Some parts are getting hard to find

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Sirriggs

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I have a 99 Dodge Ram pick up and some parts are hard to come by sometimes. You can find dashboard parts like covers and such but the main dash those parts attach to are rare and expensive. As many of these trucks are still driving today, you would think the after market would be there but very little can be found. Dodge knew the dash components plastic was horrible but never addressed it.

I'm in the process of restoring my wife truck and I can see this isn't going to be a easy to find process. Even junk yards in my area either don't have any or what they do have been stripped of most common things to look for. The main dash has broken in a few spot's where you attach the new dash top and bezels to along with some components. I'm looking into maybe some way to make some kind of fiberglass pieces to tie into those missing spots but not sure if it can be done? I will take some pictures in the next few days to show you what I mean. Has anyone ever had to repair their dash to support replacing the top and bezel? I found a lot of interior parts through LMC. My goal is to honor her wish to pass it on to our daughter but I would like to have it completely done right and nice looking. Thanks
 

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The worst part about doing a junk yard part resto is getting to the car first. If you dont have it already, download the "Row 52" app. It searches local yards up to 500 miles away for what vehicle you need.

21 98-01 ram 1500s near me. Screenshot_20210813-091336_Row52.jpg
 

chri5k

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It is definitely tough finding aftermarket non-wear item parts for a 20ish year old vehicle that is not very collectable. Reverse-engineering the sub-dash to create a mold to make new old parts would be in the neighborhood of $100K. Once the mold is created, the parts need to be made, boxed, marketed, transported and finally sold. One would think adding up all these costs for a very limited number of sales would make the parts extremely expensive or unprofitable. Heck even some wear-item parts are hard to find for older vehicles.
 

PoMansRam

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I feel for ya because it's a problem for vehicles even newer than that.

A older retired guy my buddy knows goes around to junk yards and grabs up steering wheels and what ever dash parts/controls he can get at for various vehicles. He hoards most and sells others online.
 
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Sirriggs

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Did that app and nothing in my area. Wasn't surprised since I called a few a while back with no luck.. For not being collectable, you still see a lot of them around here. Just finding in a junk yard isn't easy. lol. My thought would be knowing the dash history, they would think about more then dash covers and bezels.
 

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I found the best price on a dash cap and bezel at LMC truck. I didn't want to go glue a cover on didn't have much faith in getting a good one from the junkyard. The OEMs are known for cracking and falling apart and I figure one from a junkyard has a limited life. The ones from LMC are already colored and I think they're made from ABS.

The plastic dashboard frame is the same story without a solution though. Mine is cracking but hanging in there.
 
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Sirriggs

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I have a catalog from LMC. They carry a good amount of parts. The only place for what I'm looking for will be Ebay most likely. I'm trying to find the main dash that you attach the top to. I have found some there but boy they are ridiculous on cost. Thankfully I'm in no rush so hopefully I can find one a little cheaper then I seen so far.:).
I just wished they would sell this part along with dash covers. The whole dash ordeal is a well know dumpster fire.
 

Spike95

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Many of us have been through this exact same situation. I fear ever taking apart the dash for anything because I know it will fall apart as soon as I do. I’ve had no heat for years because I’m afraid to replace the heater core…

That being said, there are things you can do if the damage isn’t too bad. I used JB Plastiweld to fix a bunch of cracked tabs where my gauge cluster, stereo, and headlight switch attached. I covered the repairs in foil to add a little extra structure to them. It was just what I had on hand. I’m sure there are other things that might work even better. You can also try plastic welding. It especially helps if you have some filler material similar to the plastic they made the dash from.

I believe the ultimate fix would be to take the dash completely out of the truck and coat the inside of it with a layer of fiberglass to give it some real structure. I know that day is coming for my truck, but will put it off as long as I can because it is still my daily driver and that will be a big project.
 

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I bought a bezel for my '99 from a junkyard. It's not perfect, but a major improvement over what it replaced. But agreed, the junkyard dash pads are always between cracked and disintegrated.

Here's a good video on dash pad replacement from LMC:

 
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Sirriggs

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Getting the dash top and bezel isn't the hard part. Its the dash part or main body( Not sure of the name) that is where it gets crazy on price. I'm just going to save up and cross fingers I find one in good shape in a price range I can afford. I will then coat the inner side for preventive and strength so I wont deal with this in the future or my daughter when it's passed on. The control for the heat and ac as you can see is being held in for now with blue tape as well the air bag switch.
IMG_20210816_001000449.jpg
 

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scrounge

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Ok, I see what you're saying, Yeah, mine has 2 places where a screw no longer works, one for the instrument panel, another for the headlight switch. For now, I'm just living with it.
 
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Sirriggs

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Yeah, Its bad but I too may have live with it also. I would really like to do the right thing and just replace it even though I'm sure there is a lot of work involved. Looking at the blue tape makes me sick but it holds it in place for now. It's well know these do this but I'm just puzzled by nobody doing that main part that both the dash and bezel attach to. I'm sure people would pay a reasonable price for one. The one's on Ebay are just stupid over priced and they sell quickly.
 

Spike95

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Yeah, Its bad but I too may have live with it also. I would really like to do the right thing and just replace it even though I'm sure there is a lot of work involved. Looking at the blue tape makes me sick but it holds it in place for now. It's well know these do this but I'm just puzzled by nobody doing that main part that both the dash and bezel attach to. I'm sure people would pay a reasonable price for one. The one's on Ebay are just stupid over priced and they sell quickly.
Yes, I would definitely pay a premium price for a good new part. I just can’t bring myself to pay $800-900 for one off of eBay that is just as old (and often far more beat up looking) than the one I am replacing. If someone made a new one and charged $700 for it, I wouldn’t be able to get my wallet out fast enough!
 

Skatulaki

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4 or 5 years ago a roommate was given a car for a job he did, and the pad on the arm rest was all worn and nasty. he went to JoAnn's Fabrics and got a fabric and some foam and remade it.

I realize it is not the same thing as a dash. However if you have all the broken pieces, couldn't one with a little work, Epoxy, or fiberglass the backside to hold the pieces together and then glue a fabric cover to the topside around the edges and then partially on the inside, and remake the dash? Just an idea. With $800 I can get pretty creative and make my own dash.
 

Skatulaki

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I like to say " McGyver has nothing on me " Let your inner McGyver create the solution to the problem !
 

Skatulaki

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Oh , I discovered the other night that "Parts Geek" has Dashes and Dash covers at a resonable price !
 
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Sirriggs

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I am missing half pieces so I will see if I can make something work.
 

Runaround

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I recently searched eBay for a replacement dashboard for an ‘01 and as I recall it was about $350, including the vents. I don’t remember what the price was for the bezel part that is around the gauges but there were several options for those as well.
 

Dean2

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If you get some Devcon Epoxy bedding material, you can rebuild those missing tabs etc very easily. The stuff is much stronger than the dash part it will be attached to.
 

Spike95

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I recently searched eBay for a replacement dashboard for an ‘01 and as I recall it was about $350, including the vents. I don’t remember what the price was for the bezel part that is around the gauges but there were several options for those as well.
Unfortunately, I have never seen the part he is taking about going for that cheap. There are lots of options for the top of the dash or the gauge bezel. The part nobody can find is the subassembly that all of those things mount onto. The going rate on eBay seems to be $700-900 for a junkyard part, and you know they are all just as old and brittle as the part they would be replacing. I wish so badly that somebody would make them. I think people would very readily spend $700+ For them.
 
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