VE - SSV Dashboards - How easy to change?

[octa80n]

Hi Guys,

I'm a newbie here and i'm looking at buying a VE SSV, my first V8! :) Now, i have been looking around and I must admit being pretty disappointed with the dashboard colours currently availble in those cars, red or orange. Not very much to my liking. I have found some nice cars, but the only reason that I have not bought one yet is because of the dashboard colour. I would like to know how easy it is to change the dashboard to a standard black or grey for VE SSV. Does anyone know? Is there any place which can be recommended? Is it advisable to change a dashboard? Anyone has done this before?

Thanks
octa80n

[Marco]

Not all SSVs have a fruit salad coloured dash mate; plenty out there with good old black if that's what you prefer. I'm kinda surprised you haven't come across one yet, as I doubt very many buyers picked the coloured dash.

IIRC some more recent builds also offered blue dashboards with certain exterior colours.

[octa80n]

You are right, I have seen a few with the standard black dashboard. But the ones I am interested in - value+mods made have this flashy red or orange dashboard. As I said, I would have already bought one of them if not the colour of their dash.

If it's going to be trouble changing the dashboard, I don't mind waiting for the right car to come! :) But, if it's possible to change it without much trouble, I'm more than happy to have MY christmas present hey!!! ;-)

Thanks
octa80n

[JaMeS_2007]

just paint it yourself. its not all that hard to pull out

[moconn20]

those coloured skins cost about $350 from spare parts, so id say the black ones are much the same price.
add $70 either side for the lower black sections, and maybe $40 each side for the dash strips.

[octa80n]

unfortunately James, I don't think i'm that good of a painter to handle that! :) any professional shop you can refer me to? I don't mind having them painted as long as it's professionally done and by pple who have done that before!

Thanks
octa80n

[Wonky]

Arcee on here changed his standard black dash bottom half for red to match his red SSV a la HSV style i.e. half coloured, half black. Looks good and reduces the sometimes "confrontational" appearance of a full orange or red dash, plus gives a HSV like feel.

Parts weren't ridiculously expensive and it only took 10 mins to do. If you're lucky he might sell you his original black parts (glovebox and under steering column cover) nice and cheap!! :D I suspect changing the top part is quite expensive and difficult.

[arcee]

This has come up a bit lately so here's a pic:

http://2two5.com/Dash2.jpg

Easy as to fit the bottom pieces as Wonky said. The top however is one piece and requires a lot of disassembly to install. From memory it was around the $200 Mark for the top piece...

Cheers

[6_litre_man]

This has come up a bit lately so here's a pic:

http://2two5.com/Dash2.jpg

Easy as to fit the bottom pieces as Wonky said. The top however is one piece and requires a lot of disassembly to install. From memory it was around the $200 Mark for the top piece...

Cheers

that actually looks really good, sets it all off quite nicely, how much are you looking at for those two pieces?

[Wonky]

92173903 = Red Glovebox Door. List= $146 + GST
92197331 = Drivers side cover (red). List= $98 + GST

[Wonky]

Sorry, should have qualified the prices above by saying they were from June 09, so may have changed now. I also seem to remember the top dash part was $300 - $400.

[octa80n]

Hey guys,

Nicceee...arcee, tasteful changes to the dashboard mate!

Wonky, thanks for the prices. Do you know of any shop where they will be able to change the dashboard, doing a professional and nice job? One of my mates recommended Chev. Any other places?

In my quest for my first V8, I checked an HSV Clubby last night. 06, silver, manual, catback exhaust (decent sound), 76Kms on the meter. For a late 06 with a pretty neat body (a few stone chips on the bonnet and a minor dent on the front passenger door), leather interior, i was told 40K. What you guys reckon? Deal or no deal?

Cons: 06 HSV Clubby has a LS2 engine compared to the L98 for SSV, insurance is nearly twice as much as a SSV (both having 6.0L engines), i would imagine the maintenance cost of a clubby being higher than a SSV, i might be wrong.

Pros: IT IS AN HSV!!!!! HSV has most likely more power than a stock SSV, but i've done a bit of research and found out that the L98 engine is somehow more upgradeable than the LS2. How true is this statement?


Ultimately, i've narrowed down my list to 2 SSVs, one monaro (05) - i'm going to see this one tomorrow and one HSV.

Thanks
octa80n

[octa80n]

Anyone can throw some light on these questions plsseee!!!


Thanks guys!
octa80n

[Wonky]

Hey guys,

Nicceee...arcee, tasteful changes to the dashboard mate!

Wonky, thanks for the prices. Do you know of any shop where they will be able to change the dashboard, doing a professional and nice job? One of my mates recommended Chev. Any other places?

In my quest for my first V8, I checked an HSV Clubby last night. 06, silver, manual, catback exhaust (decent sound), 76Kms on the meter. For a late 06 with a pretty neat body (a few stone chips on the bonnet and a minor dent on the front passenger door), leather interior, i was told 40K. What you guys reckon? Deal or no deal?

Cons: 06 HSV Clubby has a LS2 engine compared to the L98 for SSV, insurance is nearly twice as much as a SSV (both having 6.0L engines), i would imagine the maintenance cost of a clubby being higher than a SSV, i might be wrong.

Pros: IT IS AN HSV!!!!! HSV has most likely more power than a stock SSV, but i've done a bit of research and found out that the L98 engine is somehow more upgradeable than the LS2. How true is this statement?


Ultimately, i've narrowed down my list to 2 SSVs, one monaro (05) - i'm going to see this one tomorrow and one HSV.

Thanks
octa80n

If you mean just like arcee, it takes 5 or 10 mins at most and any fool who can handle a screwdriver could do it. To do the full dash i.e. top too, I suspect is a specialist job i.e. a motor trimmer or someone who has previous experience pulling that part out on a VE in particular. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Chev’s for anything mechanical as I’ve seen the care they take and pride they have in their workmanship, but I seriously doubt if they’ve ever done anything like that and from that point of view am sure even they would recommend taking it to somewhere knowledgeable in these things. The first time someone tackles a job like that there's a chance they'll break clips/tabs etc. while they work out how it all comes apart, so you don’t really want to be the car someone uses to learn on.

As far as prices on used HSVs go, I'm not really your man as I haven't been following them, but as a guess I'd say the R8 sounds well priced to me. Best to check Redbook and Yellow Book (Glass' Guide) prices and see what they say, but it does at least sound an honest car i.e. small dint and stone chips not cleaned up. Pity it's this time of year as the best thing to do when you find a promising candidate is take it to somewhere knowledgeable with these cars to check over, but at this time of year most are shut till 4th Jan at least.

Yes, one day I want to own a HSV!! I just want one! :D

[GMH-TWR]

Swapping the Dash is a pretty time consuming process in the VE, Probably looking at 6 - 8hrs Labour

Following parts have to be removed:
Steering Wheel (column can stay in)
Centre Console
A pillar trims
Glovebox
Entire centre stack display ie: radio etc
Instrument Cluster

Pretty much everything comes out except HVAC and IP Beam

[Merlin]

I am sure there would be plenty of people willing to swap with you on here - your coloured for their black. Just make a swap thread once you buy the car and if your lucky you'll get out of it for free.

Changing the dash whilst time consuming is not all that hard - easy to do yourself.

[ross08]

i changed the full dash in my ve ss ute to red. It wasn't the easiest job and i wouldn't do it again but it does look heaps better than the black.