Dash Cap Woes
Thread Starter
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Dash Cap Woes
My dash pad is showing a little cracking around the speaker perforations so I thought I'd check out the dash caps as a solution. I settled on the U.S. made American Dash Caps for $119 plus $30 shipping. The only question I needed to ask them was whether the speaker holes lined up well or missed by a mile. They assured me the speaker holes lined up fine.When it arrived the color, texture and quality looked quite good. I laid it over my original dash pad and, as you can see by the pictures, the speaker holes missed by a mile. A full two inches from side to side and another full inch from front to back. I contacted the supplier with pics, they in turn contacted the manufacturer who said:
"As long as he has 1/3 of the holes lined up there should not be any disturbance to his music.
He has more than that so he is fine.
He can dry fit the cap on and play music and see what he thinks.
Let me know if it works out for you. That is the way the mold was made."
Well, I can't tell you how disappointed I was with this reply. Of course any sound installer in the country will tell you how wrong this information is. But I had to ask the supplier, if all 1970-77 dash pads have the speaker perforations in the exact same spot, how could this manufacturer have missed them by so much. I can't be the only Corvette owner who spotted this obvious flaw. They must get these caps returned all the time. Anyway, they are sending me a return ticket and I will start the search for another.
If you're considering a dash cap for your Corvette let me save you time and trouble, Do not order the inferior product offered by American Dash Caps.
So, have any of you purchased a cap from another manufacturer/supplier and could you recommend them?
Greg
"As long as he has 1/3 of the holes lined up there should not be any disturbance to his music.
He has more than that so he is fine.
He can dry fit the cap on and play music and see what he thinks.
Let me know if it works out for you. That is the way the mold was made."
Well, I can't tell you how disappointed I was with this reply. Of course any sound installer in the country will tell you how wrong this information is. But I had to ask the supplier, if all 1970-77 dash pads have the speaker perforations in the exact same spot, how could this manufacturer have missed them by so much. I can't be the only Corvette owner who spotted this obvious flaw. They must get these caps returned all the time. Anyway, they are sending me a return ticket and I will start the search for another.
If you're considering a dash cap for your Corvette let me save you time and trouble, Do not order the inferior product offered by American Dash Caps.
So, have any of you purchased a cap from another manufacturer/supplier and could you recommend them?
Greg
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,409
Likes: 136
From: PHOENIX, AZ Yes, it's true. You are a good woman. Then again, you may be the Antichrist.
Looks to be quite a difference in the number of perforations, as well as shape and location. 
"Good enough" is NOT good enough.
"Good enough" is NOT good enough.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 306
Likes: 20
From: Greenville SC
pad
Man! that sucks. I'm sure they prepaid the return postage. So now $60.00 down the drain for freight and
another several weeks to wait. I tried a cap for my 79 and it didn't go well. Bit the bullet and paid for the replacement. Although not as good as factory I made it work.
another several weeks to wait. I tried a cap for my 79 and it didn't go well. Bit the bullet and paid for the replacement. Although not as good as factory I made it work.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Actually, that advice is not totally 'wrong'. Yes, the holes don't match up that well...BUT, those speakers are used mainly for high frequencies which do not use very much sound power and do not need a full compliment of holes for normal hearing level.
The stock radio amp is only capable of 16 watts RMS sound power. Probably less than 1 watt would be coming though BOTH dash speakers with the stock radio on MAX volume.
Because of the problems in returning this part and also in finding a 'better' alternative, I also suggest that you turn the radio on with the stock dash cap...listen...then lay the new one over and listen again to evaluate your level of displeasure with the mid/high frequency sounds. Those speakers will NOT reproduce low frequencies, anyway. (And, you do not want them to do so.)
P.S. If the highs are muffled significantly with the new cap, I would return the part at their expense, since they gave you poor advice.
The stock radio amp is only capable of 16 watts RMS sound power. Probably less than 1 watt would be coming though BOTH dash speakers with the stock radio on MAX volume.
Because of the problems in returning this part and also in finding a 'better' alternative, I also suggest that you turn the radio on with the stock dash cap...listen...then lay the new one over and listen again to evaluate your level of displeasure with the mid/high frequency sounds. Those speakers will NOT reproduce low frequencies, anyway. (And, you do not want them to do so.)
P.S. If the highs are muffled significantly with the new cap, I would return the part at their expense, since they gave you poor advice.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jan 20, 2018 at 06:36 PM.
Thread Starter
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Forgot to mention, I just had my both original speakers rebuilt with original Delco cones. I expect the system to work as GM designed it. I suppose if GM believed one third of the holes would have sounded just as good, then that's probably all they would have made.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Well, you have the cap already. You can just bi+ch and moan about it or you can try it to find out for real....
P.S. The 'original' speakers for the dash were junk when they were new. Probably not the best idea to reuse them...unless you just want it completely stock (which is a legitimate path).
P.S. The 'original' speakers for the dash were junk when they were new. Probably not the best idea to reuse them...unless you just want it completely stock (which is a legitimate path).
Thread Starter
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
I'm not sure how giving a "heads up" to my Corvette brothers on an inferior part while looking for a better quality replacement computes to "bitch and moan".
I supposed just about anyone would have realized from my pictures that the original dash pad is not currently installed so testing how it sounds is out of the question.
Thank you for your valuable input.
I supposed just about anyone would have realized from my pictures that the original dash pad is not currently installed so testing how it sounds is out of the question.
Thank you for your valuable input.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It's your problem...do what you want. We're just trying to give you some 'sane' advice. You can choose to ignore the realities of "modern" aftermarket parts, but sometimes you just have to improvise. Unless they sent you a cap for the wrong model year...or you ordered the incorrect one...that is probably the only shot you have of capping your existing dash.
Wish you the best....
Wish you the best....
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Maybe I posted too much information for you to understand so I'll simplify it down to the last sentence of my original post:
"So, have any of you purchased a cap from another manufacturer/supplier and could you recommend them?"
"So, have any of you purchased a cap from another manufacturer/supplier and could you recommend them?"
