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Don’t miss these steps when installing an early Sprite dashboard

Update by Tim Suddard to the Austin-Healey Sprite project car
Sep 1, 2024 | Austin-Healey, Sprite, Bugeye Sprite, Austin-Healey Sprite

With the gauges, switches, lights, wiring and the grab handle installed on our dashboard, it was time to bolt it to the car.

Mounting a dashboard on an early Sprite is quite straight-forward. First, since your dashboard is now covered in vinyl, you will need to use an awl to find your mounting holes. There are three bolt holes at the center and the two ends of the dashboard.



Bolt the dashboard to the cowl and you are done, right? Not so fast: Many people restoring Sprites either don’t know or forget the strengthening straps underneath the dashboard. Located on either side of the tunnel are two corrugated metal strips that secure the bottom of the dashboard to the top of the tunnel. Since your wife helped you, be sure to give her a good time when the dashboard is done.



The final step is to cover the aluminum finishing strip with interior fabric. That fabric strip is included in the interior panel kit.



The aluminum finishing strips on the doors and the back of the car are bright. The strip on the dashboard is purposely covered both to fit in with the dashboard, but also to keep glare out of the driver's eyes. We have seen so many Sprites at shows that have not had this piece covered. Since your wife helped you, be sure to give her a good time when the dashboard is done.