How to repair a instrument cluster bevel plastic tab
 

Folks,

I did a search on the site using terms that I thought would bring the answer to no avail.

The previous owner of my 1989 convertible's mechanic was a hack!!! He would yank things out without unbolting. He messed around with electrics causing issues, half way put things together, charged her for things that were never replaced, and many other things.

One of the things he did was broke one of the plastic tabs that hold in the instrument cluster bevel to the dash.

How have you guys fixed this tab so it actually holds up? I hate rattles and half ass repairs...

Mike B
89 Ragtop

Pretty common (and covered before), either glue a piece of ABS (with ABS cement from home depot plumbing) or screw on or pop rivet on a 2" hunk of radio back strap.

Both will work just fine.

Then add a speed nut (any hardware store) for the screw to thread onto, and you are set

A thick piece of thick flexable plastic attached with a self tapping screw:
http://208.62.166.66:82/guest/pics/rx-dash1.jpg

What do they say about a picture and a thousand words?

Thanks

Damn, very nice info. I've teh same problem, figured I was completely SOL for the last three years with it!

I can't wait to tackle my dashboard project. Almost every plastic connector tab is broken, I have no idea what happened to it. Maybe someone was frantically searching for something, it's bad. Back when the car was alive I would get a full symphony of squeaks, rattles, cracks, etc when driving on crappy Michigan roads.

So thanks for the help guys!

JEC, any update?

crappy michigan roads... know how that is, expecially in the grand rapids area it's horrible. around here in east lansing it's not too bad tho