1962 Power Top Switch cutout in dash

[Patrick H.]

Apparently in 1962 every car's dash had the fiberglass and the dash pad cutout for a power top switch, even if the car didn't come with a power top.

Based on photos of original cars, the cutout in the dash pad was made before installation, and I suspect made by a die. It's a very clean cut.

Since reproduction dash pads do NOT come with this precut, is there any way to nicely reproduce this cutout in the pad? Doing it with an Xacto knife won't look that great no matter how skilled you are with your hands. So far we've taken the deduction for the missing hole, and going into Nationals we're leaning that way as we don't want it to look really bad.

However, if anyone knows a surefire way to reproduce the cutout cleanly I'd love to know.

[Brian M.]

Re: 1962 Power Top Switch cutout in dash

How much of a deduct have you been seeing?

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1962 Power Top Switch cutout in dash

1-2 points.
I know, not a lot, which is why we're not touching it if there's not an easy, correct way to do it.

[Vinnie P.]

Re: 1962 Power Top Switch cutout in dash

Pat...Fall 2011 Restorer has an article on making the cutout hole...I'll email it to you

Vinnie

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1962 Power Top Switch cutout in dash

Got it.
Thank you very much, Vinnie.
That saves me digging through my pile of old copies.