Rob M Budd

I'm doing a dash in Alcantara for Mike and started stripping the core. Its in pretty good shape with only a few small cracks. They will show through if not repaired.
If you strip the vinyl off a dash, do it very very carefully. You want to keep the foam intact as much as possible. As you pull the vinyl off, it will tear easily where the sun did its damage.
As you move away from those areas, the vinyl becomes more pliable. If you not careful, this pliable vinyl will cause you to tear the foam around the cluster and lower sections.

Here's a few pictures.

Manning

What is the difference in pricing for Alcantara?

Rob M Budd

Alcantara runs $259 for the top cover and enough material do do the bottom sections. Its an additional $75 if you'd like the stitching on the bottom sections.

Installing vinyl, leather, or alcantara on the bottom section without stitching is not easy. There's some 90 degree turns that make it difficult.

Robby

Hey, that's my core... Does this mean I've hit celebrity status?



wow... I had no idea the cracks went all the way through like that... Overall, it was in much better condition than my current dash, but not near perfect enough to go through the R&R of an exchange IMO...

Drewsifer

I will have one of these on my baby before I go to Iraq. Oh yes, I will.

gregeast

Rob,

How are the cracks in the underlying foam repaired?

Rob M Budd

It depends. I use various glues and fillers. Most of the time I use a polyurethane sealer and/or SEM plastic bumper repair.

MPD47

Cant wait to install it!

Mike B

Great pics Rob. Thanks!

Rob M Budd

Just finished the Alcantara dash for Mike.
It looks great!
Alcantara is a bit tougher to work with than vinyl or leather. It doesn't stretch as much making corners a bit difficult.

Rob M Budd

The cracks were filled with SEM flexible filler and sanded smooth. The whole top section of the factory foam was reinforced with polyethylene foam and sanded smooth into the edges, contours and recesses.
The alcantara was glued directly to the polyethylene foam.
All ends edges and corners were then cut and trimmed.
The addition of polyethylene foam and alcantara should hold up to ultraviolet rays pretty well, since both are designed to to do just that.

Manning

Wow, very nice. Based on your comments about the early dash being a bit tougher to do, is it advisable to maybe stick with leather or vinyl for that application?

Rob M Budd

For the novice or the first time out it may be easier with vinyl or leather, but if you start with alcantara, it may turn out fine.

I hadn't worked with it before and next time it should go easier now that I know how the material's characteristics.
I know I don't want to try and do the lower section in alcantara without seams.

944J

The whole interior in alcantra would look great, what color is that and where do you get it and how much approx?

MPD47

The plan is to do most of the interior in alcantara, wanted to get the dash done first though Looks great Rob!