Dash repair

[rfitzpatrick]

Hi all,

Im new here and actively shopping for my first FJ40. I found one that I’m interested in, but the dash was cut to make room for a stereo head unit. How big of a job is it to get this dash back to stock?

 

[South Texas 97]

The 2 din radio seems to be the least of your issues with that dash, and wiring harness behind it….
Anything is repairable. Most of the dash is flat steel plate.

 

[rfitzpatrick]

Would you mind elaborating a little more? What am I getting in to here? And should it be avoided?

 

[B y r o n]

First you'll need to find a donor vehicle that you can cut the dash out of. Then you will need to cut your dash out and replace it with the donor dash. NOT something you can do with standard hand tools. If you have extensive body repair skills and tools it is doable.

 

[Engineer8000]

First you'll need to find a donor vehicle that you can cut the dash out of. Then you will need to cut your dash out and replace it with the donor dash. NOT something you can do with standard hand tools. If you have extensive body repair skills and tools it is doable.

I did this, best way to get a clean dash. It gives you easy access to the wire harness while it is off. Get a good spot weld cutter and go to it.

 

[h82crash]

It's going to require welding, either way. If the hole doesn't go past the lower radius above the knee pads, just weld in a patch of 18 ga steel. Plenty of photos of the knob locations to drill the holes.

 

[liko]

I like the suicide knob on the wheel, poor mans power steering and nice seats! Lots going on in there..... Gauge cluster is not oem, turn signal too, and missing the dash pad on top, can't see the vacuum 4wd shift, But nice cruiser from what you show.

 

[Living in the Past]

First you'll need to find a donor vehicle that you can cut the dash out of. Then you will need to cut your dash out and replace it with the donor dash. NOT something you can do with standard hand tools. If you have extensive body repair skills and tools it is doable.

I did this, best way to get a clean dash. It gives you easy access to the wire harness while it is off. Get a good spot weld cutter and go to it.

Question for you two. How did you handle the glovebox? Did you cut the spot welds on the fire and use the complete donor glovebox or did you cut the spot welds on the original dash and use the original glovebox? Have a dash from a 73 FHT to use on my 73 FST. Donor dash needs a few non stock hole filled but nothing like the original dash. Also what did you use to cut the welds on the A pillar? Plus did you drill all the spot welds along the top?

 

[Living in the Past]

I like the suicide knob on the wheel, poor mans power steering!

If you ever wheeled one of these old 40 series in the rocks it would be the first you would remove. Hit a rock and the wheel spins so fast the suicide knob could break your thumb. I learned quick to lay my thumb along the outer circle and not wrap it around the wheel. Another thing on these old steering wheels, the turn signal cancel binds up. Instead of fighting it you back off a little and manually cancel the turn signal. Happens a few times and it's like riding a bicycle you never forget these two things.

 

[Engineer8000]

I used the box that came with the new dash, ground the welds at the fire wall (they were just tack welds not spot welds). Drilled the spot welds along the top with a spot weld cutter (drop the windshield and remove the rubber gasket first). Just used a angle grinder to remove the vertical welds on the A pillar.

 

[Living in the Past]

I used the box that came with the new dash, ground the welds at the fire wall (they were just tack welds not spot welds). Drilled the spot welds along the top with a spot weld cutter (drop the windshield and remove the rubber gasket first). Just used a angle grinder to remove the vertical welds on the A pillar.

Funny as much as a PO hacked the dash the radio opening was untouched. I have the original blank from when a radio wasn't installed. Replacement dash opening needs a little repair. I torn believe repairing back to stock size or to the standard single DIN? Too old to start downloading my music and just want a CD player over a radio. Do not believe a radio/CD player is made to fit the smaller opening?

Not sure way anyone would hack up a dash for a double DIN radio like in picture in the original post. Toyota used some decent audio around the turn of the century that was actually two single DIN units held together with the mounting brackets. Obviously no Bluetooth but personally wouldn't use it anyway. Because Toyota's premium sound at the time used an external amplifier it makes it easier to upgrade to nice five channel amplifier less complicated.

 

[45Dougal]

I find the concept of "getting back to stock" a point of conflict.
On the one hand you could replace the whole panel so it looks exactly as it did when it left the factory.
On the other hand you could keep a much original metal as you can for that truck, and retain the story.

Personally I'd rather retain the story of how the vehicle got to where it is, so in this case I'd cut a steel infill panel with the right holes, and weld it in place into the opening.

In 50 years time, the next owner will see what you did while they're upside down trying to fix the hazard connector yet again, and understand why.

 

[h82crash]

Not sure way anyone would hack up a dash for a double DIN radio like in picture in the original post.

I agree, the radio in the first post with a cubby below it? If you're going to do it, at least have a decent head unit to install. Having a touch screen with navigation is practical. BTW this Sony fits a single DIN opening. It is just hiding the holes for the heater controls. My radio opening was already hacked up by a PO.