How to: 30 min dash repair

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Here's a quick 30 min project. I got a free dash from my local upholstery guy Corbin's custom upholstery and it was in relatively good shape except a few cracks and some pretty ugly fading and color. I went to my local NAPA that stocks quite a few SEM colorbond paints and I found one that looked close to in color to some trim I got out of a 74 Cheyenne. I prob could have got a closer match but I prob would have had to order a couple and it was close enough, that and it matches my headliner.

Basically I wiped the dash down with isopropyl alcohol and mixed a 50¢ sized glob of bondo and fingered it into the cracks alright here's the secret to the succes. I took a flat blade screwdriver and while it was halfway dry and crumbly I used a screwdriver to scrape off excess and a rag to kinda get the small stuff to kinda "dust" off I recleaned where I worked and then painted it with the SEM "camel" paint. I gotta say I'm quite happy for my $15 invested.

Here's some pictures of the process and results.

[dieseldawg142]

looks good!
just did my door panels with SEM, nice paint, stinky, but nice

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Yah stuff is pretty stinky. It doesn't seem to adhere as well I thought but well see when it's fully done curing. When it dried I could scratch it of with my nails.

[Zane M]

Did you use the adhesion promoter? The adhesion promoter greatly increases your odds of having the product successfully stay on.

[79 silverado]

Witrh our sun and heat I'd be afraid it would expand at a different rate and re-crack... probably not so much an issue up where you are though!

Keep us up to date on the long-term durability of the repair.

I'm also wondering if a really thin brush applied layer of fiberglass resin to encapsulate it all and make it hold together would prevent recracking? Hrmm....

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by Zane M

Did you use the adhesion promoter? The adhesion promoter greatly increases your odds of having the product successfully stay on.

No I was on a budget the size of a gift card lol. But when I do panels in my red truck I'm definitely going to try a total package.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by 79 silverado

Witrh our sun and heat I'd be afraid it would expand at a different rate and re-crack... probably not so much an issue up where you are though!

Keep us up to date on the long-term durability of the repair.

I'm also wondering if a really thin brush applied layer of fiberglass resin to encapsulate it all and make it hold together would prevent recracking? Hrmm....

Yah the only issue I can see with this is when the dash itself continues to crack and peels up making the thin strand of bondo look odd in a big(er) crack that grows with time.

My next attempt with a dash is I'm going to peel off the hard vinyl and use http://www.urethanesupply.com/Other-...d-Dash-Filler/ this stuff and re wrap leather or vinyl on the dash. That will prob be about summer time though.

[nekkidhillbilly]

something flexable would be best to fill

[INSIDIOUS '86]

[dieseldawg142]

don't think it would work on a dash pad, but on plastic, i painted my console with por 15 & some chassis black, & you can not scratch it off