Fast_vette89

Is that huge bump on the dashbaord of the 84-90's annoying??? I hate mine. everyone that gets in the car asks ..."what's this for??" as they grab it. Dam I hate that thing. MA sells a kit for 50bux to get rid of it.... but has anyone tried doing it on their own? b/c honestly...paying 50bux for a piece of blk plastic is crazy. What's behind their anyway??
-Jason 89

65Z01

That was The General's attempt to avoid air bags (impact absorber), but it failed; later you get an ugly air bag over there instead.

Though for the life of me I still can't see how your passenger can get to either with the seat belt fastened...

Stingraynut

I'd like to hear fom anybody who has changed the 'loaf of bread' too.

I have more problems than usual because my 88 is converted to Right Hand Drive so can't just but the flat replacement.

I have a lhd/rhd convertor looking at the problem now but he says it depends what was done behind and what is holding things up/connected etc.

I read an answer somewhere here that said,"when someone asks what the bump is for, I tell them it's a passenger crash protector - would you like to be the first to try it ?" - or similar - good one.

S'Nut

Cooter

My '86 has a cheap wood grain dash kit (I DID NOT PUT IT ON THE CAR!!!!!) and where the bread box used to be is just a flat panel of wood grain plastic with the vent stuck in it. Not the greatest looking, but it was in the car already. I was thinking about getting a piece of brushed aluminum and cutting it to fit where the 'wood' is.

Fast_vette89

I too have been thinking of a piece of brushed aluminum.....but, it's not going to match my interior. I'm debating about shelling out the 50bux for the kit from MA,....but 50bux for 2cents of plastic. i need to take it apart and see wuts up. ok, the OFFICIAL name is the "bread box". I like that. :D I know one thing....it IS coming OUT. ASAP. I'm making my own harness bar (speaking of a rip off) . I own a welder so... 400bux for a piece of pipe and a few bolt holes.....OK, lets see how stupid we are. the pipe will cost like $20. a few hrs of labor.....6beers....and i'm done. i have my DAD racing seats in the mail as we speak..and RCI red 5 points. Y mount on the bar type.

vader86

I know a guy here at Clemson who installed the flat replacement in his 88, it looked nice. But I'm not messing with that dash until the engine and Accel DFI go in somewhere, maybe i'll totally redo the interior after that.

It originally was going to be an airbag system, but the Govt didnt pass the law back then, and they were kinda stuck with it.

AGENT 86

My 86 also came with the phoney woodgrain dash. But i think it looks better than a tumor growing out of it!! Soon i will change, but no tumor in my car!!

HeeHaw89

I don't understand what the big deal is about the bread box. Personally I think it looks better than the flat look people are doing. :U
All personal preference though, to each his own.

oldace84

Look under the forum's C4 tech tips...as I remember someone did all this like last month...
Anyway check it out......
tony
:smash:

Fatt Vette

I bought the kit from Mid America. It is nothing more that a vacuum formed piece of plastic with a very cheesey mounting system, and a piece of hose to extend the AC duct. With the benefit of hind sight being what it is, I could have just as easily made one out of thin masonite, plywood, aluminum, or something. My opinion, I don't mean a slam on Mid America, make your own for $20.00 and spend $30.00 on a round of frosty malted beverages for all your friends.

Matt

hngacurv

:withstupid:

TIMSPEED

Maybe if it didn't have CORVETTE embossed on it it would look worse, but I think it doesn't look too bad, just add's to the overall uniqueness of the car. :D

FlyboyZR1

:iagree:

Fast_vette89

well, it's settled. i'm doing it myself. i'm going to make it out of something. we'll see what happens.

Aggravated4life

My 86 has a wood panel in place of the breadbox and I took the panel to an shop to have them cover it in black vinyl for me.Looks great and like factory finish.I had that lousy plastic piece and it rattled and didnt fit well and I threw it away to use the wood piece.I dont recommend that plastic panel.Too flimsy and poorly made.Push on it and it creaks.My hearing isnt that great and I could still hear it then.
Also,you guys with the woodgrain panels,you can also peel off the wood grain and have the wood wrapped in whatever you want.Can help enhance the look.

Btw,The shop charged me 15 bucks to wrap it in black vinyl with heat and glue and its not lifted,cracked or anything for over 6 years now.They were a convertible top and auto upholstry repair shop and did a great job.One other plus is that it now takes 2 minutes to get that panel off if needed to do any dash parts removal.Using a wood panel requires drilling 2 screw holes for the left side to bolt to the fuse box cover corner.Or you can use 2 sided tape.


:)

Frizlefrak

:iagree:

To each his own, but I think the breadbox is kinda cool. And yes, everyone grabs it and asks what it is.

LD85

It will be a collector item some day! :lolg:

Rich B.

The ECM and mounting brackets are right behind it, a/c ducting further back. There used to be a company made a small/short dash pocket to replace it, but I haven't seen it lately.

I have the flat plastic kit, they go on sale regularly, but right now I have too many other jobs going on to put it on.

My idea was to glue a mid-size Kleenex box holder to the flat piece...Thereby combining a crash barrier and a useful car accessory in one mod... :D

Stingraynut

My breadbox was removed yesterday and the replacement flat panel has been sent to have some vinyl put on it -YIPPEE

I was a bit suprised, all I did was ask the guy working on my 88 if he would have one on his car - he said NO and promised to look and see if it could be replaced - my car is converted to Right Hand drive, so many extra problems with the removal.

I called today and the job was underway - brilliant - I reckon he can read my mind -I was expecting him to say "yeah, well, we looked at it but not sure...etc etc"

I'vebeen thinking that it would be cool to have 'Corvette' engraved on the flat panel, in large letters. If it was timber it could be done 1/8th" deep, then have the letters filled with gold paint and flat black for the panel - or a million other alternatives - like put in a CD storage space/glovebox/etc

S'nut

TheCorvetteKid

Actually the breadbox was put in these cars because of a passenger-side head protection bill that was introduced by the Regan administration and was tabled to become law. It was NOT intented to be an airbag (contrary to popular belief) but exactly what it is now - a soft pad protruding from the dashboard to 'cushion' a passengers' head during a collision. GM big-wigs knew about the pending legislation and decided to incorporate this 'pad' into the interior of the then-new (read: still being developed) Corvette; the thinking was that they would beat everyone to market with this 'new' safety feature in their flag-ship vehicle (sales gimmick?). The bill itself was introduced back in the very early 80's and made it's way through most of US congress, but was voted down in the Senate (I think). The bill never became law, but GM was all ready to introduce the new Corvette (it was WAY too late for an interior redesign). So they introduced the car as it was (breadbox and all) knowing they would have to redesign the interior at some point.

I personally think that the breadbox is kinda cool. It adds to the overall look of the car's interior and it makes passengers laugh when you remind them that they'll have the word 'CORVETTE' emblazed on their forehead if you get into an accident :lol: .

Mid America used to sell a product that looked exactly like the breadbox, but was actually a functional glove compartment. Not a big one, mind you, but at least when someone asked you what it was you could have said "it's a glove box" and not get that weird look from passengers ('84-'89 owners know EXACTLY what I'm talking about :rolleyes: ). I don't think they sell it any more - too bad.

But here's something to think about for all those that don't like the breadbox: If that bill became law, EVERY car would have it! Now there's something that'll keep up at night :eek: !