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Cheap dash repair alternative


rigez

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I tried this method, and don't buy the plasticized bumper repair stuff, it's really expensive, and doesn't have much per bottle... Instead buy a tube of caulking stuff. I can't remember mine, but it was a two part system that I could just squeeze on into the cracks, and there's so much I don't even think I would need to use great stuff in the first place... Itll squeeze into little holes like no other... anyways, I wasn't too impressed with the quality I got out of mine, but that's because I got impatient and installed it without fully sanding down all of the caulking... stupid me :(

 

So now it doesn't look great, but in my honest opinion, the texture stuff doesn't work all that well to match the original and it's far better to get a dash cover or a different dash installed in there... If I really wanted to preserve the original dash, then I can't say I wouldnt have done it in greater detail but I'm stuck with what I have now...

 

Quick OT question: does anyone here have trouble reinstalling the speedometer cable? Mine seems stuck for rotating on... the socket thing on the outside doesn't rotate much without dragging the cable with it... let me know if you have any solutions

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whoa, nice!! must remember this thread in the future

 

 

Just subscribe to the tread... that's what I always do when i don't want to loose track of something...

 

Whenever a new post is added, you get noticed by e-mail and you can access the tread you subscribed to in your "User CP"

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Just subscribe to the tread... that's what I always do when i don't want to loose track of something...

 

Whenever a new post is added, you get noticed by e-mail and you can access the tread you subscribed to in your "User CP"

 

yah, well, I wanted to complement the poster of the method and subscribe in one effort. :icon45:

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I only have one 4 inch crack, which is real shallow and narrow, in my 78 280z. I wonder how I might modify the techniques here and prehaps mask the windshield and do the job with the dash in place? This technique seems much preferable to the dash cover or astro turf junk I've seen available through vendors. Good Job!

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I only have one 4 inch crack, which is real shallow and narrow, in my 78 280z. I wonder how I might modify the techniques here and prehaps mask the windshield and do the job with the dash in place? This technique seems much preferable to the dash cover or astro turf junk I've seen available through vendors. Good Job!

Um, I wouldnt do that if I were you unless you dont care aboutthe rest of your interior...lol I've worked fiberglass for some time now and one thing I can tell you is it is a MESS!

Trying to cover such a large area in a small space will be a pain in the ars. Not to mention the fumes. Then trying to sand and finish without tearing up or possibly even busting your window will be another challenge all together! Trust me, it’ll be worth pulling the dash out before glassing it.

Also for you guys doing this: Try using canned foam insulation to fill the gaps and then sand it down flush before you glass. I paint over the foam with some cheap latex house paint before I glass over it b/c some brands of foam react funny and others don’t. Just my .02

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I think thats going to take no time at all to crack and be looking like crap again.......

I agree there. He didnt do the whole dash so the two differtent materials will expand and contract at different temps. and thats where all hell breaks lose. If you were to cover the entire dash you wouldn't have that problem. Worse thing that would happen is the dash could pop lose from the fiberglass but you wouldn't be able to see it so it wouldnt matter.

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Whats so terrible about the dash caps? Is it specifically the ones for s30's? (I was going to pick one up a full dash cap here in the next few weeks)

I've seen dash caps go on a few cars and they turn out great if you do it correctly.

I agree with a few of the previous posters, this looks nice, but will not last.

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Whats so terrible about the dash caps? Is it specifically the ones for s30's? (I was going to pick one up a full dash cap here in the next few weeks)

I've seen dash caps go on a few cars and they turn out great if you do it correctly.

I agree with a few of the previous posters, this looks nice, but will not last.

 

My thoughts exactly.. I have one on my 280Z, and it aint even in great shape (couple of screw holes, thanks PO) but outside of being just a *shade* "tacky" for lack of a better term, it seems fine by me. I will take a dash cap over a carpet cover any day, at least.. and it cant GET any easier.

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Please allow me to retort. I suppose its a matter of preference. I didn't say terrible I said preferable. Life is full of choices and if you want a dash cover go for it. I have two dashes both with small 4 inch cracks on each of them and I'd prefer to repair them. The dashes are pretty low on my priority list though. Number one is the seats and number two is the butterscotch interior. Butterscotch is a seventies color and I'd perfer something else. Even Daeron refers to his plastic dash as tacky, his word not mine.

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Please allow me to retort. I suppose its a matter of preference. I didn't say terrible I said preferable. Life is full of choices and if you want a dash cover go for it. I have two dashes both with small 4 inch cracks on each of them and I'd prefer to repair them. The dashes are pretty low on my priority list though. Number one is the seats and number two is the butterscotch interior. Butterscotch is a seventies color and I'd perfer something else. Even Daeron refers to his plastic dash as tacky, his word not mine.

 

my word indeed. I would certainly prefer a nice uncracked dash to a dash cap... but the cap is certainly the easy way to go, and the full face ones fit well and are very discreet. the biggest issue I have with mine are the @#$% screwholes left by a PO.. essentially voiding any goodness the dash cap had.

 

24 hours may be too short a time to tell but it seems that this tackiness IS the only "problem" with the dash cap.

 

BTW, there WAS a pun in there.. tacky, dash caps, glued on... har har... :rolleyesg

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