ulrichd

My Guards Red/Cork 911 dash has several cracks in it all the way to the front. A "new" dash is out of the question, even if I could find one in Cork the price will be out of this world (plus windshield removal).

Plan B: I found some leather at a local auto upholstery shop that comes very close to a match. I have 2 spare door trim pieces and a $80 coverlay that they would cover for $150 labor plus the price of the material.

Any thoughts? Is leather a bad idea? My car is always garaged so won't spend extended periods in sun.

IslandmanPA

Sounds like a plan! try to get some photos of the process (if you go that route) and post them!

Edgy01

If you want it to be right, go the route that replaces the top and spring for the new windshield rubber as well. Once you're done you will see it everytime you are driving. Even babied in the garage, you're in Texas and Texas has a ton of UV. Zero out that hour meter on your dash.

Peter Zimmermann

Ulrich: In my opinion this is a mistake. The shop will not be able to duplicate the shape of the existing dash, which will then look wrong. The air nozzle in the center will/can be damaged by someone who won't take the time to remove it. The 911 dash is not made to repair, just replace. I've seen what you're contemplating done more than a few times, and even to the barely-trained eye the end result does not look "right." You would be better served to get a dash mat to cover the cracks until you're ready to replace the dash. I've seen interiors like yours have a non-leather, black replacement installed and it looks beautiful - and correct. Plus, the black dash top won't reflect as much light.
Pete

glenncof

ulrich,

I have a '85 Cab. Six years ago I had a shop put on a color matched cover. It's now cracking. I recently recovered the seats & steering wheel myself. Now the dash looks out of place, it should be replaced.

I studied lots of post on pelicanparts forum and concluded I would like to remove the cap and recover the original dash. The cap was OK but didn't last <brand?> and I have this vague recollection of the dash which I would like to restore.

Based on what I know now, I'm planning to get German vinyl <dash recover kit> from Upholstery World since I used that for the front seats. I think it is $150 from them. They have leather also $$. Of course you must get samples.

Yea, the screws on the leading edge of dash requires windshield removal but I may just take it to a shop and have them pull it so I can remove the screws and they can reset it.

BTW, they removed the windshield to install the cap and found seals (14yrs old) deteriorated. The windshield with new rubber, needed to be reset. Cap =$200 & Wind. seal.install =$200 so I probably should have had them recover it correctly at a somewhat higher cost.

In your case I would investigate having the shop remove and recover existing dash if you don't want to do it.

http://www.worlduph.com/porsche5.htm

If you live in San Diego area find the pelicanparts post on a guy there who will do the whole thing at a nice price.

Putting a cover on a cover doesn't sound like a good approach.

rbuswell

Ulrich,

Didn't you recently put up a post about a dash cap project that was a "success" at the time? As I recall it was a contrasting color (brown?), since cork wasn't available, that seemed to work nicely. If that's the case, or even if it isn't, maybe you could tell us the brand of cap (you mention Coverlay) so the Rennlister community could avoid the same plight. I hadn't heard that the aftermarket caps would crack. If so they must be pretty low quality.

By the way, I can empathize on the expense issue. Not all of us are made of money and we need an acceptable solution for an otherwise ridiculous price. Parts alone are crazy, but the labor makes it prohibitive for most of us. The fellow who buys your car from you as a collectible someday and who has infinite cash can replace the dash the "right" way and take it to Peter to have it done.

Dan Cobb

I basically went this route last year. I purchased a recovered dash in black leather. I removed the windshield myself and installed the new dash myself. I had the glass put back in by a pro.

It seemed that everything was on track until i let the car sit outside under a car cover for about 3-4 weeks.
When I got into the car, the new dash had curled up like a witch's boot and the center vent is now protruding out nearly 1/2" in front of the dash with a rather large gap completely around it. The hole is so warped out of square, that this dash is now toast.

It will get replaced by a remanufactured (NOT simply recovered) dash from JustDashes in Van Nuys, CA.
I have been to their shop and seen their products first-hand. This is how I should have gone in the beginning.

I now have 2 dashes stored in my garage that are in need of their services. To get them in leather is pretty expensive (matching colors are supposedly available) w/ black vinyl being the standard, 'entry-level' option @ about $600.
They are able to replace the foam and reshape it to original specs. I will probably go the vinyl route, as they have some guarantee about how long it should survive w/o cracking, splitting, warping, etc, whereas the leather needs to be maintained in order for it not to dry out, crack, etc and rewarp the new dash.
Anyway, I have a core to decrease the garage time of the project, but I recently lost my covered parking place in the garage to a pool table. (Hey, this is Southern California; who actually parks in their garage around here?)

If anyone is interested in a core dash, let me know.
+++

Peter Zimmermann

rbuswell: If the "Peter" you mention is me, let it be known that I had to come up with the big bucks to have mine done in '02, on my '82. To have a perfect interior on a 20+ year old car, except for the part that looks like the floor of the Grand Canyon that you look at every time that you sit in the car, something has to be done. I had Pete's Auto Top on Pico & Sherborne in L.A. do mine - they installed an o.e. non-leather replacement. Mine was expensive because I had to replace the windshield (the lower corners were badly clouded) and its seal at the same time. I've never done upholstery work, but I've watched it done and have tremendous respect for those that have labored for years to learn their craft.
Pete

ulrichd

Ulrich,

Didn't you recently put up a post about a dash cap project that was a "success" at the time? As I recall it was a contrasting color (brown?), since cork wasn't available, that seemed to work nicely. If that's the case, or even if it isn't, maybe you could tell us the brand of cap (you mention Coverlay) so the Rennlister community could avoid the same plight. I hadn't heard that the aftermarket caps would crack. If so they must be pretty low quality.

It was a success, but the original cracks have grown to the front of the dash.

rbuswell

Sent you a PM, Peter.