Joe W. writes:
>Hi - My 72 Spitfire MK4, commision #FK35231, seems to be missing a piece
of the
>dash that goes between the transmission tunnel and the bottom of the dash. It
>has a cutout for the radio. My VB and TRF catalogs show it, but don't list
part
>numbers for it. The car has a wooden 3 piece dash, which someone told me was
>from a '74 or later car. Is there a source for this panel, and will it fit
in a
>72 that originally had a metal dash?
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The 72 originally had a 3 piece, mat, pebble type finish molded plastic
dash, so the wood dash is a transplant. There is a "radio console" part
number WKC3621 (1500 but the same for the MK4) It is a padded, vinyl
covered, cast aluminum piece that straddles the transmission cover, just
behind the gearshift lever. It bolts at the top in two places, to a
bracket just under and welded to the sheet metal dash mounting and in four
places at the floor into the frame, on either side of the transmission.
There is a large rectangular cutout for installation of a radio. A
blanking plate (of which I still have on backorder :-}) fits over this
opening, bolted to the two top aforementioned mounting holes, and either
covers the rectangular opening or has a cutout designed for a standard type
radio (probably now referred as a classic) with shaft mounts. This support
is a substantial piece that considerably stiffens the dash structure, and
I'm suprised that it would be missing. They don't break and there is
really no reason I can think of to remove it and never replace it. Try a
wrecking yard, there should be plenty of them.
Barry Schwartz in San Diego, CA
Bschwartz@encad.com
72-V6/5sp Spitfire ( daily driver )
70 GT6+ ( when I don't drive the Spitfire )
70 (sorta) Spitfire ( project )
73 Ford Courier ( parts hauler )
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