This is a topic I also posted on the Cummins Forum because I have seen a lot of Dodge folks with the same issue I have. This is what I wrote:

 

This is just a heads up for those folks like me who have the inner dash fame core mount deck assembly broken. I have been trying for several months to locate one and found some on eBay but a complete unit may run from $550.00 to $800.00 depending on the salvage yard that is selling it. Getting pieces from one that might be broke or ruined when removing it doesn't fly either. I have offered to pay a good amount for the broke pieces I need to glue back. With all the glues out there now that work excellent on plastic to plastic or alum or to carbon fiber it would be worth the while to give it a try. It's better than looking at your head light switch hanging or the A/C protruding outward from the top support piece missing and so on. But bottom line is the item is called by the title of this thread. Hope this will help some looking or have had their trucks broken into and the dash tore up in the process. I have some pictures of the complete assembly for a 1998 Dodge Trucks attached. I haven't posted pictures before but they are listed below under Attach Files. Hope you all have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year.

These photos might help if you are trying to rebuild your core and need to know what the original shape of it was.

I'm sure I could get my hands a couple good dash inner structures.

On ‎1‎/‎31‎/‎2018 at 11:33 AM, gipperkid said:

I'm sure I could get my hands a couple good dash inner structures.

Do you have some located in some wrecking yards? I'd be more than happy to pay you for your time and parts. Even though I found the broken out pieces there is a lot scabbing to fill in for missing pieces. I can show you what I need with pictures of what's broken out. I think it would be easier to glue in a whole piece or pieces with the structure out of the truck and then reinforce the back side where the new plastic is inserted. Let me know if you are willing to gather up some parts. Thanks

@Greenlee Yes I can get ahold of one. Send me a PM

I thought I posted this in here but these are available FROM THE dealer. For normally close to what wrecking yards want.

Been gone a little over a week, started this before I left. One thing I found out about the Dash Cores being sold is the shipping is crazy. Anywhere from $300 to $400 added on. I'm getting my 12v for sale but the dash is broken all the way across from door to door. I had glued several pieces of the Core back in but too many pieces missing to do a good job. Another screwing. This truck must have been in a head on, Air bag plastic, center dash plastic where the A/C controls screw in, dash cluster has several breaks, and last the head light switch has nothing to attach to. All good things come from above including all idea

3 pictures of what I am working with, didn't want to load a pile of pictures so I picked to one's that showed the basics. Next is the new Bezel I bought and a way to attach the Head Light Switch directly to it so would stay

in place.

Screen door parts and some #8x32 screws, nuts, and washer put together to lock in on the edge of the vent. I used the bolt pattern on the light switch to center it before tacking it in place with the glue.

Enough glue to hold it in place and more added once it set up for about 10 minutes. All the glue running down the vent is from using the Gorilla 2 part glue.  

i used the screw to set the distance so it would touch the plastic Bezel holding the correct height. By no means am I saying do it like this, I felt blessed to have an idea that made it possible to have a functional light switch and not one hanging by the wire harness that took 2 hands to work. It's solid as a rock too.

Installed back on the dash and it has a completely new look, NORMAL. 

I had to keep flipping it over to check the switch bezel (?), don't know what it's called, but with it in place the rest was easy and fell in place. I made sure I got plenty of glue on the hardware I needed to lock in place but didn't risk over tightening. 

 

Back in the truck at last. It looks NORMAL for a change and doesn't raise a lot of eyebrows. It's the best I can do and wanted to share it with the Forum in case others might be looking for a way to solve a similar issue. Thanks

Picture of the 2 part glue. 

 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by Greenlee
too many pictures

I admire your tenacity. Thats a big fix.

2 minutes ago, dripley said:

I admire your tenacity. Thats a big fix.

Thank you Sir but can you help me? My computer screen froze and I had to turn it off and on to get back and recover the page I did. Now I have double photos, from the picture of the mileage down needs to be deleted and I have tried everything. Any ideas?

 

15 minutes ago, Greenlee said:

Thank you Sir but can you help me? My computer screen froze and I had to turn it off and on to get back and recover the page I did. Now I have double photos, from the picture of the mileage down needs to be deleted and I have tried everything. Any ideas?

 

Yes. We will tag @Mopar1973Man and get him or some one he delegates it to to help. This is beyond my paygrade.

All you have to do is go back and edit the post. The attachments can be deleted by clicking on the trash can icon.

 

All you have to do is go back and edit the post. The attachments can be deleted by clicking on the trash can icon.

 

12 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

All you have to do is go back and edit the post. The attachments can be deleted by clicking on the trash can icon.

 

All you have to do is go back and edit the post. The attachments can be deleted by clicking on the trash can icon.

 

I tried everything except the trash can. Let me try to correct

14 hours ago, dripley said:

Yes. We will tag @Mopar1973Man and get him or some one he delegates it to to help. This is beyond my paygrade.

I'd be happy to have a pay grade but it would be above mine too. Thanks for looking. I thought this would be the right place to put the additional repair or should I put it in a separate new topic on Possible Headlight Switch Attachment. ???????????

