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Realized a while back on my new to me 911.1 GT3 RS, even with a very thorough inspection the leather on the corner of the dash is lifting (Ferrari Style) and someone stappled it down at one point.
Is there a good link on how to remove the front upper dash section (piece most toward windshield). It looks like it's a seperate piece from the main dash.
I'd like to pull it as a winter project
, and replace with a new one (if cost effective), or fix it.
Wow, thank you so much, this is even better. A great video.
How hard was the dash replacement? Does it all go back together like it came apart, or do all the little plastic tabs break? I am pretty hand mechanically (swapped engines/ trans), but my finesse and patience for interiors is not as good.
After watching the video, the bad news is the piece I thought was seperate, is really part of the main dash section. The staples I thought were a repair job, appear to be factory, but the dash has shrung or warped it's way up.. In the screen capture below you can see the staples in place form the factory, but no staple in the corner that is the most peeled up. It looks like my entire dash shrank and got shorter, or was made too short.
Options I guess are:
1. Leave as is
2. Remove and replace entire dash board. Will probably be hard to source another lava orange stiched dash
3. Remove windshield, trim piece, and have a upholstry shop stretch, staple, and/or glue the dash down.
I just took my time. Took pictures and tried not to force things. You don't have to take the windshield out once you get all the bolts out it pulls out fairly easy. There aren't any real bolts near the windshield. Just make sure you remember to connect all the electrical connectors back. I missed one of the vent plugs and had to contort my hand like plasti man to reconnect it without taking the dash back apart. I think I broke 1 tab, but I have not heard any rattles since reassembly.
I hope you can get that fixed up nicely. Can’t believe someone would have stapled it like that and surprised it would pull back like that if factory.
Removing the windshield sounds like a good idea but how would you get the leather restretched? Maybe the expert leather shops could do it, IDK.
This is why I hate leather dashes. I’ve rarely seen 20-30 year old leather dashes in good shape. Ordered my GT4 with the rubber dash but unfortunately the GT3s both have leather dashes.
I hope you can get that fixed up nicely. Can’t believe someone would have stapled it like that and surprised it would pull back like that if factory.
Removing the windshield sounds like a good idea but how would you get the leather restretched? Maybe the expert leather shops could do it, IDK.
This is why I hate leather dashes. I’ve rarely seen 20-30 year old leather dashes in good shape. Ordered my GT4 with the rubber dash but unfortunately the GT3s both have leather dashes.
OEM dash uses staples. Removing the windshield is not necessary.
I hope you can get that fixed up nicely. Can’t believe someone would have stapled it like that and surprised it would pull back like that if factory.
Removing the windshield sounds like a good idea but how would you get the leather restretched? Maybe the expert leather shops could do it, IDK.
This is why I hate leather dashes. I’ve rarely seen 20-30 year old leather dashes in good shape. Ordered my GT4 with the rubber dash but unfortunately the GT3s both have leather dashes.
I thought the staples were a repair hack job, but if you watch the video posted by PJAZZ and the screen capture I took then you can see the staples are factory.
PJAZZ where did you buy your dash? It looks like the leather dash with lava orange stiching MRSP is like $6500. Ouch.
It took a while but I was able to find the spec I needed from a European salvage yard on ebay. You can also try Exclusive Option. There a vendor on the forum.
Does anyone know how many shop hours to replace the dashboard? My local Porsche dealer gave me an estimate of 4 hours which sounds ridiculously low. Thanks!
One option that you could consider is using a dash cover from Covercraft. My dash is starting to fail like yours, albeit the staples haven’t popped out yet. I am hoping using a dash cover and windshield shade will prevent my dashboard from getting worse. The cost of a new leather dash is about $3800 plus whatever labor will be, I am thinking at least 16 hours with the Porsche shop rate at $225/ hour, this project I approaching $8K for my 2017 991.2 turbo s.
You could get your dash recovered for about $1000. Like you, I am pretty mechanically inclined, but I am not sure that I want to tackle this job, there is a potential for many plastic parts to break on a car that has lived in the hot Texas sun for the past 7 years.
One option that you could consider is using a dash cover from Covercraft. My dash is starting to fail like yours, albeit the staples haven’t popped out yet. I am hoping using a dash cover and windshield shade will prevent my dashboard from getting worse. The cost of a new leather dash is about $3800 plus whatever labor will be, I am thinking at least 16 hours with the Porsche shop rate at $225/ hour, this project I approaching $8K for my 2017 991.2 turbo s.
You could get your dash recovered for about $1000. Like you, I am pretty mechanically inclined, but I am not sure that I want to tackle this job, there is a potential for many plastic parts to break on a car that has lived in the hot Texas sun for the past 7 years.
