Upholstered dash?

[bigjoenvegas]

I was thinking on pulling my dash out and wrappining it in black tweed. Has anyone done it? My dash is really cracked, so I was thinking on filling the cracks with bondo and sanding it smooth, then wrapping it with the black tweed. Where are all the bolts to remove the dash and do I need to remove the windshield? Also I would like to do my own door panels but the top panels are a little tore up. Where can I just get the bare cardboard upper panels?

 

[Longroof79]

I was thinking on pulling my dash out and wrappining it in black tweed. Has anyone done it? My dash is really cracked, so I was thinking on filling the cracks with bondo and sanding it smooth, then wrapping it with the black tweed. Where are all the bolts to remove the dash and do I need to remove the windshield? Also I would like to do my own door panels but the top panels are a little tore up. Where can I just get the bare cardboard upper panels?

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Joe,
I've seen it done on an El Camino several years ago. I think it looked pretty nice, too. He also did his door panels in tweed as well and some of the other interior plastics. The only thing is, tweed is kind of a dated look. It does look good though.
Of course you'll need to get the dash nice and smooth before trying to apply any type of tweed, fabric, vinyl, even a dash cap.
You might want to even consider using a dash cap.
As for dropping the dash. You'll find a bolt in each corner under the dash. I believe there's one or two along side the steering column (which you'd have to lower, by the way). You'll also have to remove the speaker grilles to access a few more fasteners.
Also where the blower duct outlets are on top of the dash near the windshield, there's several screws in there as well.
You'll also need to disconnect the speedo and some of duct work and wiring.
Just make a note as to where everything goes and you should be in good shape.

You DO NOT need to remove the windshield.

Jack

 

[kuruption109]

I was thinking on pulling my dash out and wrappining it in black tweed. Has anyone done it? My dash is really cracked, so I was thinking on filling the cracks with bondo and sanding it smooth, then wrapping it with the black tweed. Where are all the bolts to remove the dash and do I need to remove the windshield? Also I would like to do my own door panels but the top panels are a little tore up. Where can I just get the bare cardboard upper panels?

i looks pretty good wrapped.. were are you located?

 

[bigjoenvegas]

Thanks for your replies. I figured tweed would be easier to work with and cheap, but I was gonna go to a fabric place to see what my options are. I live in Las Vegas so the sun tears up dashes. I have a hard plastic cap but it only covers the top half of the dash and the whole dash is tore up. I also need to re-fab the opening where the stereo goes due to it being cut out and the heater controls can't mount up. Would bondoing the cracks and sanding it smooth work? I'll post a picture tomorrow, I bet its the worst dash ever!

 

[carmangary]

I don't know about using Bondo for leveling out the cracks. I'd probably opt for something a little more flexible. To be honest, I am not sure what that is, but I would look into it before using Bondo. I'd check and see what the pros use for dash repair and maybe use that.

 

[RITTER]

...probably better off using fiberglass resin than Bondo

 

[carmangary]

I have a feeling that this stuff might be good for filling a padded dash:

http://www.amazon.com/Urethane-Supply-P ... B0002JKE6Y

 

[Longroof79]

That urethane product might be the key. I have heard of guys using bondo to fill cracked dashes, but I don't know about that.
Expandable foam to fill any deep gouges and maybe use that urethane stuff to feather over the cracked areas.
I'm sure fiberglass matting and resin are better than using bondo.

By the way, the half dash caps suck. They generally look like crap. A full cap that covers from top to bottom has a nicer look and fit. The one thing I don't like, is that you no longer have access to your speakers.

Jack

 

[carmangary]

I'm going to try to repair my dash. It has some bad cracks so I am not sure I can make it any worse.

I am also going to repair my cracked steering wheel with 1/4" gaps. I am going to use some of that epoxy puddy to fill the cracks then use some body filler to finish it off followed by lots of paint and sanding and paint and sanding and paint. It has a ridge on the front for a clear ring to go in. I may just fill that in and then paint over it or I may try to fill it with some clear low set time self leveling epoxy. And if it sucks when I am done I'll put a steering wheel cover over it.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

There are a total of 5 screws holding the dash to the car. There's one at each lower corner near the kick panels, one under the stereo in the back and 4 along the top near the windshield (one in each of the defrost outlets and one under each speaker grille).

And as said your going to have other things that need removed/unhooked as well. You'll need to unbolt the bulkhead connector on the engine compartment side of the firewall and then remove two screws that hold the fuse block to the firewall on the passenger compartment side.
Obviously things like the stereo wiring will need to be disconnected, the speedometer cable disconnected, steering column needs dropped, electrical connections to the steering column need to be removed, etc. Shouldn't have to mess with any of the ductwork other than the piece that runs under the steering column.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head.