Youtube find - dash repair
#2
I recently saw this video. I am really thinking of trying to wrap my dash myself. My test was wrapping my venture console first. That turned out great. I would try something first then do the dash. A heat gun and some strong vinyl glee make all the difference.
#3
Rennlist Member
This video is pretty misleading. I've recovered a oval dash before and it's not fun. Even with a heat gun, even with high quality adhesive, it's difficult to get the vinyl to adhere to the compound curves of the dash. I'd be especially curious to see how the left side of the dash stays over time, I know the dash that I did started to lift in between the gauge cluster and the side vent after about 6 months. Full disclosure, the dash I recovered was removed from the car to make it easier and it really helped. I'd worry about getting adhesive all over my interior.
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#9
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Alpineace, where did you purchase the CF?
I'm assuming you used the stretchable CF/kevlar material and not some prepasted stuff. Then the clearcoat to give it a shine?
#11
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A buddy and I used the same stuff on a headliner and console and it worked great while closely matching the grain of the interior. I would use the 3M super 77 spray instead of contact cement and repair the cracks prior to putting down new vinyl. It was on a black car and held up for at least three years in the Phoenix sun.
#12
I did this a few years back, and it still today looks like new. It's not very difficult, but can be time consuming.
Definitely do it the proper way, and get the dash out.
I did NOT use a heat gun, but the vinyl i bought had this "net", or fabric, whatever it is, on the back side. After ripping that of from the vinyl it will be very flexible, and no need for heat. It's a bitch to get off, but I think it will make the wrapping so much easier and better. Careful when taking it off, because the net can easily grab some pieces of the back of the vinyl, and it's gonna look horrible thru the vinyl (see the black spots on the net).
Get your contact adhesive, and get to work!
After some time you will have a nice new dash.
Put that thing back. Here the vent holes on top of the dash looked really horrible, and for one year i was thinking, how the hell do i fix those.
Now the part comes where you have to be creative. I bought a sheet of thin PVC, maybe like 0.7mm thick, a bar holding the shelf in the wardrobe, a small piece of ruler, a permanent marker, scissors and a lighter.
A bit difficult to see, but I heated the pvc with the lighter, pressed the ruler against the pvc to form my new vents.
Cut the vents out from the pvc sheet, give them some paint, and you'll have the vents for your dash done.
Glue them in place, and feel good about the fact that you didn't buy a new dash.
The price of this, was maybe 40 euros for the vinyl, glue and pvc.
Definitely do it the proper way, and get the dash out.
I did NOT use a heat gun, but the vinyl i bought had this "net", or fabric, whatever it is, on the back side. After ripping that of from the vinyl it will be very flexible, and no need for heat. It's a bitch to get off, but I think it will make the wrapping so much easier and better. Careful when taking it off, because the net can easily grab some pieces of the back of the vinyl, and it's gonna look horrible thru the vinyl (see the black spots on the net).
Get your contact adhesive, and get to work!
After some time you will have a nice new dash.
Put that thing back. Here the vent holes on top of the dash looked really horrible, and for one year i was thinking, how the hell do i fix those.
Now the part comes where you have to be creative. I bought a sheet of thin PVC, maybe like 0.7mm thick, a bar holding the shelf in the wardrobe, a small piece of ruler, a permanent marker, scissors and a lighter.
A bit difficult to see, but I heated the pvc with the lighter, pressed the ruler against the pvc to form my new vents.
Cut the vents out from the pvc sheet, give them some paint, and you'll have the vents for your dash done.
Glue them in place, and feel good about the fact that you didn't buy a new dash.
The price of this, was maybe 40 euros for the vinyl, glue and pvc.
#13
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Pirrex - thanks so much! Did you remove the top dash plastic like in the video? Did you do any 'crack repair' on the underlying dash after the plastic was off?
#14
I just put some glue in the cracks, and let it dry. I then didn't put any contact glue over the area of the crack, to prevent the slightly uneven surface from shining thru the vinyl.
Oh, and yes, I also removed the black "peel", doesn't need any heat gun for that either.
Oh, and yes, I also removed the black "peel", doesn't need any heat gun for that either.