6 minutes ago, Greenlee said:

I tried everything except the trash can. Let me try to correct

I'd be happy to have a pay grade but it would be above mine too. Thanks for looking. I thought this would be the right place to put the additional repair or should I put it in a separate new topic on Possible Headlight Switch Attachment. ???????????

Is it too late to edit the main post?

I believe you can edit your post at any time.

I'm in the same boat right now, my head light switch is floating behind the dash and my HVAC controls are barely holding on.  I keep watching for a dash core on ebay within 500 miles which is about a tank of fuel.  I'd rather spend a day and $120 in fuel to pick it up than $4-500 to have it shipped.  I'd rather see it in person first anyway to make sure it's in good shape.  Who knows what will happen during shipping. 

Replaced my interior/ dash with a junk yard dash, from a u-pull-it yard,  I had the light gray interior but the dash was broken where the A/C controls mounted, was going to try and fix, but it was to brittle, New cover I got from LMC, ordered it in light gray before I figured my dash wasn't repairable (at least I was going to get it pieced together, only 3 hrs from KC so I drove down an exchanged for the Agate, so far I only have about $150 into the interior parts from the yard. I did crack the "new dash" slightly used some JB plastic weld, you can see by the light switch, but it's solid now.

Edited October 19, 20186 yr by Blueox01

@Blueox01 It looks like you both sides of the dash loose, is that the case? I wonered how easy that might be able to do after repairing mine.

3 minutes ago, dripley said:

@Blueox01 It looks like you both sides of the dash loose, is that the case? I wonered how easy that might be able to do after repairing mine.

Not sure I understand the question, I took the bolts out on both side to get it dropped down as far as I could.

Just now, Blueox01 said:

Not sure I understand the question, I took the bolts out on both side to get it dropped down as far as I could.

That was the question. When I did mine I loosened the bolts on both sides but only took the passanger side loose and hung it from the hand grip on the passanger door. So instaling the dash on the drivers side was the hardest part. Not much room in there on the drivers side that way. Did you did anything out of the ordinary to take boths sides loose other than unplug some wiring?

11 minutes ago, dripley said:

That was the question. When I did mine I loosened the bolts on both sides but only took the passanger side loose and hung it from the hand grip on the passanger door. So instaling the dash on the drivers side was the hardest part. Not much room in there on the drivers side that way. Did you did anything out of the ordinary to take boths sides loose other than unplug some wiring?

The wiring had enough give to lay it down, most wiring is clipped to the dash frame, only disconnected to completely pull dash, when installing new dash hooked all wiring back up prior to installing dash cover, then lifted onto bolts, also purchased new push in nuts for firewall from dealer, old ones were brittle.

Edited October 19, 20186 yr by Blueox01

On 1/5/2018 at 8:59 AM, jlbayes said:

You know these are still available from the dealer right? For close to what parts slingers are asking for use parts.

Didn't know that, if the dealer has them priced about the same you would be money ahead because of the high shipping costs. Great advice.

On 10/19/2018 at 7:51 AM, Blueox01 said:

Replaced my interior/ dash with a junk yard dash, from a u-pull-it yard,  I had the light gray interior but the dash was broken where the A/C controls mounted, was going to try and fix, but it was to brittle, New cover I got from LMC, ordered it in light gray before I figured my dash wasn't repairable (at least I was going to get it pieced together, only 3 hrs from KC so I drove down an exchanged for the Agate, so far I only have about $150 into the interior parts from the yard. I did crack the "new dash" slightly used some JB plastic weld, you can see by the light switch, but it's solid now.

No place around here that you could ever find a truck with a complete Core in it. People are waiting all the time at the U-Pull-It yards to destroy anything that comes in for a handful of cheap reusable parts. They will destroy a good dash to get a switch out or radio, none take the time to unbolt anything. The Automotive Recycling Centers won't let you in the yard except once in a while to identify if it's the part you are looking for. They don't waste their time with a lot of interior parts. It's a shame. I'm sure there are some that deal with the upper class yards and can get in but most of the time it's a dead end.

If I could get the parts out of the Dodges here I would pay some one who is qualified to turn wrenches and put it all on eBay for a FAIR price and shipping. It doesn't matter if the part is 1 year old or 20 years old most gated recycle yards want at least 1/2 of what the original new price was or more. Sorry for throwing all that in but you did really good to spend what you did and I'm happy that you got a good deal. It shows me that there are ways to get the parts and save money depending on location. Thanks for the pictures, they show a lot of detail and answer a lot of questions. 

I haven't had a top dash in my 96' for over 2 years now. I had to rebuild most of the bottom dash with fiberglass because it was falling apart and now my damn glove box door hinges are broken. The latest thing to start giving me problems are the door panels 

 

I'm about to the point where I want to build my own complete dash and use Autometer gauges. I can't believe there is pretty much zero aftermarket support (except for the top dash) for the trucks who have the crappiest interiors of damn near any vehicle ever made.

Has anyone found a place to actually buy new Dasd Mounts?  For a 2001 Ram 1500