Dashpad Restoration ABC Moparts

[GoMangoBoys]

I got an ABC dashpad earlier this year and am very happy with it.  It has sat in the box since I first opened it, but dash assembly will start very soon.   Sadly, my old core was not rebuildable.  Fortunately, I communicated with the guy from ABC and determined that before I shipped it to him.  Luckily, I picked up a core at the swap meet at the nationals in Carlisle in July and walked it over to the ABC booth to get my core charge returned.  I was literally on my way out of the swap to go home and spotted the core at the first booth near my exit.  I bought it for $125 and sold it 5 min later for $200.  I'd rather be lucky than good any day.  Without this deal, I had no core charge refund.  Instead, I go $75.

[Yeya93]

Nice @GoMangoBoys!!! I cannot wait for the day you and I install our lovely dashpads! fortunately for you, sooner than later. haha

[Fastmark]

Ok, wait a minute. I talked to the owner at ABC. He acted like he was doing the pads at his in house facility and not just a broker selling someone else's pads. I know first hand the quality and service from ultimate rides.  His are hit or miss. Mostly miss. So it this Al Koch is doing both, this not good news. I though ABC might be a source for me in the future. I guess not, now. Crap.

[Yeya93]

@Fastmark  I as well was wanting someone else other then UR to be doing my pad for the same reason. I was scared that i was going to get more of a miss than a hit. Luckily for me, it was more of a hit than the miss
... i think. But for sure my bank account definitely took a hit! [emoji23] I told Bob that i would be posting this pad on the site for everyone to see. So maybe that possibly pushed him to give me a decent one? [emoji2369]

I was stubborn to find out the answer so I asked him through email. This is the response I received, which i think was an indirect response to saying that he does not make them in house.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

[anlauto]

Ok, wait a minute. I talked to the owner at ABC. He acted like he was doing the pads at his in house facility and not just a broker selling someone else's pads. I know first hand the quality and service from ultimate rides. His are hit or miss. Mostly miss. So it this Al Koch is doing both, this not good news. I though ABC might be a source for me in the future. I guess not, now. Crap.

I'm surprised you've had "mostly misses" with UR pads...I used dozens without any major issues 

[anlauto]

I was stubborn to find out the answer so I asked him through email. This is the response I received, which i think was an indirect response to saying that he does not make them in house.

This doesn't surprise me one bit.

[69BFan]

The thing to take into consideration is that many vendors do not have the ability to approach a manufacturer concerning reproducing a part for them on a smaller scale that they typically work with.  But through networking with the various businesses, it is possible to incorporate your needs into a larger market to get the manufacturer to be willing to do a project. 

Al Knoch Interiors is the go to vendor for Corvette interiors, especially the earlier year models.  Like most manufacturers/vendors, they have diversified over the years.   No one business has the ability to do all of these pieces in house, so they outsource to have product coverage.  If your able to go to a vendor with a request to run 100 Corvette dash pads and 20 E-Body pads, you will much more likely get them to listen to you.  Going to them with only a request for 20 E-Body pads will not even get you into the door. 

We have been working with Bob for a couple of years now.  We were one of the first to get the E-Body pads.   Bob has been working for the past couple of years to bring a variety of dash pads to the market place for a variety of different brands.  He has been working with  the Al Knoch group along with several others to bring a variety of projects to the market place.   Just like the 64 and 65 B-Body pads, that has been a joint effort with Bob and Mike Carter.

Bob's work with his manufacturers on the dash pads requires him to source the best of the dash pad cores that he can find.  I know from him sitting up with us at the shows, that if the core  has heavy rust issues or stud concerns, he will reject it.  His expectations for his products is high and that is a very good thing.   

Not sure of the relationship with Bob and the other various dash pad vendors/manufacturers, but at least with a little leg work and forums like this, it gives the customer the ability to seek out information and make a decision for themselves on what is the best alternative. 

[Yeya93]

Thank you for that insight @69bfan. I completely understand the business aspect of things. But as a consumer, I am spending thousands and thousands of  for the products I am purchasing for my project car. So personally, I at least want to know where the source of the products I am purchasing are coming from and the reputation that company has with their products. That is all. I have nothing against who and what company are working together to get things done. Again, I just thought ABC Moparts were doing their own e-body pads in house which is why I chose them to do my pad instead of other companies. According to multiple forums, ABC Moparts has a good reputation.  I have read UR was a hit or miss, so I didn't want to take that risk. But it turns out that I did end up taking that risk anyways.  But at the end of the day, I am happy with the pad I received nonetheless. Now I am hoping fitment will be good when I am ready to install dashpad.