dash pad fixes/modified

[79bonanza]

well i was sitin in the cab of my truck tonight looking at the cracks going threw my dash and was thinking a nice new dash pad would look good in here but they seem to be alittle pricey for a decent replacment so i started to think about just covering it with a new material, maybe like a fake leather or just some other smooth material. i was curious to see if any one else has tried to recover there cracked old dash pad and what does it look like now.

 

[ryoken]

i did it in my Chevelle... turned out nice... black vinyl and spray glue... sorry, no pics...

 

[Blue85]

I've always wanted to see somebody try it on one of our trucks. You can get automotive grade vinyl at local fabric shops like Jo-Ann. Maybe they would have an OK color or could special order it for you. I just always assumed it would take an experienced upholstery person to pull it off with all the curves and such.

I picked up one of those skins that covers the dash pad several years ago for like $85 and it has been great, really.

 

[rob h]

I bought felt from walmart(lil dif approach), recovered the dash and the headliner. They came out good if you like the fabric look. Its been on for 5 years and the only thing was it started to lift in the lower corner, other than that looks good.

 

[diesel4me]

I saw a truck at my friends shop ,it had the dash all done over with herculiner!..the kid bondo'd all the cracked and missing areas first,then brushed it with Herculiner..didn't look half bad,much better than it did with a tattered dash that looked like a dog chewed on previously!...how long the Herculiner holds up remains to be seen,he only did it a few months ago..

I think I'd opt for one of those "press on" dash covers myself...easy enough to install,a few blobs of silicone and it goes right over the original dash..

 

[djtejas]

I repaired mine by using the urethane used for bumper repair to fill the cracks, also used fiberglass cloth and the urethane to cover the speaker hole in the middle, then cover everything with bed liner, sanded it a little smother to look like the original vinyl grain, then painted with vinyl paint...looks pretty good

look at the pics in my profile

 

[rjfguitar]

A reproduction new dash pad is only $300. By the time you buy fabric, glue, etc., you could have a $100 in it already.

I have my doubts about those dash pad "skins" for $100, I could just see it not coming out good, leaving edges and corners of the old dash showing. Never seen one in person though.

 

[Corey 78K5]

My dash looks like a festered dried out turd from being in storage. Maybe I might give it a try. The hard part is the curves in the middle. Would need to heat up the material real good with a heat gun or blow drier to get a good stretch on it.

 

[garydan]

I have my doubts about those dash pad "skins" for $100, I could just see it not coming out good, leaving edges and corners of the old dash showing. Never seen one in person though.

The previous owner put one of those on my truck. I'd rather see cracked dash instead.

 

[ryoken]

My dash looks like a festered dried out turd from being in storage. Maybe I might give it a try. The hard part is the curves in the middle. Would need to heat up the material real good with a heat gun or blow drier to get a good stretch on it.

upholstery grade vinyl is pretty readily available.... heat gun on low is what ya want.. good 3M spray glue... sponge and bondo spreader work well for smoothing out.... denature the heck out of it, scuff it, denatured, spray glue, go to town...

my Chevelle one was similar in difficulty to a K5 I'm thinking... couple tricky spots, but heat and patience can get it done... the big mistake most make is bad prep and rushing the glue... make sure you treat it like any other contact cement job, coat both surfaces... the drier the glue the better...

mine came out pretty much perfect and it ran me probably $30 and a few hrs labor...

 

[Avery4jc]

 

[JDNobodi]

So Avery, how often you need to shave your dash?

 

[Drey]

I have my doubts about those dash pad "skins" for $100, I could just see it not coming out good, leaving edges and corners of the old dash showing. Never seen one in person though.

I put on on my GMC back when I painted it up. Turned out good, its starting to crack though. If I were to do it again I would of got a replacement dash. As far as any of the old dash showing, You couldnt really tell in my truck.

 

[Avery4jc]

So Avery, how often you need to shave your dash?

Depends on how much water leaks in, stupid door seals.

 

[kgblazerfive]

Hmm mine looks pretty good

for all you haters its OG or at least a repo

 

[obijuan]

a good used one is the only way to go

 

[blazinzuk]

I have seen Keiths dashpad and i hope to steel it someday soon its super nice.

Have you guys seen this

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=423475

Pretty nice alternative and reasonably speaking I think it would last longer.

 

[Teck]

Mine new OEM died grey

 

[Babaganoosh]

I thought about stripping down one then sending it off to a shop to get padded and covered in leather. I'm Not sure how effective or reasonable this would come, just one of those thoughts that nothing productive ever happens.

 

[79bonanza]

thanks for all the reaponses and good ideas. but what does denatured mean and to the guys that have pulled some kind of vinyle or leather over their dash, how did you get it smooth where it goes from the flat on the drive side to the curved on the passenger side like by the gauges and stuff i dont know how id keep any wrinkles out of that. o yea i think you shouldnt have shaved your dash haha id rocked the long haired dash for awhile lol