Hi all. Finally getting around to sharing my experiences here. A bit of history - my original dash cap was cracked and broken (like they all are), and I took measures to obtain/produce a better one.
ATTEMPT ONE: Let's fix it - by repairing the damage, and then having it rewrapped in vinyl.
RESULT: BAD move - $65 and two weeks later, the rewrap job from the "recommended" shop began to separate from the backing. Add to that, the cap did not FIT properly because the added thickness of the vinyl was too great.
>sigh<
ATTEMPT TWO: Let's get another cap - fix it - and use materials to fill it, reshape it, and recoat it so it LOOKS like vinyl. I will say this - part of my process started with infomation from the Ford Maverick group, though the actual final methods varied. I also researched materials on the internet - and drew some methods from a company called "Urethane Supply Company". My process is a hybrid of both.pics
RESULT: IF it could be done better, it would, but I have to say - the thing looks near brand new. I could not be happier. It was a LOT of work, but well worth it. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING YOUR CAP RESTORED - send me an email/private message. I will determine pricing and options once I get a handle on the interest level. I have a few cores to start with, this would be done on an exchange basis.
Dashbefore1 and dashbefore2 - beautiful - this IS the same dash that I started with.
Rough, cracked, with valleys in the vinyl.
Dashinprocess - this shows only PART of the restorative effort. While it seems obvious, the
picture does not tell the full story.
MORE in the next thread....
...and the final results. What do you think?
Dashpadtexture - shows the pad after surface refinish, sprayed with a flexible coating ready for final coat.
Dashpadafter 1,2,3 - various views of the finished product.
Looks a bit different, you think? :lol:
Chris
It looks real good Chris. I have one question though. How pliable is the restored pad compared to an original?
Tigger:
I would have to ask in turn, how pliable >is< an original? You mean, as delivered from the factory, or as having sat in a vehicle from day one? No NOS unit that exists would exhibit an "as manufactured" pliability, regardless, because the aging process can be invisible. I don't think anyone would want to bend one and find out :P.
Having said that, there is enough flexibility to allow me to carry it around without issue, or to set it down and let it move under its own weight. I would not attempt any flexion beyond that, and I don't want to overextend and destroy it! I would also believe that it would ship fine, if required, given proper padding. Would an NOS unit take much bending?
From a useability perspective, mounted in the dash, it assumes a static position and should never be stressed unless it is hit hard or jarred. Longevity is an unknown; it has to survive the cycles of pollution, UV, heat and cold that typically affect everything else on a car. I'm sure the Texas sun will be a stress. This restoration used commercial products that are touted for this type of repair, so I have to have a little bit of faith in them. If the color system claims to be durable, all I can do is wait and see. ???
I wish there was a "perfect solution". From a visual perspective, it is more than adequate; nobody makes reproductions, and unless you can find NOS (rare), or are satisfied with a plastic or foam prosthetic cap (yuk), this seems to be viable. Sorry I don't know what else to say!
Chris
Seems like we're all getting little thing wrapped up. Great job, Chris. I've been waiting to see your pics, and I'm impressed. The things I noticed about my dash pad, like you said, the added vinyl/padding makes the pad fit differently, and it lacks the original 'definition'. Mine fits poorly above the instruments and at the ends, and has lost it's ridge along the windshield side edge. It does look better than doing nothing, but it could be better. It kind of reminds me of the way they wrap waterbed pads (around the edges). The upside is it was free, and it does look 'better'. The downside, I'm pretty detail oriented, and I know it doesn't look right.
Cheers :drunk:
Chuck
Thanks Chuck, good to hear from you; sorry it took so long to post, I had been concentrating on my gas tank resto, and the weather last week was lousy to shoot outdoor pics. I'm just happy that it came out decently, as it took a while. Kinda like doing bodywork, it's the details that need attention, because anything/everything that isn't clean will be revealed in the final product!
I plan to do some more of these, having a few cores lying around. BTW - Don't be so hard on yourself...I am like you in terms of detail, so I understand.
Chris
It looks VERY good for not being a capped pad! I may just take you up on one after I see what the texas sun does to it after a few more months. I think it should be pretty ok though!
Great job Chris!
The dash cap looks fantastic, Chris! Keep up the good work!
Dwayne :smile:
Hey Chris, just checking up to see how your repaired cap is holding up. I'm going to be fixing a single crack in a blue cap I have, then have it painted brown to match the interior in Brownie.
Was wondering what I should use to fill in the little void (less than 1/4") on the pad.
Hi Dave:
The cap is holding up very well - given that it has never been installed :P. Seriously - it's still in pretty good shape but has some minor cracks in it, since I used a final filler that was not well suited for this. I don't consider the experiment a failure but longevity is an issue here. In service it may have fared worse. I don't plan to use it, since I found a NOS cap that I will be dyeing the proper color.
First clean the cap with Naptha, to remove any wax/grease/oil/fingerprints/etc. Shave sharp edges of the vinyl away, and remove some of the old cracked foam. Now, fill the void with that nifty "foam in a spray can" stuff they sell at home improvement stores (to insulate cracks in your home). Once filled, let it expand fully, then cut off flush to the surface. Now, get some flexible filler from Urethane supply, and fill the foam. When dry, sand it AND the whole cap with 180 grit paper. Spray the WHOLE cap with flexible texturing (the black stuff in the photos above, also at Urethane supply), then dye it with SEM color coat, available at better auto paint and body stores.
Maybe I'll write an article and put it in Pinto times.
Chris