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  1. #1

    Default Refinishing a dash pad

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    Didn't know if anyone is interested... Or really how this one is gonna come out, but a few pics along the way and a tutorial can't hurt.
    I've done several of these, and all have gone well.
    I didn't take a pic before I started, but it was typical. Cracked and spider-webbed... Speaker "grille" areas broken through. A few chunks missing. The PO tried to bondo the cracks and paint it. Of course, it just made more cracks and flakes of paint.
    Razor scraper to level the raised cracked. Then sanded well with 40 grit air file paper. Stripped it, and smoothed it. Don't sweat the sanding marks (gouges).
    Use unbacked auto carpet & an upholsterers air stapler with 3/8" staples... Stretch the carpet over the pad, stapling under side as far back as will be seen when installed.
    Start in the center of the pad working toward the ends. Unbacked carpet stretches really well. Before pulling VERY tight, cut center over defrost vents & pull through and staple underneath. Once you get the vents, go ahead and pull it tight all over. It will pull around all the curves without wrinkles.
    Starting on the undersides, start brushing resin. Flip it over and set on spray paint can caps in the center... Start mixing resin in small batches and start impregnating the carpet, brushing it in well. Make sure it's all wet, but not dripping. Brush the edges around to forestall and drips. Will be like 1/4" thick abs plastic resurfacing. The pic shows how clean of a look you get already. Nib it with 220 grit and a block. Several coats of a good 2 component high build primer, block it again and spray another coat of primer until the surface is as smooth as you want it.
    Spray with a good base coat paint with a splash of clearcoat activator mixed in to make a nice satin finish, or just basecoat it and use a satin clear.
    I will post some pics as I proceed.
    Last edited by Toid; 02-03-2017 at 10:04 PM. Reason: Grammar

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member JTurbo's Avatar
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    Interesting. Looking forward to more pics,

  3. #3

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    Extra step: the carpet , when the resin was applied, was a little "peaky" where the fuzz was pulled high. So I mixed a glop of Bondo with poly resin until it flowed well, catalyzed it, and brushed it on. Most all of this will be DAed back off. I basically wanted to fill low spots after I nibbed the fuzz off. It will be nice and smooth!!!

  4. #4

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    Extra step: the carpet , when the resin was applied, was a little "peaky" where the fuzz was pulled high. So I mixed a glop of Bondo with poly resin until it flowed well, catalyzed it, and brushed it on. Most all of this will be DAed back off. I basically wanted to fill low spots after I nibbed the fuzz off. It will be nice and smooth!!!

  5. #5

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    DA-ed with 80, 180, then blocked with 320 & primed.
    I think I will wet sand it with 400, although I may just tackle it with a red scotch-bright. I'll go to work tomorrow and match my dash color & mix me up some Valspar 999 series automotive basecoat. I'll top it with a 2k auto satin clear coat. It may be a day or 5, but I'll post pics.
    So far: about $20 in the project(?).
    Last edited by Toid; 02-15-2017 at 10:06 PM.

  6. #6

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    Just for reference, mine was MUCH worse than this. It was this PLUS spider-webbed with cracks.
    I am not retaining dash speakers, I will install speakers in the doors in some custom glassed-in subtle(!!!) Pods.

  7. #7
    FEP Power Member SchoolBoy's Avatar
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    I'll be very interested in seeing the end result as I still need to finish my dash pad with a tripple gauge pod in the middle.
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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Toid View Post
    DA-ed with 80, 180, then blocked with 320 & primed.
    I think I will wet sand it with 400, although I may just tackle it with a red scotch-bright. I'll go to work tomorrow and match my dash color & mix me up some Valspar 999 series automotive basecoat. I'll top it with a 2k auto satin clear coat. It may be a day or 5, but I'll post pics.
    So far: about $20 in the project(?).
    I am unfamiliar with the products and techniques used here. I obviously read here where you aren't using dash speakers so I realize this is not an issue in your case. BUT, that being said, could one make a pattern of the speaker holes and just drill into this material to recreate them if they wanted speaker holes or is that not possible for some other reason?
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  9. #9
    FEP Super Member 84StangSVT's Avatar
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    Neat! How much does the added carpet/resin and so affect the fitment of this? Some of these pads fit pretty tight as it is so adding to them could be an issue I would think. How thick is this repair once it is sanded down?
    Brock
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  10. #10

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    That would be simple. Just decide where you want your gauges to be, cut out some wooden bezels to mount the gauges in, and glue them down with some kind of construction adhesive to the dash before you wrapped it with the carpet initially. Then when you wrapped it you would have a seamless flowing surface automatically contoured to hold these gauges. Then depending on how coarse of a carpet you use, some people use Simple Grill cloth but I like something that holds more resin so I don't have to lay as much fiberglass mat down, you can use your thinned out Bondo to smooth the surface then sand it and then paint it. That made sense in my head I hope it made sense to you
    Last edited by Toid; 02-16-2017 at 12:22 PM.

