TAC Tech => Interior => Topic started by: 76 - 455 - 4 on March 12, 2021, 12:49:51 PM
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Someone had an excellent DIY thread going regarding a dash and (I think console?) restoration.
Now that it's time for me to finally get around to that, all the old threads are gone.
If anyone has pictures or info from that thread, I could really use them soon.
Thanks!
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That's Kerry roadking77. But I think the old threads will come back soon.
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Cant post from my laptop, if you can wait until tomorrow I will give a recap.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33799837728_729c5f28dd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TuM1bU)2019-04-23_09-05-29 (https://flic.kr/p/TuM1bU) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
Here is the dash in my Tenth Car mid restoration.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47624592872_0b2f371608_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fyqufd)2019-04-23_09-06-08 (https://flic.kr/p/2fyqufd) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46840968655_b899367962_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2enbd4R)2019-05-02_10-28-52 (https://flic.kr/p/2enbd4R) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47002884514_4e902f37c4_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eBu51A)2019-05-06_06-56-47 (https://flic.kr/p/2eBu51A) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47002885234_cbc3077290_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eBu5e1)2019-05-06_06-56-55 (https://flic.kr/p/2eBu5e1) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33915078528_9da165e0e4_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TEXDgf)2019-05-06_06-56-15 (https://flic.kr/p/TEXDgf) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/7862/47276732502_c46ee0bc7a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2f2FBtC)2019-03-09_12-26-22 (https://flic.kr/p/2f2FBtC) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7895/47329258201_cf1684d75a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2f7jPx8)2019-03-09_12-26-29 (https://flic.kr/p/2f7jPx8) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
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First few pics are during the process. Last pic is the product I use.
-First you want to push in on the dash, the brittle, cracked pieces will crack even more. I peal off all of the broken pieces and peal it back (kinda like opening a hard boiled egg) until it is somewhat flexible and stops being brittle.
-Next step is to start applying the polyvance padded dash filler. This is pretty much the same as doing body filler. Its expensive so you dont want to waste any. I mix up about the size of a quarter at a time, making sure I have no waste. Will need many coats to build it up, but it dries pretty fast.
-Between coats I use a surform plane (kinda like a drywall rasp) and knock the high spots off between coats. This makes the final sanding a bit easier.
-Start sanding with coarse, 80gr when it starts getting close to the finish product, on the final coats I sand up to 220-320gr. The filler sands very nice and will feather out.
-I use a fibreglass drywall tape (a woven material, not the web like stuff) at the 'cold joints'. I have done with and without both ways successful, I used the tape on the last couple just to see how it would work.
-Once sanded I used the SEM texture coating, hold the can at least a foot away and kinda dust it on for a better texture. A couple of light coats. Wont be factory texture but it doesnt look bad.
-Paint (dye) over the texture coating with your colour choice SEM int. dye spray.
-Use Sem low lustre clear as the final coat.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50821728502_532ff5422b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kqWDhj)2021-01-10_12-12-04 (https://flic.kr/p/2kqWDhj) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
Here is the dash I did for my 77 about 5 or 6 yrs ago. It has been in the car running around for the last 4 years with no problems. I have done several now with success using the above products. They may not be as perfect as a company such as just dashes, but I can assure you they are considerably more budget friendly.
I have been wanting to try and cover one with new material in a vaccum press. Once I get some of my other projects finished around the shop.
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I forgot that you didn't remove the dash for the restoration. Probably a better way of doing it especially with dashes that are not to far gone.
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Yes, I left the one in place on the TATA, all others I have done with them out of the car. They are def. easier to do on the bench but can be done easily either way.
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Kerry, I thought about making a large vacuum forming station with actual vacuum tanks and heating elements to try and cover a dash with vinyl. I'd love to see you attempt it first though. :D
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I have found a company that makes a vinyl/naugahyde type product that can be vaccum formed. I have my sights set on a decent vaccum press that I have been wanting to buy for years now. But, like I said, I have to get some of my other things done first before I go that route.
