a while longer.

[MikeW]

I'm one of those who had mine done in Australia as mentioned in post #4. To be fair even that had some issues - though I'm quite satisfied with the results. The biggest issue being the fact that the new vinyl is thicker than the original and I believe was actually added on top of the original vinyl. This makes my glove box door a tight fit as well. I had to very carefully install a NOS heater control panel which was a tight fit and fragile. The other big issue I had was getting the gauges back in. The 3 center gauges are installed from the back but were a difficult to install with the extra vinyl. The tachometer and speedometer were even worse. They're supposed to be installed from the front but there was no way to make that happen without them sticking out too far. I ended up having to carefully trim the new vinyl and install them from the back like the other gauges.

The pictures posted actually aren't as bad as I was expecting from the descriptions but I'll admit an in-person inspection might be dramatically different.

One final point: I just shipped the dash pad for the restoration but kept the frame and gauges. I believe I could have sent them all but the shipping and extra work would have cost more. In my case I reinstalled the frame and gauges and was able to drive the car while waiting for the restoration.

[ajmcforester]

I think it is good that we talk about the problems that came up, but I have not heard much about Just Dashes work. They state they take them down to the internal frame and re-foam then mold. If I wanted the vinyl molded on top like MikeW posted on #17, I'd use Finish Line hear is NJ they quoted $650 for that including filling in the cracks. Maybe us Z guys are cheap Just Dashes is more expensive, but if the work is better it would be worth it.

[texasz]

I think it is good that we talk about the problems that came up, but I have not heard much about Just Dashes work. They state they take them down to the internal frame and re-foam then mold. If I wanted the vinyl molded on top like MikeW posted on #17, I'd use Finish Line hear is NJ they quoted $650 for that including filling in the cracks. Maybe us Z guys are cheap Just Dashes is more expensive, but if the work is better it would be worth it.

Give us the 411 on your NJ shop please!!

[Richard Oben]

The reason I went to DR is the feedback I read on this forum (not blaming the forum). The car has been a lot of work and is coming along to be one of the nicest around. Very rust free 70 240Z, the only replacement metal is the dog leg on the quarters all the rest of the metal is original. This is why I am so dissapointed, the dash does not meet the look of the rest of the car.

What really irks me is I ASKED FOR PICTURES and got nothing. I went so far as actually calling when I got the Fed Ex notification to tell Pete SEND ME PICTURES before it ships. I did not want to go through this again. He said it was already in the box and he forgot to take them. NO EXCUSE, PERIOD.

As for the gauges were very tight. I can not imagine doing this worl without the gauges. If the rest of the dash is any indication of the quality not one of the gauges would have fit had we not sent them with it. Heck he had the glove box and the latch and it doesn't fit. JMHO, Richard.

[ChrisZ]

Richard, i know the Aus DR have changed hands and i think the US company have done the same, so have that in your mind when reading about feedback.

Not long ago, i contacted the Aus DR asking for a price, i was told they don't make 240Z dashes, so i had to ask him back, why there was a 240Z dash present on his frontpage :stupid:

Chris

[ajmcforester]

Give us the 411 on your NJ shop please!!

Hear is the information, he might have offered me a lower price I've sent some people over to him based on their national reputation. I'm planning to have him reproduce the carpets for my Z, I'm not impressed with the reproduction carpets in the after market. If you ever looking for custom work it is top notch

Finish Line

(856) 309-8500

10 N White Horse Pike, Somerdale, NJ 08083

[Richard Oben]

Well I asked for my money back. Just the work money, I would eat the shipping. I got a request to have me ship it back to them and supply all the parts to fix it. Of course it would be at my expense.

Well, when I sent the dash the first time I sent all the hardware and it was installed. All they really had to do was put it back and make sure it all fit.

And the second time I sent it back I included all the hardware again and SPECIFICALLY asked for pictures BEFORE the dash was returned.

So here I am being asked to pay more money to have them not do it right again. Once bitten twice conned I will not be fooled a third time especially when I would have to pay another 200 in shipping.

His response has been for me to pay for shipping for them to do it wrong a third time.

In short I will never ever ever recommend them to any ever. What a joke, two attempts to get it right and now he wants a third but will not refund my money. Sorry, I will send another dash to a reputable company before it goes back to this guy. JMHO, Richard.

[cbudvet]

I'm sorry you had this experience. Like I said earlier, my dash is currently there and I am feeling less than optimistic about it. I guess time will tell what kind of job they do on it. Do you know where you are going to send it?

carl