What do you call this panel?

[DanMcG]

What do you call the panel that's under the dash pad and holds the instrument cluster. I'm calling it a dash panel but get zero info about it when I search for it.
And are they basically the same between 78 and 79?

 

[Wumbo]

Dash bezel.

https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-87-chevy-gmc/cc-1973-80-dash-bezels-and-instrument-lenses

 

[DanMcG]

Thanks Wumbo, but I'm talking the steel panel that the bezel screws into.

 

[DanMcG]

The structural steel part of the dash. The reason I ask is I want to replace my 78's with a 79 unit and I'm not sure if there is a raised section on the 79 unit where the vin would have been and would it interfere with my 78 dash pad?

 

[DanMcG]

Well I found the answer to my first question,Dynacorn make a "Dash Panel Assembly" for earlier chevy trucks and cars, just not ours .

 

[RoryH19]

Yes, if you want the steel structure that everything attaches to I would try a junk yard. I see the 81 - 87 often. The 70's every now and then.

I think the 79/80 are still rounded enough to fit the dash pad but I'll let someone else verify.

 

[BRetty]

Agreed. My '73 had an '81 Suburban Dash grafted on. (Complete with extra VIN.)

The specific part (at least for my '73) would be:

PANEL ASM., INSTRUMENT .... PART# 16.080

The brutally hacked up 81 panel *mostly* fits and works. Once I realized this I started looking for a replacement. Alas, nobody seems to sell the sheet metal dashboard assembly for our years.

You can find the "Illustrated Parts Catalog" for your range of years on this site. Gaze longingly at the enumerated part that you need. Then as suggested, hit the boneyards.

Sharp pointy hacked-on dash panel in my truck:

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'73-'78 part is # 16 in this illustration, still won't help you find one....

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[AuroraGirl]

i have a few