  11. #11

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    Haven't tried fitment test yet. I can just sand down the edge (hopefully). I've done this on other cars, but not these. Never had any trouble (so far). The total added is, estimated, 1/4".
    The filler is very thin mostly. Just on there to smooth the resin impregnated carpet nap that raised during brushing the resin in.
    Prolly be very simple to drill from the bottom where you can easily see the speaker locations, to allow sound through. Just be ultra careful, slowly progress and use a brand new bit. OR if you're not concerned with a super-factory appearance, just get a tossed away 4" speaker grille, don't worry about the clean-shaven of the holes per-se, and screw the grill on top of dash over the holes. Still be "clean" enough for most people.

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member 84StangSVT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toid View Post
    Haven't tried fitment test yet. I can just sand down the edge (hopefully). I've done this on other cars, but not these. Never had any trouble (so far). The total added is, estimated, 1/4".
    The filler is very thin mostly. Just on there to smooth the resin impregnated carpet nap that raised during brushing the resin in.
    Cool. Can't wait to see how this fits as I would like to do something like this.
    Brock
    1984 Mustang LX Convertible 3.8L V-6/Auto (SOLD)
    1984 Mustang GT Hatchback 5.0 V-8/5 Speed

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  13. #13

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    If you're a prayin' man, Brock, say one for me. Ima be rattled if it doesn't fit!! ��

  14. #14
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    I had Autokraft upholstery in Lincoln NE do something similar with black simulated leather and a foam pad 20 years ago. It's double stitched on the front edge of the dash where the pieces needed for the top and bottom meet. I've always found it very nice looking.

    The down sides as I see them are:
    1 - kiss your dash speakers goodbye more or less because they won't play the high notes anymore and don't produce very much sound mid or low either. Mount tweeters in the vents and cut speakers into the kick panels or doors instead

    2 - don't assume you will get perfection as you likely won't. Material that's stretchy or material that's not both have their drawbacks.

    3 - It's going to be a tight fit the first time back together but things do relax and stuff does fit ok eventually

    4 - plan on a lot more glare. The reason the 79-86 mustang's dash is not simply flat like this is due to the windshield angle vs dash position causing TONS of glare. Especially if you like products that make the surfaces shine!

    5 - odds are your defrost vents will eventually get impeded. It didn't happen with mine until years later but eventually the fabric will shrink back and get in the way.

    i have some pics of mine somewhere - or I'll snap some new ones when I get a chance.

  15. #15

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    I already started work on custom door panels with pods for speakers and I don't think I'm going to try to drill holes to maintain dash speakers I like the idea of putting them in the air conditioner venting. I think I may try that. it's hard to believe that 20-plus years doing professional auto sound that I never thought of or have seen that before that is brilliant. I am going to paint this Dash instead of wrapping it... so as long as my vent holes line up well with the venting I shouldn't have any problems but I have notoriously bad luck so I am managing my expectations.
    As long as there is a little extra clearance on the edges I can't see why this one would not work as well as the others that I have done this way but like I said...
    I am a little concerned about the satin clear that I'm looking at in so much as I am worried about the glare.
    A local body shop that I service just showed me a new single stage 2K product that dries absolutely flat if I can get that in a dark blue I may try it.
    I have wrapped maybe 10 or 12 dashes over the years, and the amount of labor involved always exceeded the price that I charged. It always seemed like it was more trouble than it was worth & the end result was rarely as neat as if I used a Coverlay hard dash cover... which would have been cheaper anyway. But some people just have a fetish for custom work.
    Last edited by Toid; 02-16-2017 at 03:14 PM.

