A lof guys with early A's take the bolts that go in to the dash from the windshield and reverse them. Using speed clips on the windshield frame and shorten the bolts so they don't hit the rubber or windshield frame. I'm thinking of doing that to mine for easy of re-wiring stuff later on. As far as the dash gloss most of them are but the tops are satin finish (well all of the ones I have seen or worked on). I've never looked close at the ones that don't have a dash pad (haven't seen one in a couple years) but satin finish keeps the glare down on the top of the dash