In the video posted, it says an 8 hour job. It's probably 8 to 16 hours depending on how fast you work (aka how delicate you are with the plastics). If the parts are going to break for you, they are going to break for the dealer who will go faster- granted they might replace some of them. PJAZZ makes a good point. IF you go in with the mindset that it will take a long time, don't force it, go slow, it will probably be fine. I once swapped a car from Auto to Manual which required me to diassemble the dash. I remember the pain stacking contorsion required
When you said recovered, you mean covercraft, or a local upholstry shop? My car lived in Florida before I bought it. It appears to be garage kept, but must of sat in the sun here and there. For me, she is a garage queen now, so not much sun. Likewise, I've used some leather reconditioner to treat the leather a few tines now. It definitely relaxes the leather. my hope is it relaxes some more, I remove the trim around the dashboard and the windshied, and have an upholstry shop. Funny I had the car out in the sun yesterdy cleaning it with door open, and I touched the door leather with the door open, and it WAS HOT. Can't imagine a 95F degree day, closed windows. No wonder it deforms.
In the video posted, it says an 8 hour job. It's probably 8 to 16 hours depending on how fast you work (aka how delicate you are with the plastics). If the parts are going to break for you, they are going to break for the dealer who will go faster- granted they might replace some of them. PJAZZ makes a good point. IF you go in with the mindset that it will take a long time, don't force it, go slow, it will probably be fine. I once swapped a car from Auto to Manual which required me to diassemble the dash. I remember the pain stacking contorsion required
When you said recovered, you mean covercraft, or a local upholstry shop? My car lived in Florida before I bought it. It appears to be garage kept, but must of sat in the sun here and there. For me, she is a garage queen now, so not much sun. Likewise, I've used some leather reconditioner to treat the leather a few tines now. It definitely relaxes the leather. my hope is it relaxes some more, I remove the trim around the dashboard and the windshied, and have an upholstry shop. Funny I had the car out in the sun yesterdy cleaning it with door open, and I touched the door leather with the door open, and it WAS HOT. Can't imagine a 95F degree day, closed windows. No wonder it deforms.
hello,
When you said recovered, you mean covercraft, or a local upholstry shop? I meant a local upholstery shop. So, it sounds like you going to see if you can get an upholstery to fix it? I think once the leather has shrunk, it can’t be totally stretched back. You may have to remove the front windshield to gain access. I purchased a Covercraft dash cover (which fits well and looks great!) Also, purchased a Covercraft sunshade, because they are NLA from Porsche. I hope my OCD can handle these imperfections, lol. I am thinking I may leave my dashboard alone for now, because I am more concerned what else may get messed-up swapping the dashboard out.
Here is what mine looks like:
Passenger side. A lip has formed on the right edge near the vent due to sun damage/shrinkage.
When you said recovered, you mean covercraft, or a local upholstry shop? I meant a local upholstery shop. So, it sounds like you going to see if you can get an upholstery to fix it? I think once the leather has shrunk, it can’t be totally stretched back. You may have to remove the front windshield to gain access. I purchased a Covercraft dash cover (which fits well and looks great!) Also, purchased a Covercraft sunshade, because they are NLA from Porsche. I hope my OCD can handle these imperfections, lol. I am thinking I may leave my dashboard alone for now, because I am more concerned what else may get messed-up swapping the dashboard out.
Here is what mine looks like:
Passenger side. A lip has formed on the right edge near the vent due to sun damage/shrinkage.
We both have Porsche’s with the EXACT same leather dash issues. If I took pictures of my 2016 GTS dash they would be almost identical to yours. We’re neighbors BTW… I’m in Camas.
I’m also going to live with it for now, but leaning towards finding a used/maybe new dash replacement and doing the swap myself. Keep me posted on what you decide with yours!
When you said recovered, you mean covercraft, or a local upholstry shop? I meant a local upholstery shop. So, it sounds like you going to see if you can get an upholstery to fix it? I think once the leather has shrunk, it can’t be totally stretched back. You may have to remove the front windshield to gain access. I purchased a Covercraft dash cover (which fits well and looks great!) Also, purchased a Covercraft sunshade, because they are NLA from Porsche. I hope my OCD can handle these imperfections, lol. I am thinking I may leave my dashboard alone for now, because I am more concerned what else may get messed-up swapping the dashboard out.
Here is what mine looks like: Passenger side. A lip has formed on the right edge near the vent due to sun damage/shrinkage.
Yours is pretty minor. I would probably leave it alone, treat it with leather conditioner and keep it out of the sun. Your staples are not showing, which is postive.
I've priced a dash from the lowest dealer at $4275 + Shipping. Black leather with lava stiching.
Before I pull the trigger I am going to pull the trim piece infront of the dash and see if it's repairable. I get that it shrank, but what is the panel material underneath? Did it pull up the plastic underneath and if we glue it back down it will all be good? I ask this question because my leather is not flush with the panel underneath. It's like the leather got hot, pulled the panel underneath up, and when it cooled back down, it stayed up. Is it possible to glue the panel underneath back down, and that will reset the leather into place, and assuming it is kept out of the sun, all will be well?
I will pull the trim infront of the dash this week (or attempt too), and see what's underneath. If it's foam, and bent, or non reperable I will probably pull the trigger on a dash repacement.
11-04-2023, 11:43 PM
911.1 Dash Removal
