WINGED WARRIORS/NATIONAL B-BODY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

RALLYE VERSUS NON-RALLYE DASH PARTS

Text by Roger Wilson; Photos by Sue George

GLOVE BOX LIDS

I have seen many incidents of people who advertise Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite dash pieces on the internet and label them as RoadRunner and GTX parts. This obviously makes them more desirable to musclecar owners. Describing the parts as coming off of a RoadRunner or GTX also seems to raise the prices.

The thing is, none of these pieces will interchange and you have to be very careful about what you buy or you'll end up investing in a dash piece that won't fit your RoadRunner or GTX.

RoadRunners, Superbirds and GTX's have Rallye dashes while Belvederes, Satellites, and Sport Satellites do not. They are two very different dashes, though at first glance a lot of the pieces do look the same! I am going to show you some of the differences in the various dash pieces.

We'll begin with the difference in the two glove box lids. The photo at left below is the inside surface of a 1970 Satellite lid -- remember, a non-Rallye dash. Note the metal is cut out in a large U-shape around the key cylinder. Shown at right is the glove box lid from a Superbird (same as a '70 RoadRunner and GTX), which has a Rallye dash. Note how the area around the key cylinder is raised and there is no U-shaped cut out. The Superbird lid is also a little bit longer on the side opposite the bracket. You'll see why that is when we show you the front of the two lids. Otherwise, these two pieces look the same on this side, and even use the same hinge.

Shown below at left is the outside surface of the 1970 Satellite glove box lid. It was almost impossible to get it to show up in a photo, but there is a narrow band of painted silver--not chrome--on a raised rib that is molded into the plastic and runs across the top and right hand edge of the lid.

On the right is the outside of the Superbird glove box lid. Note that it does not have the narrow band of painted silver trim. It is completely black. The right hand end of the lid has a double-stepped-down edge (two levels) which requires it to be longer than the Satellite lid. Otherwise, these two lids look very similar and you can see how one could be mistaken for the other, especially when looking at an internet listing and photo.

GLOVE BOX LATCHES

As you can see, some of the differences in Rallye and non-Rallye dash parts can be as minor as a measurement that you cannot notice just at a glance. Shown here are two glove box latches. On the left of each photo is the latch for Superbird, RoadRunner and GTX (Rallye dash), and on the right of each photo is the latch for Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite (non-Rallye dash).

The RoadRunner/GTX latch has rounded corners and is bent at a much sharper angle. The Belvedere/Satellite latch has square corners and is only slightly bent.

LOWER STEERING COLUMN TRIM

Now here's one I know a lot of people have been tricked on. The lower steering column trim is another of those pieces that is NOT interchangeable between 1970 non-Rallye dashes (Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite) and Rallye dashes (Superbird, RoadRunner, GTX). This is a piece that is commonly missing or broken in two on many cars. I have seen the non-Rallye dash piece listed on e-bay many, many times with a description saying it will fit 1970 RoadRunner and GTX. I've also seen them misrepresented at swap meets. If the buyer doesn't know the difference, they are not going to be a satisfied buyer. Here is the truth about these two pieces.

So how do you tell which one goes to which dash setup? Size-wise, the two square-looking pieces appear very similar. Actually these pieces are not square, however both measure 5" wide. The truth is, the length of the two pieces is not the same, even on the same piece! The non-Rallye part found on Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite has one side 4" tall and the other side is 3 3/4" tall. On the other hand, the Rallye dash part found on Superbird, RoadRunner and GTX has one side 4" tall while the opposite side is 4 1/4" tall.

The two mounting holes on each side of these pieces also look the same distance apart. However, they are not! The non-Rallye dash piece has the holes 2 1/4" apart while the Rallye dash piece has holes 2" on center.

The part number is molded into the back of these pieces and they are the same number EXCEPT for the last digit. The Superbird/RoadRunner/GTX (Rallye) part number is #2984719, while the non-Rallye piece is #2984713.

