That's what negative rep points are for. I know I used that feature just now...


That's a vacuum form table. Not a super cheap piece of equipment and while it is similar to a shop vac - it's not the same thing.

 

I bought one of their clusters a while ago, and the first one I received had two of the smaller gauge holes drilled up into the sidewall of the opening. They sent a replacement and I returned the incorrectly drilled one in the same box.

Then I mocked up the replacement, and it looked fine. I had to then drill an opening for the indicator panel I was using. I went to install it and realized a major flaw in their design:
the area over the heater controls and the radio was set about 3/4" too far out from where it needs to be. That means when installed, the heater and radio both have a gap of 3/4" between the face of the controls and the front face of the bezel (ie: you can see all the way inside the dash all the way around). Since I drilled for the indicator panel before realizing this, I wouldn't be able to return it anyway. Just stinks to have spent this much money, only to find out that it is indeed junk and won't fit properly. The design is neat, it looks neat, but the fact that it won't fit sucks.

I will probably end up getting a piece of sheet metal and fabricating a gauge panel to go over the stock bezel, similar to the Dolphin Gauges set up, but not out of thick material. That way I can still use the gauges I already bought, and also the indicator panel that I have. Plus, I know for a fact that my factory bezel fits just fine!

 

so the final cost of the product return and shipping is.

Classic Dash piece of crap $259.95
Shipping from NV $16.00
Restocking Fee $39.00
Return Shipping $11.00
Total 325.95

Return Credit $220.90

Actual Classic Dash Ripoff Cost: $105.05[/quote]

Sorry, but this math just doesn't add up... ??

Your Total cost was $66.00... NOT $105.05.

 

It's a shame, as I've said before, that both this panel, and the Dolphin panel, look like someone took sheet metal(or plastic) and just put it over the bezel. To look 'OEM' they REALLY need a slant to them like the OEM gauges, behind the clear plastic gauge cover..

The angle looks goofy on the Dolphin panel, IMO.

 

How does it not add up???
$259.95 + $16 + $39 + $11 = $325.95 and $325.95 - $220.90 = $105.05

You need to re-look at YOUR math 1FastGambler

 

The way you have it written out, the basic math is correct, however what I am "assuming" is that the $39.00 restocking fee is NOT an amount that was actually ever paid. Therefore it should be 259.95 + 16.00 + 11.00 = $286.95 total paid out of pocket, less the return credit of 220.90 = 66.06 actual out of pocket expense.

If what you say is correct I would be calling the vendor back and demanding another credit for $39.00!

Cheers.

 

Makes sense.

 

Wow........
Somewhere in here it was asked if anybody had used N.P.D.
FoMoCo built my truck the first time and N.P.D. and I built it the second time around. I can't say enough good things about their service, phone operators and packers, there was a hic up with the vinyl dash panel being returned twice do to defects too noticable but they covered shipping each time and did the best they could to keep a good name. Quality parts with good fitment. I personally wanted an "origonal looking" restoration of what around my parts can't be found and was willing to pay the high prices for good parts, beats 50-60k for a new truck that will depreciate quickly.

I couldn't remember if I had to, could look it up, but I did get my dash instrument bezel with woodgrain, radio cut-out, a/c vent and chrome from them as well.

No i'm not payed to compliment those guys as much as I did. just a long answer to a question somewhere in these pages.

O.P. would like to know where ION is as well, he's needing an attitude ajustment. Funny how BIG people can get on the "steroidnet"

 

As said before, Dennis Carpenter supplies many other companies (LMC, NPD, AutoKrafters, Broncograveyard etc) with their reproduction parts. It's up to which company will be willing to mis-represent "blem" parts as new OEM and risk losing customers for poor quality parts. I bought parts from all those companies and all of them had parts in DC packaging. DC produces really good products but with any manufacturer, they are going to get some "blem" parts. I bought some cowl badging off their ebay store which stated they were "blem" and when I received them, I couldn't tell where the blem was. I saved like $30 and was still happy. I don't blame DC for selling blem parts to other companies willing to re-sell them at new OEM price. It's also about good customer service. If a part isn't up to quality, than they should recoup the shipping and send out another part for free. That's what good service is and is what keeps customers coming back. Simple. They shouldn't be sending out poor quality parts anyway.