[rjrussell]

OK guys,

Working on the '68 convertible-in-a-can today. This is the car I bought totally disassembled and brought home in coffee cans and card board boxes.

Was working on installing the dash panels. Got the upper right one in and secured with those evil thin stamped nuts. Grabbed the center panel and dropped it in place - expecting to reach behind it and secure with two more of the sheet metal nuts only to find the plastic studs are much smaller in diameter.

I searched through all my cans but couldn't come up with anything that looked to be the proper fasteners. What am I missing here? Surely it doesn't just drop in and then held in place by the upper panel on one side and the gauge cluster on the other.

Another interesting feature of this center panel. There are two small holes drilled in roughly the center of the panel - on a diagonal. These holes are filled with plastic pins that appear to be glued in place. My first reaction was someone had screwed some goofy air fresher or AutoZone chrome doo-dad there - changed their mind and filled the holes with these pins. But looking closely, the heads of these pins are flush with the panel and carry the same camera-case finish as the rest of the panel - suggesting something origina from the factory.

But in my experience, I've never seen anything in this spot. Has anyone ever seen an emblem or script put in this spot? If it's really a repair, someone went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up. It's actually pretty impressive.

Thanks!

ray

[67ragtopStang]

The only things I've seen in that panel is the optional Convenience Panel or an A/C Register. I seem to remember there were slotted tabs on that piece, but I think I just have it held in place by the dash and right panel, on my car.

See attached photo.

[rjrussell]

Well, maybe when you pull the fasteners up tight on the upper and gauge panels, they snuggly hold this center panel in place. That would explain the missing fasteners. Thanks!

Never saw those convenient lights - interesting.