Gap in radio surround
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
Gap in radio surround
I've noticed on a couple of C5s (mine included) that the bezel around the stereo doesn't line up well with the dash. Is there a fix for this? Is it a defect in the bezel or the dash? TIA 
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
There are pins in the back of the bezel that go into dash. I trimmed mine down some and it fits flush now.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Depends.... Remove the center console. You will find some screws that will allow you to adjust the dash pad in or out. That will make the console fit better.
BC
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
As Bill Curlee says, there is some adjustment available to you. There are two tabs along the edge of the right "wing" of the dash pad that follows the right side of the bezel. These tabs are easily broken when removing the dash and are all that holds the "wing" tight to the side of the console.
Good luck... GUSTO
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
Well... I took it apart only to confirm my suspicion. The Corvette interior isn't any better made then the Camaros. It's hard for me to describe but I had to trim part of the pad next to the stereo mount pedestal. The pedestal was forcing the pad to bow out.. and over the last 6-7 years... the pad is now deformed. Also, the problem would get better the top two tabs on the bezel actually gripped something solid.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've asked this question a few times and no one has come up with a good fix. You can tweak the holding lugs but it still leaves a gap. I thought of using a leather insert like the one around the AH panel but even that doesn't work.
Hopefully someone will come up with a good idea sometime soon.
Hopefully someone will come up with a good idea sometime soon.
Last edited by DeeGee; Jul 25, 2007 at 01:53 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: burlington ont
gap
well i decided to try to fix the gap today and i am happy to say that I DID!! it was quite easy, i took the the radio surround out and extended the holes that the screws go through, i used a round file that came in my tire patch set. i loosened the screw where the bowed out side was and pushed it as tight as possible and then screwed it. this helped out a little. i did the same with the surround at it worked perfectly, i just had to push and tighten at the same time. hope this helps out
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 805
Likes: 54
From: Murrieta CA
I just recently replaced the whole bezel because the old one was starting to peel. Before replacement I had the gap. After replacement, no gap. It felt like the long plastic pegs on either side of the bezel that "stab" into the metal frame just grabbed much better. I had my other bezel off several times for a Hurst shifter install, XM Commander install, etc. and just wonder if those pegs wore down enough to cause the gap. Maybe a wrap of tape around the right peg especially might work. I wouldn't want to buy a new bezel just to eliminate the gap.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
I suppose I'll see if I can sucker another local vette owner into letting me try their bezel. Anybody in St. Louis have a shifter they need installed? I'll install it for free if you let me trial fit your bezel into my car. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 45
From: Castleton VA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
This is how I addressed the gap on my console (looking from the passenger side, you could see the metal frame behind the gap). I added a few layers of cardboard strips to the top right tab (the one that is supposed to grab the top edge of the dash pad). I secured them with the combination of superglue and a small zip-tie. This made the tab thick/tall enough to get a grip on the dash pad and keep the console tight up against the dash. No more gap, and it's stayed that way since I did the fix last year. I haven't removed the console since doing this fix, so I don't know whether it will withstand multiple remove/replace cycles.