My 82 is in need of a new brown dash pad. The pod has one long crack and the dash itself is only bad up by the vents. I see them on e-bay and was wondering if anyone has installed one. Are they nice looking when done? Will it warp in 2 months? Are the leather covers better than plastic? I already have a carpet one which looks like...well carpet stuck to my dash so I removed it. I am good at dying so that is no biggie but are the ones in brown from 928intl the way to go and do we get any discount from them as members here? I just don't want to make a mistake or have this thing look like hell when done. My car is no showpiece but it is too nice to botch up a dash but does not warrant a $500+ recover job either, nor do I want to remove the dash itself.

Any other tips or opinions will be appreciated.

Nick

 

The dash covers are a waste of time and money and look terrible IMOO.

Go with a replacement dash and pod in leather see = http://www.designpaulchampagne.com/PorscheLeather.html

 

Nick,

I'm with Roger, I haven't seen any of the dash pads that looked good to me. I also don't think I've seen any positive response to them here on the list, but I have seen a few negative ones.

Also, I'm not aware of any discount for 'listers through any of the sponsors, but if there is one, please let us know.

 

LMAO !! Well thats good to know. At least i found out before i started on it.

BTW, anyone want a blue dash cover, cheap??

 

How cheap fro the blue one? I can dye it brown I guess.

That is a wonderfull site but again she does not warrant a $500 dash nor am I removing the one in the car to do so.

 

Maybe so but teye are much much less $$$$ than a new or a recovered dash. I don't think the overlays look that bad. Certainly looks better than the huge cracks it covers.

 

The overlays aren't that bad--especially the pod cover. It doesn't seem to warp as easily.

I used an overlay for a while as a stop gap. If you park the car in the sun, it will warp. The instructions say to NOT silicone the thing to the dash in a lot of places, or with a continuous bead, so that the cover can expand/contract at a different rate; however, I think you would be better off gluing it down as tightly as possible in as many places as possible.

 

Imo and Brian,

You both make good points. I'm sure it would look a million times better in my car than the crevasses that are there. I just don't know how much it's worth repairing or dying one rather than saving up for a re-upholster job to do it all the way.

Nick,
I hear you on the expense, and the time for dash removal. I can't justify paying for anything that doesn't make my car run better right now, so the cracks remain. I just wanted to relay what I'd heard.

 

Mike I see your point but the covers cost so little, they are easy to install and are worth to have untill you have the dash recovered. Never know, you might have it on for a few years.

 

Biggie,
I hope your 928 doesn't hear you say that "doesn't warrant" a $500 dash recover job. A shark will bite you hard if it thinks you don't care. LOL

 

I put the 928 Int overlay on my dash and pod in my 81'. Looked pretty good IMHO. I glued it down much more than reccomended by the mfg and it worked fine. Mind did start to crack after a couple of years of sitting in the NV sun. If you keep it covered I'm sure it would last longer.

 

Whatever you do, NEVER consider using Just Dashes for a dash or pod repair. Horror story you don't want to hear. Just take it fom me (or ask Nicole who had to expose her eyes and senses to my awful Just Dashes dash).

 

That's how i was looking at it. At the extreme least, it would suffice utill I can save up for a real quality and more permanent fix (ala Roger).

two remaning questions. How do you deal with the sharp visible edge on the top front of the pod (at least i assume there will be one, with the one i got)?? And might one consider using contact cement on the whole thing rather than the glue they provide??

 

I used the overlay from 928intl for the dash and pd on my '81. I believe if I had used more of the glue it might not have warped so much. The dash material had pulled from the vents down to the metal, and material I used did not adhere well. The pod cover came out well though.

 

I have a vinyl cover available for $229. I can offer instructions and advice in repairing your dash and recovering it.
It comes with foam layer underlayment material and a piece for the glove box.
If you take your time and pay attention to detail it will come out looking like new.