Plastic vent mystery
 

On a hunt to trace annoying rattles, I've just found the black plastic vent cover in the centre of the dashboard close to the windscreen to be loose. There's evidence that it once had four fixing lugs, but nothing now to hold it in place.

But I 'm surprised to find it's not a vent, just a blank recessed section of the dashboard shelf.
Does this have any purpose? Can I just just glue it permanently back into place?

Clifford: ~ I think that you will find this fitting is for a radio speaker depending on model etc.
You should be able to use a black double sided tape (car decal type) suitably placed and not that visible, I wouldn’t recommend permanent gluing.
Regards Bob

Thanks Bob, I never thought of a speaker. Surely for a very early non-stereo radio?

It's odd the times I've held my hand over the "vent" and convinced myself the screen demister was working. :)

Yes it was for a speaker. I had a speaker in mine which I still have before fitting speakers in the front and rear doors.

As others said. Its for a speaker or if you have the super rare dash top triple gauge pod, that replaces the speaker hole.