dash pad

dash pad
1984 CJ7

1984 CJ7

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Location
Portland
Vehicle(s)
1984 CJ-7, 258 (rebuilt), 5 speed (rebuilt), softtop, Goodyear DuraTrac's
Mine is lacking one, any real benefits to adding one?
 
aesthetics.. pure aesthetics... other than makes a good bug deflector when the windshield is down.... and, you can set your GPS up on the ledge if you don't hit a bump.. or Velcro it.. I have one, I like the look of it.. I didn't have one on my 78 or my 75 and I liked the look of them too, but with a full cage roll bar, they are a little in the way of the front tubes.. and, simply put, its whatever makes you happy..
 
Good to know! I might add one just for the hell of it.
 
Actually the padded dash was Jeeps answer to Federal safety regulations. Only lap belts were used in the day with no shoulder restraints (belts weren’t even required to be installed in a vehicle until sometime around the early 1970s as I recall) and then using them was not common place. It was a widely held belief that it may be better to jump or be ejected from a jeep rather than tumble down a hill with it. To that end we also need to remember that roll bars weren’t even offered as a factory option until 1976 and not required by Federal safety standards until 1979. Also in the day steering wheels were flimsily built and would collapse during a hard crash stop allowing the steering column to skewer the driver in the chest leading to death more often than not. Further people were sustaining injuries from hitting the dash (again not much seat belt use) as they were metal not plastic in most all vehicles. Of further danger were the control knobs sticking out of the dash as they too were usually made of all metal and would puncture body parts as one tumbled around the interior in a crash.

Jeeps aside, as a Country our highway system was expanding quickly during the JFK & LBJ administrations and with that highway speeds raised too which lead to more crashes and more deaths. The end result was new safety regulations requiring safer steering wheels that wouldn’t collapse and softer dashes with softer knobs. Hence the CJ dash pad and the rubber knobs. (Sorry for the long way around to the end of the story.)
 
Saddle Tramp said:
Actually the padded dash was Jeeps answer to Federal safety regulations. Only lap belts were used in the day with no shoulder restraints (belts weren’t even required to be installed in a vehicle until sometime around the early 1970s as I recall) and then using them was not common place. It was a widely held belief that it may be better to jump or be ejected from a jeep rather than tumble down a hill with it. To that end we also need to remember that roll bars weren’t even offered as a factory option until 1976 and not required by Federal safety standards until 1979. Also in the day steering wheels were flimsily built and would collapse during a hard crash stop allowing the steering column to skewer the driver in the chest leading to death more often than not. Further people were sustaining injuries from hitting the dash (again not much seat belt use) as they were metal not plastic in most all vehicles. Of further danger were the control knobs sticking out of the dash as they too were usually made of all metal and would puncture body parts as one tumbled around the interior in a crash.

Jeeps aside, as a Country our highway system was expanding quickly during the JFK & LBJ administrations and with that highway speeds raised too which lead to more crashes and more deaths. The end result was new safety regulations requiring safer steering wheels that wouldn’t collapse and softer dashes with softer knobs. Hence the CJ dash pad and the rubber knobs. (Sorry for the long way around to the end of the story.)
Click to expand...
I think it would have been easier and better for everyone, to just outlaw crashes in Jeeps.. heck, we're the best drivers out there.. we know what sand, snow, ice, "NO ROADS", hills, "real" hills, big rocks, rivers, tree trunks and stumps, mtns, deserts, basically SKILLED driving that these chev, ford, dodge, Cadillac, FOREIGN THINGS, and so on, haven't a clue, ... just watch what happens on first snow, or a big rain fall.. and that's on the road!.. its like.. they've never seen that stuff before.. so... geesh, what was I talking about anyway?.. so, everyday as a child, I prayed to GOD for a JEEP... finally figured it out, he doesn't work that way, so I went out and stole one, then asked for his forgiveness!... ha.. (not really)..

  1. Thou shalt not misuse the name of Jeep.
  2. Thou shalt not steal any Jeep.
  3. Thou shalt not murder on a Jeep Jamboree , or any other time.
  4. Thou shall respect the land and the animals, for they are what make offroad exciting.
  5. Thou shall covet other Jeeps with respect, for they are family. (and always give the JEEP wave)..
  6. Respect your Father, Mother, and Neighbor, for they one day may own a Jeep, should you want to drive it.
  7. Thou shalt not give false testimony against Jeep, especially while telling a fish story.
  8. Thou shalt not commit sale to another, without respect towards Jeep.
  9. Thou shalt not purposely harm your Jeep vehicle, or your Neighbors Jeep.
  10. Thou shall idol Jeep, for it was given to rejoice.
 
I guess I can see it would help in a crash having the pad. But, I would not out all my eggs in that basket :)
 
Its personal preference, but I think if u are trying to keep your jeep looking stock I would add. I personally like mine. Its a reflection of the year I own.
 
Yep, and i want to keep mine stock so i will be adding it i guess. not cheap though.
 
I removed mine and probably wont put it back on any time soon. I like the look with and without but right now I am going without.
 
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