Topic: Windshield / Dash

[HVFDFIREFIGHTER]

The vinyl dash in my 1980 Firebird is badly cracked and needs replaced.  I see I can get a replacement or dash pad overlay to go over the original and dye the color I need.  From the vinyl dash to the inside of the front window there is another flat piece going across the entire car left and right.  It has the VIN number installed on it with a brass plate.  It is blue.  I am not sure what this is called . Anyone know?  It is the piece that has the holes for the vents in it.    I need to get to it because I am changing everything to black.  Do I need to take the windshield out to get to it?

Any help is always greatly appreciated.

[Hitman]

Yes, you do need to take the windshield out to have access to that dash panel. You don't need to replace it, it is metal, just paint it the color you need.

[Wallington]

You could scrub it well and lightly sand, then mask up all glass to spray in there lightly with a few coats of flat black. You don't want any sheen on it. But the proper way is to remove the glass. That's when you then break the screen and find rust holes and decide while you are fixing the cowl it's a good time to add the supercharger....

[Rockford]

I'm probably going to refreshen that metal part of the dash pad on mine, too, but with the windshield in.  I'm just not certain if I should opt for a satin finish or go with a flat finish.  After all these years it has become so faded, that it's hard to tell if it was initially flat or had a very minor shine to it.

[Wallington]

The original paint for the dash areas is listed as special extra flat, a whole step more flat than their matching interior colours for elsewhere.

[Rockford]

Thanks!  It's just that every flat black or blue I see out there looks rather bland and super dull.  Is there a particular brand I should look for?  I'm also wondering what they mean by "special" extra flat?  I know my colours are 24B and 24L, but I can't seem to find anything on GM sites that give the blue interior colour to go with my exterior Martinique Blue.

[Wallington]

I'm not sure if the paints used changed over the years of these models, I know the numbers no longer translate to anything useful or equivalent.

For 1978, the chart I have open for trim option 24 Blue.....

Ditzler/PPG 14782 (Light Blue Semi-Gloss)

Ditzler/PPG 15120 (Dark Blue Semi-Gloss)

Ditzler/PPG 15149 (Dark Blue Flat)

so it appears the lighter shade didn't have too much glare with the SG finish. White was the only other option that year that didn't have a Flat finish version. These listings are generally in the service manual and perhaps parts manual.