Reproduction Console top plate reviews

[Adam]

Has anyone bought a repro console top plate? How is the fit, overall quality, any brand to avoid ?
The pics look like there are no holes in the repro plates; do they have to be drilled? also there is no choice of woodgrain color.

Mine is pitted and the chrome shop wanted over $300. A repro is only $175. but I saw a private ad where the console top plate would not fit... I also bought a wood grain decal to make mine presentable for awhile but the shape was not even close... I will post that in a new thread with pics.

 

[burdar]

The add you saw way probably mine. The reproduction top plates are larger and thicker then the factory ones. The wood grain is not correct either. The plates have four holes drilled in them. That's correct for 1970. If you have a 71-74, you'd have to drill the extra one. IMO save your money. Buy a nice original and install a wood grain sticker from DMT. There's a guy that lives an hour from me who I buy parts from. He has stacks of original top plates. I picked one up for $15 and installed a new decal....looks great.

I will say that some of the problem I had could have been from the reproduction console I was using. I still had to modify the replacement top plate in a couple spots for it to fit the console. Still, I was much happier modifying a $15 part than a $170 one. I sold the reproduction top plate for $150 AFTER telling the buyer the problems I had.

 

[Adam]

I thought the 70's had 5 holes and later were 4. Mine has 4 and is supposed to be a 71.....

 

[burdar]

I'll have to check my original one just to make sure but I think I'm right.

EDIT: Just looked at a picture of mine and it has 5. They added a hole right next to the shifter opening.

 

[Adam]

So yours is a 70 or 71?

 

[burdar]

Mine is a 73

 

[mccroweronin]

Sharing a link. Not sure if it will be useful but here goes..
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=15754.0

 

[challenger6pak]

I thought the 70's had 5 holes and later were 4. Mine has 4 and is supposed to be a 71.....

70 & early 71 were 4 holes. The extra screw was added to stop the buzzing or rattling sound the plates would get from vibrations due to the car running.