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Beautiful work! Thanks for the details!
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Thanks Kerry! Just what I was looking for.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the 'cold joints' and what you did with the woven tape.
Can you elaborate on that a bit?
I already have my dash out, and only has 3 small areas needing attention, other than the normal crack between the masses.
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I will post a pic of the tape I used this evening. I am calling a cold joint where the new material abutts the existing. There will be differences in movement at this junction. My thought with the tape was to kind of tie these two together.
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Great write up. I have a few questions.
So I'm still a little confused by your definition of "cold joint". You said it's where the new material abutts the existing. Do you tape off portions of your dash therefore the textures could be different? Can you give me an example of a "cold joint"?
Do you prime the dash before painting?
What about flocking? Have you ever tried that or would that flocking not get the right texture?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5H7VNUugoA
Do you normally pull the dash? I suspect you do but I was curious since your pics above show the dash in stalled while you preformed the restoration.
Thanks!
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I have done both in the car and out. If the windshield is gone its not too bad doing it in the car. But keep in mind its a dirty process and paint is involved. The car I did in place was just a shell, no interior. I would prefer doing it on the bench for obvious reasons.
The 'cold join' is where I remove the dried, cracked original material and leave any in place if its still servicable. Where the new meets old that is the cold joint. I have done with and without taping that juncture with success. The tape I refer to is a fibreglass drywall tape, not a sticky tape used for painting. I dont use painters tape to mask off any areas, just do the whole thing at once.
I make sure the dash is clean, I use the sem texture coating on top of the raw material. No primer. I then use the sem colour coat on top of the texture coating, followed by the sem clear. I tried the sem primer a couple of times but it didnt seem to make any difference.
After watching the video I would not use flocking on a second gen or ever 3rd gen. My knowledge of the flocking is that it finishes more like a felt. Not sure how servicable it would be in the long run.
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Awesome. Thanks for the reply.
I will definitely need to pull my dash. Finished car.
Also appreciate the explanation of the "cold join" vs "cold joint".
Agree on the flocking. Wrong texture.
Thanks again!
BTW - Your restored dash looks awesome!
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After seeing your results and write up I'm gonna fix my dash instead of dash cap. Good explanation on the cold joint. Since you have had success with both tape and no tape, which way has become your go to? How much harder is it to feather out the taped joint?
Thanks again.
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I use the tape. Have one on the bench now I am getting ready to finish. No big deal to feather out the transition. The tape I use will sand away to nothing, if it is left exposed has a bit of texture.
I may post the details of the one I am starting now.
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I'd love to see the exact brand of tape that you use. No sense straying from a good recipe. I ordered a double DIN radio mount for my dash from Restore a Muscle Car and after test fitting it I could see that it was going to take more fitting than just bolting in. I figured I would follow your plan and do the whole dash so that the radio opening could get blended while I was at it.
Thanks for sharing your success with the rest of us.
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Will do. I can post some pics tomorrow sometime.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51612403895_d23d459f54_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mCP4wF)2021-10-20_03-52-21 (https://flic.kr/p/2mCP4wF) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
Found this dash on the top shelf when I was moving stuff around. I started the resto a few years ago. I jump started and started back on it. Hope to have it done in the next week or two.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51612176924_942bc27e24_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mCMU4o)2021-10-20_03-52-00 (https://flic.kr/p/2mCMU4o) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
This is the tape I use for the 'cold joints'. Its fiba fuse that I get at Lowes. Its for doing drywall but works great with the dash. It will sand away to nothing if it becomes exposed for any reason. And for what its worth it works great with drywall too!
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If someone is wanting to try to repair their dash, I bought the padded dash filler for mine and after I prepped all of the areas it was about half the dash that was going to need filled. I will gladly give the un opened filler and hardener to someone so it doesn't just sit in the shop if you pay the shipping. PM me if I can help you out.
I ended up getting a dash cap from Accuform and am very happy with it.
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Funny, I have new can sitting on the shelf too...
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Off to a new home.