  16. #16

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    I just had a thought. Yeah, I know it kind of hurt... But I had a thought what if I Plasti Dip the dash

  17. #17

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    No reason why you couldn't. Pick a color you want, sand down a nice base and go to town. The stuff lasts forever and looks nice. When you get bored peel it off and try and new color.
    1981 Mustang Hatch 3.3 "Orange Juice"
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  18. #18

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    I bought a project truck. Covered in PD. The whole thing.
    I still have nightmares about getting it off to paint it. No less than 5 gal of mineral spirits, 3 boxes of shop towels, and a year off of my life from cortisol poisoning.
    Truck came out nicely, but the journey to scrub off (peeling was a myth) the crap was... "Disheartening".Name:  VZM.IMG_20161224_163159.jpg
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  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Toid View Post
    I bought a project truck. Covered in PD. The whole thing.
    I still have nightmares about getting it off to paint it. No less than 5 gal of mineral spirits, 3 boxes of shop towels, and a year off of my life from cortisol poisoning.
    Truck came out nicely, but the journey to scrub off (peeling was a myth) the crap was... "Disheartening".Name:  VZM.IMG_20161224_163159.jpg
Views: 233
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    But, but.. it looks so nice though doesn't it
    1981 Mustang Hatch 3.3 "Orange Juice"
    1983 Mustang GT Convertible "Triple Black"
    1994 Ford ThunderBird SC
    1987 Firebird T/A
    1984 Firebird Forumla
    1988 Mazda RX-7 Infinity
    1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
    1994 Eagle Talon TSI
    1991 Eagle Talon TSI
    2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

  20. #20

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    It did when it was done. That pic is the Olympic white with light blue galaxy pearl I sprayed down... Lemme see if I got a pic of the dipped state.Name:  IMG_20160218_181042905.jpg
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  21. #21

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    Sorry to drag this one back out...
    Had REAL BAD DAYS!! Engine (bored .060 over) bent a rod, galled the cyl wall. New Engine.
    Everything in the world rains like a meteor storm of feces.
    Long and short, the Mustang is back in the carport and the piddling continues.
    The dash... It was BEAUTIFUL. I P-dipped it. Everyone that saw it "oooo"ed and "aaahhh"ed it.
    Got the car back from the shop. The color, while closest that the PD company made, was hideously off.
    The dash "technically" fit. That is to say, the clearances on sides and back were tight but she sat in there.
    The problem was on the undersides on the front where the stock dash bottom fit into the top dash pad... That's where I rolled the carpet under and stapled it. Once impregnated with resin, it bulked up and would not sit flush on the lower dash.
    Plus... did I mention the color was hideous? Well,let me make sure I communicate this point. The color was hideous.
    I took it out to the in-laws and started with the Walther .380 but wasn't satisfied until I finally vented with the .410.
    I can breathe again. I went with a repro from CJ's.
    Project synopsis:
    I'd do it again. But I would use my 5/8" staples in my air stapler and NOT roll the unbacked carpet all the way around to the underside. I would "over-staple" it on the apex of the edge, mix about 20% of my final coat of resin with body filler and sand/shape the edge to blend it along that line so when it sits down it mates with the lower dash like it should.
    I'm using humor as a mechanism to hide my frustration, but it really was a nice piece. It's a valid project, just don't over-build it and pick your peel-off spray color wisely. lol
    I will see if I took a pic of it sometime before I destructificated it and post it here if anyone's curious.

  22. #22

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    The key here is to take your time. Getting into a rush will only result in a bad result. You will also lose the center speaker grill but most don't have one anyway. I used eave vent grill (home depot for $1.23) for the small speaker grill location by cutting them and hot glueing them in place. Cut and remove bulges cracks (make a V shape) etc down to the support under the dash pad. Leaving the good portion of the dash in place. Fill the cracks hole etc with expand foam (this stuff sticks to everything) from home depot. Dont worry about it humping up and making a giant lump. Now carefully and slowly remove excess foam by cutting and sanding and leveling with the surrounding dash area. Now go to Joannes fabrics and pick out a thin matching vinyl. Using a plastic window squeege, contact cement, two inches at a time glue the vinyl to the dash. Glue two more inches and repeat pressing the vinyl into the curves. The fabric you buy is most likely going to be 2 way fabric, in other words it will stretch north/ south or east/west easily but not north/south/ west. You can buy 3 way fabric, but it costs alot more. If you take time using a good thin fabric you will get good results with out fitment issues.

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