I was fortunate enough to find a couple of really good deals on an original 28-29 roadster dash rail and a re-pop 32 style dash for a 28-29 roadster. I still have to make the clips that go on the cowl to hold the top of the dash and dash rail. All the holes line up like they're supposed to but the bottom of the dash rail hits the edge of the dash recess. The bottom dash mounting holes sit flat on the cowl mounting tabs but when I add the dash rail, that dash recess holds the dash rail a quarter inch away from the dash right where the Magic Marker line starts in the second pic. Am I going to screw up if I cut the bottom of the dash rail to match the recess in the dash?
Your going to cut just that little bit off the bottom of the rail? It may not be a big deal, but it is apparent that you'll lose some of the radius compared to the rest of the rail. I'm not saying don't do it, but to be honest, I'd be hesitating also.
My 28A* roadster,first got it running 1959,run n fun over some years. But took it apart,with the idea of some extra clean up n up-keep in 1966. Turned out,I didn't get back doing it for a long time and my storage of the parts,could of been much better! My dash rail,for one,I had under too much stuff on the garage floor=Rust put holes in it! Thing was a mess. Looked for buy on another one,but seems all the years had turned good ones in too Gold..or out of my piggy bank costs anyway. So I made one out of wood*,stained to match the rest of my wood*> ****pit back rail,wood steering wheel.
The large side-to-side bow (curve) looks to be different on each piece. Maybe there were differences between the roadster and one or more of the other models. If you're not in a hurry, spend some time searching and comparing images and other actual same-year examples if possible. You might spot something obvious or you may find that they all look like that.
After some more research, it looks like the one I have was made by Howell's and is described on their site as "1928-29 Open Car Dash 32 Style Roadster, Touring and Roadster Pickup". The C.W. Moss website has the identical part, AF-136-AF with the same description. The original 28-29 dash rail is identical to the re-pops I see on all of the sites I've visited. Just can't believe that the dash is off that much. There's something I'm not seeing.
An original 1928-29 roadster and phaeton dash rail will have original thick rubber grommets under each of the mounting holes. These grommets or rubber spacer washers look to be about 1/8 inch in thickness. That Howell's dash rail more than likely would not have those rubber mounting grommets. By adding the proper rubber mounting grommets and bringing the dash rail just a little bit further out from the dash would this solve your problem?
Ahhhhh, so THAT's the problem ? You sir, are a genius , thank you. I knew I was missing something. https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=976279&cat=41651
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