Looking for a shop to recover my '59 dashpad - Southern California

[cadfan1959]

I'm in Orange County CA.  I'm looking for in a shop OC/LA area that can recover my '59 dashpad.  I've seen some nice redone dashpads in the past and some others that were not so good. I'd like to find someone who has done a '59 dashpad before.
Any help would be appreciated.

R.Dean
cadfan1959@aol.com

[David Greenburg]

If you have deep pockets, Just Dashes will do a very good job.  Dash Specialists in Oregon is cheaper, even after shipping, but shipping one of the puppies is not much fun.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

If it's worth doing, it's usually worth doing right.

If this is a car you're planning on keeping, send it to Just Dashes and have done with it. Just so you know, they directly quoted me $2,800 for a '59 dash and end pieces (plus shipping both ways). Their work is second to none.

[Highwayman68]

I got a quote from Just Dashes a month ago for my 68 top dash pad of $1,200, that will be next years main expenditure

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Gentlemen...I realize you are trying to be helpful but OP was asking about '59 dash - not 1962 or 1968!   

[59-in-pieces]

cadfan1959,

I'm here in Burbank, suburb of L.A.
Went to Just Dashes (Van Nuys short drive) to see their operation and talk eye to eye, and just couldn't get past the attitudes. let alone the arm and the leg pricing.
Forbidden to see behind the curtain where the magic happens - must have been a CIA safe house.

On the other hand, I have 3 dash pads (for 3 different 59 Eldos) from Dash Specialists in Oregon.
Packaging for shipping is tougher than driving a half hour to Van Nuys, but the people in Oregon are patient, are down to earth, open kimono, and their prices are good.

If packing is too tough, contact mail Boxes etc. or their likes, and they'll do it for you - box & shipping - all-in.

Just a suggestion, you should consider having the R&L dash extensions/returns done at the same time, same pattern - fit and finish.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[Cadillac Nut]

2800 to recover a dash pad is ridiculous, I don't care how nice their work is.  Vacuum forming over foam isn't rocket science.  There's a place in Texas that does them for a lot less, saw their work, looked beautiful but I have not used them personally.   I'll dig out the name, it's somewhere in my files...

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I'm not in the dash restoration business and haven't any basis of comparing the output quality among the different vendors cited so the question of whether $2,800 is overpriced or not I cannot answer.

I can say however the 59/60 upper dash panel is FAR more complicated affair than the simple basic pad of a 61/62 so the price difference of 2 times+ isn't surprising. Last year JD quoted a friend $1,200 for his '62 - and that did not include end pieces included in the $2,800 estimate for the '59.

So we're talking apples and oranges here - with unknown quality sprinkled in.

[David Greenburg]

Shipping a ‘59-‘60 dash is not much fun, but if you’re going to do it, try going to a body shop and asking for a fender box; gives you a good start on creating a suitable box.

[59-in-pieces]

cadfan1959,

I forgot to mention in my earlier post, that if you are fixated on OEM - make sure that whoever does your dash and ends, uses the right texture/pastern for the covering.
If it is not that important - never mind.

If it falls into the I don't care bin, you can also get a "cap" that goes over the existing dash.
I have recommended the cap for the temporary cheap quick fix to put over a destroyed dash, until some friends could get the cash, but give president to making the car run and otherwise look good doing it, first.

59's and 60's can be black holes for money - even if you don't try to fix them all at once.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[60eldo]

  Who makes a good dash cap, who sells them, I need one, but am not gonna spend 2800

[35-709]

EZ ---

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-Molded-Dash-Cap-Cover-1959-1960/380292255524?epid=656152592&hash=item588b2f4f24:g:lVIAAOSwgQ9Vu8s8

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Black-Accu-Form-Precision-Molded-Dash-Cap-FOR-1960-CADILLAC-COUPE-SEDAN/331743052656?fits=Year%3A1960%7CMake%3ACadillac&hash=item4d3d6d4370:g:cUAAAOSwSdZWgvSK

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-Molded-Dash-Board-Cap-Cover-1959-1960/192587663723?epid=656152592&hash=item2cd71e896b:g:lVIAAOSwgQ9Vu8s8