dash bezel - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68c10owner · 11-28-2019, 04:49 PM

Are the dash bezels interchangeable from 73-87? I have a 78 and a later column was installed with the wiper switch on the column so I want to remove the old switch and either cover the hole with a inlay or just replace the bezel with a later one. what are my options?

nekkidhillbilly · 11-28-2019, 06:26 PM

im like 90% sure they will however the 81 up is made a little different.

82Diesel · 11-29-2019, 06:00 PM

73-80 is all the same, 81-87 are Different... BUT Will work just not with the 81-87 Dash Pad you MUST use the 73-80 Dash pad.

ray_mcavoy · 11-29-2019, 06:15 PM

There were about 5 different styles of dash bezels used over the 73-87 year range.

73-74 have a narrow opening for the wiper switch and a round raised area surrounding the headlight switch hole.

75-77 have a wider opening for the wiper switch and a larger hole (without the raised surround) for the headlight switch.

78-80 have some styling differences but are physically interchangeable with 75-77 as long as the corresponding lower steering column cover panel is used.

81-83 have the same wiper switch & headlight switch openings as 75 through 80, but as 82Diesel said, the upper edge is different and is not a good fit up against an earlier year dash pad.

84-87 no longer have the wiper switch opening (since it was moved to the column). But in the process, they also re-located the headlight switch slightly higher up on the dash. So the headlight switch would have to be re-located to match in order to swap one of these bezels into an earlier truck.

68c10owner · 11-29-2019, 09:55 PM

Thanks guys. So what are my options? I dont mind relocating the headlight switch but dont really want to have a non functioning wiper switch on the dash. Im planning to use the correct pad for my 78

ray_mcavoy · 11-30-2019, 05:05 PM

You're welcome. The 81+ bezels leave a rather ugly looking gap when mated up to the earlier year dash pads. So staying with the year-correct dash pad for your 78 pretty much rules out using an 84-87 bezel to eliminate the wiper switch hole.

Probably the best thing to do (in my opinion) would be to also stay with the year-correct 78-80 style dash bezel and find an alternative use for the wiper switch opening. For example, you could make a flat block-off plate that would attach to the dash using the holes that originally held the wiper switch. That plate could be left blank, or used as a convenient spot to add a switch for fog/driving lights or other accessories.

11-28-2019, 04:49 PM	#1
68c10owner Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carmichael, California Posts: 3,006	dash bezel Are the dash bezels interchangeable from 73-87? I have a 78 and a later column was installed with the wiper switch on the column so I want to remove the old switch and either cover the hole with a inlay or just replace the bezel with a later one. what are my options? __________________ Anthony

11-28-2019, 06:26 PM	#2
nekkidhillbilly Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: hazard, ky Posts: 1,674	Re: dash bezel im like 90% sure they will however the 81 up is made a little different. __________________ 2004 2500 hd dmax cc 4x4 2008 saturn aura xr 1966 buick gran sport 1984 k20

11-29-2019, 06:00 PM	#3
82Diesel Registered User Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: USA Posts: 219	Re: dash bezel 73-80 is all the same, 81-87 are Different... BUT Will work just not with the 81-87 Dash Pad you MUST use the 73-80 Dash pad.

11-29-2019, 06:15 PM	#4
ray_mcavoy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sherman, ME Posts: 2,354	Re: dash bezel There were about 5 different styles of dash bezels used over the 73-87 year range. 73-74 have a narrow opening for the wiper switch and a round raised area surrounding the headlight switch hole. 75-77 have a wider opening for the wiper switch and a larger hole (without the raised surround) for the headlight switch. 78-80 have some styling differences but are physically interchangeable with 75-77 as long as the corresponding lower steering column cover panel is used. 81-83 have the same wiper switch & headlight switch openings as 75 through 80, but as 82Diesel said, the upper edge is different and is not a good fit up against an earlier year dash pad. 84-87 no longer have the wiper switch opening (since it was moved to the column). But in the process, they also re-located the headlight switch slightly higher up on the dash. So the headlight switch would have to be re-located to match in order to swap one of these bezels into an earlier truck.

11-29-2019, 09:55 PM	#5
68c10owner Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carmichael, California Posts: 3,006	Re: dash bezel Thanks guys. So what are my options? I dont mind relocating the headlight switch but dont really want to have a non functioning wiper switch on the dash. Im planning to use the correct pad for my 78 __________________ Anthony

11-30-2019, 05:05 PM	#6
ray_mcavoy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sherman, ME Posts: 2,354	Re: dash bezel You're welcome. The 81+ bezels leave a rather ugly looking gap when mated up to the earlier year dash pads. So staying with the year-correct dash pad for your 78 pretty much rules out using an 84-87 bezel to eliminate the wiper switch hole. Probably the best thing to do (in my opinion) would be to also stay with the year-correct 78-80 style dash bezel and find an alternative use for the wiper switch opening. For example, you could make a flat block-off plate that would attach to the dash using the holes that originally held the wiper switch. That plate could be left blank, or used as a convenient spot to add a switch for fog/driving lights or other accessories.



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