If you can't remember all of the above information about the two steering column trim pieces, just remember that the cut-out for the steering column for the Rallye dash has a definite "Y" shaped opening, while the non-Rallye dash piece has more of a "U" shaped opening. See the templates below for the visual differences in the two pieces. Beware when you are buying any dash piece off the internet!

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A 1970 B-BODY RALLYE AND NON-RALLYE RADIO BEZEL

I have seen it more times than I can count. Someone on e-bay is selling a 1970 RoadRunner radio faceplate. However, in truth, it is a flat one used on the non-rallye dash, like that found on a 1970 Satellite or Belvedere. I hope after reading this, one will be able to distinguish easily between a 1970 B-body rallye and non-rallye radio face plate.

 The non-rallye dash radio face plate is basically a flat piece of black plastic with a vinyl contact material that is glued onto the front surface. The 1970 Plymouth Sport Satellite radio face plate received a wood-grained patterned vinyl while the Satellite or Belvedere models received a black textured vinyl patterned material. I could not find a part number molded into these pieces; maybe it is hidden under the vinyl covering.

The non-rallye face plate is attached to the metal dash framework with two screws that go into two oval holes on the top of the face plate. The non-rallye face plate is also about 3/4" shorter in length when compared to the rallye dash radio face plate.

Shown in the photos below is the front and back view of the non-rallye radio face plate (top of photos) and the rallye dash radio face plate (bottom of photos.) Note the top bezel in each photo has two oval screw holes and the bottom bezel in each photo has four round screw holes.

The next two photos below show the optional AM/8-track face plates. In the left photo, the black pebble finish and the wood-grain finish are shown for the rallye dash bezel. Both finishes are the same part number. The next photo shows the two finishes on the non-rallye bezel. Notice in the pictures that the non-rallye AM/8-track radio face plate for a Sport Satellite and the same face plate for a Satellite or Belvedere are identical except for the vinyl covering. This also applies for the AM or the AM/FM style radio face plates as well. The far right photo shows the back side view of the non-rallye black pebble finish and woodgrain finish AM/8-track bezels.

The rallye dash radio face plates are made of substantially heavier plastic material than the non-rallye dash piece. Notice that there are some complex contours to it as well; it is NOT just a flat piece of plastic. The rallye dash radio face plate also uses 4 round screw holes to attach it to the metal dash framework, compared to only the two oval holes in the non-rallye dash face plate.

Now to the differences between the wood-grain and black pebble finished rallye dash radio face plate pieces. If one looks on the back side of either face plate, you will notice it has the identical same part number. The AM or AM/FM face plate is part number 2984697 and the AM/8-track is part number 2927930. The reason for the same part number is because these face plate plastic pieces are identical.

The wood-grain trim for the rallye dash is actually a two-piece metal part (glued together) that clips into the heavy black pebble textured radio face plate on the RoadRunner. The wood-grain metal "cover" is sandwiched between the black pebble textured heavy plastic by a smaller metal piece with five small tabs. The wood-grained cover that is glued to the inner metal piece that  has the five clips is attached tot he black heavy textured plastic RoadRunner face plate. If one looks on the back side of the RoadRunner black pebble rallye dash face plate, you will notice five 1/4" molded-in slits or grooves that can be drilled open so the five tabs in the wood-grain metal "sandwich" can go into and then are folded over to fasten it to the original face plate.

The photo below at left is a view of the front side of the three pieces that make up the rallye dash wood-grain AM radio face plate: bottom to top is the chrome plated/black spray painted plastic piece, the metal frame and then the wood-grain trim piece. Notice the slits opened up in the black plastic piece. Next is a view of these same three pieces from the back side. The photo on the far right is a close-up view of the back side and front side of the rallye dash AM radio face plate. Note the same slits in the back side that you would  insert the tabs for the wood-grain piece.

I hope this information will save some frustration in "winning" a rallye dash face plate on e-bay only to find out it is really for the non-rallye dash. By the way, the rallye dash pieces are going for much more money, especially with the wood-grain, than the non-rallye pieces.

 

 



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