What are these holes in my OER dash for?

[Traxunderground]

Hi Junkie thanks..yeah in order for me to pull the dashup with a screw there, should be some kind of brace countersunk in that big hole for a screw to grab and pull up. That or a huge washer to plug up that big hole. Makes no sence to me but when I get my dash off my dining room table and to the car I'm sure I'll figure out what to do. Those hole should have been a smaller countersunk hole. When you screwd your screws in what or where do they grab on the OER to pull the dash up to the metal tab?

[FlaJunkie]

I think there should have been two studs embedded in the vinyl dash pad where those two holes are in the metal dash. Just like I think they should have added two other studs in the obvious locations along the dash pad to keep it from warping.

I put two small screws into the dash pad there through those access holes to add some strength to the whole dash pad. It keeps it from rattling there as well.

Oh, and you can't see the two holes with the dash installed.

[grzewnicki]

I ran across this photo while doing my car and saved it for when I put the dash back in, shows the sheetmetal nut, and on the dash the corresponding screws that thread into them on the dash. That is supposed to pull the bottom part of the dash pad up to the sheetmetal. Now when i put my OER dash on I found the instrument bezel does a good job holding the dash pad up I had more of a problem getting the top of the pad in this area to sit down. I removed the sheetmetal nuts, ran two sheetmetal screws up into the OER dash. The OER dash has a metal understructure that the screw could go into and pull the dash pad down. I installed the pad, marked where the screws would go on the dash pad, then removed dash pad and very carefully drilled into the dash pad and got a pilot hole in the metal structure of the pad for the sheetmetal screw to thread into. You HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO COME OUT THE TOP OF THE PAD!!! And use short screws so they don't poke through. I have in my progress thread (link below) starting at post 18 a bunch of tips to get the dash pad to fit better.

[Traxunderground]

I was just reading thru all the threads on the site to figure this out. Yup there should have been a support there but it should be pulling down the top part of the dash not pulling the bottom up. would make sence to make uit fit smoother where metal meets polyurithane. So you added two small screws going up into the top part of the poly to pull it down? Just into the poly or is there metal inside there like the other mounting spots on the oer?

[Traxunderground]

Thats the pic I was searching the site for just now! I seen it a while back and knew someone else had this issue. Thats exactly what I was looking for...so ther is a metal understructure under that top lip over the guages...now just have to do what you did drilling and not screwing up!!!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by grzewnicki

I ran across this photo while doing my car and saved it for when I put the dash back in, shows the sheetmetal nut, and on the dash the corresponding screws that thread into them on the dash. That is supposed to pull the bottom part of the dash pad up to the sheetmetal. Now when i put my OER dash on I found the instrument bezel does a good job holding the dash pad up I had more of a problem getting the top of the pad in this area to sit down. I removed the sheetmetal nuts, ran two sheetmetal screws up into the OER dash. The OER dash has a metal understructure that the screw could go into and pull the dash pad down. I installed the pad, marked where the screws would go on the dash pad, then removed dash pad and very carefully drilled into the dash pad and got a pilot hole in the metal structure of the pad for the sheetmetal screw to thread into. You HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO COME OUT THE TOP OF THE PAD!!! And use short screws so they don't poke through. I have in my progress thread (link below) starting at post 18 a bunch of tips to get the dash pad to fit better.

[tferg51]

Where can I get the sheet metal nuts that are in the picture?

[B2inSC]

^ Most hardware stores have them. I bought some last week from my local True Value. Lowes probably has them in their hardware section as well.

[Traxunderground]

Thanks everyone for your help on this thread. I got the dash in and it looks ok. I had to do some bracing underneath also to have the das sit where it should and not be too flimsy. The top of the dash where it meets the metal part of the dash would look better if OER didnt have a 10 tear old kid cut the mold with a butter knife. It is what it is because I have no other option at this point, but all the tips I was given helped out..thanks!

[Tokyo Torquer3]

The holes are access holes and the 2 screws go thru the dash and screw into the dash pad itself. My original 1973 pad has metal in the pad to screw into. My newer NOS pad has plastic in the pad to screw into.

mike