850 Spider dash cover

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Dave Bassett

True Classic
FUI, I just received in the mail a dash cover from Covercraft. It seemed uncertain to me that they would be able or willing to fill the order, so I didn't say anything. Given how difficult and/or expensive it is to find a new or good dash pad, this might be of interest to someone. It is black in a sort of carpet/velour material with nice tight holes for the vents, in the right paces, and contours to fit it pretty nicely to the shape of the padding. My dash is cracked on to, but the damage will be covered. The part # is 0918-00-25. Do I wish I had a nice new dash pad? Sure, but I don't and this is a substantial improvement.
 
I like to put one of those covers on all of my dashes, new or old, to help preserve them. I go so far as to mount them to the dash with some double sided tape along the edges so it lays perfectly on the dash. The tape can always be cleaned off if I ever decided to remove the cover....however I never have in the 50 years of playing with vintage cars. :)
 
For many years I knew someone local to me that custom made these covers. She had been doing it for ages and accumulated a huge file of patterns. Then she allowed me to request any changes from her standard pattern (such as making the front edge come down a little further if there were cracks extending over the edge), before she made mine in my choice of materials and colors. She could also custom fit it if I had made any modifications to the dash. And the price was under $30. Unfortunately she finally quit doing them a couple years ago, luckily for me after I got one for my current X1/9 project. But I wish I had thought to get a couple made for some other vehicles.
 
Dave Bassett said:
This particular actually has some compound shapes to correspond with the dash. I am pretty pleased.
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Yes, that is usually how they are made by way of some seams, like how a suit is tailored to fit the body. When fitted closely to the dash it almost appears to be upholstered rather than a cover. Especially depending on the choice of material used. That's why I tape it down at all of the critical locations to keep it snug against the dash. Basic double sided tape works so well that I don't use the velcro attachments. ;)
 
Dave Bassett said:
It was surprising that they make it for the 850.
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Good point, that surprises me as well. However if they have been making them for ages then maybe the pattern is still around from the old days. That was how the person I know did it; she made each pattern directly off a actual dash initially, then kept that pattern for ever. That's why people would go to her if no company made one for their car, she would make it for them using their dash. She had a lot of very odd patterns
 
They made covers for my 850s and now I’m awaiting one for my Alfetta. Somehow they get real dimensions and make covers that fit perfectly. But yes I see where it be harder to make a perfect dash cover as the dimensions are not readily available.
 
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