Rebel Machine Dash

Our Machine has the 2 piece dash with cracks in the hard plastic part, which is proving very hard to locate a replacement for. My question is, will a 1 piece dash from a '71 Matador replace the 2 piece. Also, is the '71 dash the same as the 1 piece dash I have seen on some Machines? Our Machine has a build date of February with the 2 piece dash and I know of a Machine with a build date of March and his is 1 piece. Greatly appreciate any help with this so I know whether to buy the Matador dash...or not.

The one piece dash will work on your car.  All of the dash structure is the same.  All of the gauges, climate control, switches and such are the same.  The only difference will by the color of the aluminum overlay.  

I hate to say this but I think you'll find that going to the one piece dash is going to require a new instrument cluster bezel.  The first picture is a '71 Ambo one piece crash pad.  Note the length of the lip of the instrument cluster bezel.  Now look at the bezel only from a two piece dash.  Much shorter.  I know the two systems interchange but I strongly believe there's more to it than just the crash pad.

Red Rebel wrote: ......With the trouble I was having trying to locate the plastic part of the 2 piece, I was hoping the 1 piece would work without too much fuss.

That is the biggest problem with the two piece dash, there are very few good plastic fillers left.  I looked for years to get one that didn't look like an alkali flat and the one I ended up with still had a broken corner that needed repair.  The sad thing is that if you do have a good one and use the stock mount for the radio speaker, that seems to crack the plastic around the grille.  It must have been a real problem as AMC had a fix consisting of a separate plate that went over the area of the speaker opening to cover the cracks and provide some reinforcement.  If the availability of instrument cluster bezels for the one piece dash was good, I'd convert my two piece in a heartbeat.

bbgjc wrote: Good catch Roger.  I should had read the post more thoroughly.  I just assumed he was taking the entire 71 and up assembly and installing it into the 70 car.