In a message dated 3/6/2010 3:02:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
syncro@GMAIL.COM writes:

If you  didn't care about the old pad, couldn't you just slice it up
and cut it  away? Maybe just glue the new pad on instead?

Just a  thought.

there is actually a sheetmetal  frame impregnated into that  foam...(next
time you see a burned up vanagon GL, carat, etc. look at the dash  the
sheetmetal frame remains)   so cutting it off would most likely be  almost as much
of a job as removing the dash itself..

gluing it on is an idea, although i usually just reinstall them with like
half the fastners they originally came with..