Although you may not think about it, the dashboard in your Camaro takes a beating. It's continually baking in brutal sunlight and heat focused through the windshield. The dash pad is expected to survive decades of continual UV exposure and heat cycles. The polymers used in modern cars are pretty resilient, but today's formulations are much more advanced than they were back in the 1960s and 1970s. This combination of harsh conditions and older polymer construction has led to an inevitable problem: dash pad deterioration. So, today we'll address how to replace a worn-out Camaro dash pad.
Even if your classic Camaro has lived a relatively pampered life, kept in a cool garage and treated regularly with interior protectant chemicals, its dash pad may be showing its age. Original factory dash pads may crack, peel, fade, or warp, leading to an appearance that detracts from your car's natural beauty.
Above: A new dash pad will allow the other components in your Camaro's interior to shine, rather than drawing attention away from them.
Repair or Replace?
In some cases, original factory dash pads can be rebuilt and refinished by interior specialty shops. However, this process can be time-consuming and costly, requiring your original dash pad to be removed and delivered to a shop for refurbishment. Also, the refinishing process may not be able to deal with more severe cracking and warping. Starting with an OE dash pad in the best possible condition is key to this process, but finding those surviving parts is getting much harder. And, if you do find one, the cost will likely be prohibitive.
Classic Industries offers a quick and easy solution for many classic car models that suffer from dash pad deterioration. One clean and easy solution is the OER reproduction dash pads that directly replace your old pad while maintaining the car's original appearance. They're crafted with modern polymers and manufacturing techniques for excellent durability, but feature the correct contour, grain, and stitching to match your stock interior. They're even engineered to feel the same to the touch.
If you've decided to replace your Camaro dash pad, you may want to tackle the project at home in your garage. Thankfully, it's quite easy to replace a worn-out dash pad. Our video below shows the steps for a third-gen Camaro, but the process isn't all that different for first and second-gen cars.
1967-1969 Camaro (First-Gen)
For first-generation 1967-69 Camaro models, Classic Industries carries a wide array of dash pads. The 1967 and 1968 cars feature smaller dash pad inserts, while 1969 cars used a larger one-piece design that wraps around the entire dashboard. In the latter case, there are two different OER part numbers for cars with and without factory A/C.
You can watch a video that shows the details and features of the first-gen Camaro dash pad here.
1970-81 Camaro (Second-Gen)
Classic Industries also carries OER dash pads for second-generation 1970-81 Camaro models. The 1970-78 dash pads are constructed from urethane, which is substantially more durable than original dash pads since it will not crack due to exposure to UV rays. The 1979-81 dash pad is manufactured to match the original GM materials.
You can watch a video that shows the details and features of the 1970-78 Camaro dash pad here.
1982-92 Camaro (Third-Gen)
For 1982-92 third-generation Camaro models, Classic Industries offers an OER Restorer's Choice dash pad. It's constructed from urethane with vinyl wrapping, and matches the contours and texture of the original dash pad. This is the part featured in the DIY installation video above.
Classic Industries carries high-quality OER replacement dash pads for many popular makes and models of classics — click here to view our dash pad selection. And if your need for restoration parts goes beyond a new dash pad, click the button below to get a free full-color catalog with our full selection of classic American muscle restoration parts.