Dash Exchange

13/01/2026

Neil's HT 350 Saginaw console looking new again like it did almost 60 years ago 👌

Completely stripped, acid bathed, plastic dyed, metalized and painted quadrants, new woodgrain inserts and assembled 👌

13/01/2026

Congratulations to Pete and Brian on the unveiling of this beautiful Duramax powered HG wagon at Summernats.

This was the first (of now many) of our Vintage Air slide control plate modifications we did.

Congrats guys, car looks amazing 👌

[Photo credit of Pete's wagon to Streetmachine]

09/01/2026

HR Holden fascias are in stock and available now for exchange.
Available in both STD/Special and Premier.

Shoot us a message if you're interested.

05/01/2026

Gavin picked up his HK GTS fascias yesterday.
He's running STD instruments with a 140mph speedo, choke and radio delete.

05/01/2026

Mick's HK speedo we finished just before Christmas.

It was cooked.

The grease, or lack there of grease, used during assembly almost 60 years ago, has turned to powder over the years. As far as lubrication properties go, it has none.

This thing was that bad we raided another instrument for parts.

The odometer worm shaft housing was junk. It had bound itself up so badly the odometer wheels skipped a beat. The magnet was toast. This instrument was a mess.

It's mint now 👌

Metric 200kph conversion and looking, working new again.

A HUGE shout out to our local instrument Guru, Chris, as he makes our speedos work again like they should. That's way above and beyond my talents. I'll stick with the gauges.... (Even then, sometimes I'll call. "Chris....... I need help...... again")

We make them look new again, Chris makes them work again for us.

03/01/2026

Jamie's modified Kingswood fascias we recently finished.
The instruments and instrument fascia are ours, just thrown in for the visual. The 3D printed instrument fascia was dropped off today and we'll hopefully get that metalized in the coming weeks, fingers crossed. (3D printed dash number 3 😬)

Car returned from panel and paint Christmas Eve and the push is on for Rocky. 👌

30/12/2025

Wishing Pete all the very best in retirement and congratulations on the sale of your business.

Pete has been an absolute legend to deal with over the last 15-18 or so years, offering so much advice, help and knowledge, without hesitation and always with a smile and a laugh. Nothing was ever a problem.

His knowledge of old Holden, Ford and Chrysler colours is immense.

Thanks again for all of your help Pete and enjoy retirement.

Congratulations also Cory on your new business venture.

And after 50 years, it's all over 😕

30/12/2025

Final fun fact for the year.

There's so many variations in HK Holden speedometers. There's heaps. To date we've now had 13 different variations of instrument clusters and 5 different variations of instrument fascias, (different in the way they were painted)

Here's one that's probably not very well known.

NOS replacement speedometers.

VDO still manufactured replacement components for GM-H well after the vehicle was released.

We've had a few of these NOS speedos come in over the years. Even though they're new, never used, they still require a full service. They were never meant to last this long.

For whatever reason, VDO upgraded the speedometer to a larger unit sometime around 1970 I believe. We've had multiple show up in HG instruments. I also believe these units were used in the Valiants until mid 70's. Most vehicles in the 70's were round instruments, not long horizontal and a raised shaft into the centre of the instrument rather than a shaft below the instrument, therefore requiring a much shorter needle. (VH Valiant type)

The replacement HK speedos made in the 70's used this same short (Valiant type) needle.

I wonder how many 81837 $300k plus restos are out there with NOS instruments, with Valiant speedos fitted???? 🤔

Just some useless information for the rivet counters.

(The typeface is totally different too....)

24/12/2025

Don't want the H pattern on your woodgrain inserts? That's fine.

We do what YOU want, not what the factory did.

I think this one has a ratchet type shifter in a manual console.

23/12/2025

Another HK GTS with Vintage Air slide controls for A/C and LED upgrade.

23/12/2025

Selling cheap. (Edit, SOLD pending payment)

HK HT HG Belmont Kingswood heater fascia.
It had a mishap after being metalized and copped a bit of damage to the lower driver's side screw hole. In order for us to repair this properly, it has to be entirely stripped again back to bare plastic.
We're better off selling this one super cheap on an exchange basis and stripping a worn out one instead.

Mask it and paint yourself and fit as is or have a go at repairing it if you can. Last photo shows the screw head covering a lot of the damage.

Selling cheap, on an exchange basis and the price reflects the condition of your exchange piece. Send us a fascia in good restorable condition and it's ridiculously cheap. Send us a fascia that's been chewed on by the dog, run over by the kids push bike and painted in Raptor Coat, and it's not so cheap.

Someone grab it, goes in the acid at the beginning of next month.

22/12/2025

Something different.
Have been back on the tools a bit lately after hours, unfortunately, with Kev's turbo taxi engine and a few diff housings from some mid 80's ATCC racecars.

Kev's short engine (short as in missing 2 cylinders 😁) has all of the usual Barra mods and bits. Nitrided crank with Torrington thrust, rods, pistons, oil pump mod, plate and gears, girdle, studs, turbo spec cams, vernier gears etc, etc.

It should make his little MK II Zephyr scoot along.

(We've been doing dash fascia restorations for around 10 years or so, but only full time for the last few years. Prior to that, it's been building engines, diff housings, racecars and other cool things)