I’ve been a custom painter for over thirty years, just got finished restoring a 67 Camaro, I really have to compliment you, that is a beautiful job, I’ll subscribe to knowledge like this anyday.👏
A lot of these dashes like this are metal framed too, the repops are plastic framed and I have actually had them warp and droop and stuff in the Texas heat, especially the black cars. Recovering your original is the only way to go, repops are for people that don’t have the dash at all, it’s missing. In my experienced opinion
Good Job. I like the drywall mesh tape in bondo to strengthen it. If someone is trying this, 3M spray adhesive 77 or 90 is quick dry compared to contact cement, really helps nail down edge wraps. Don't be afraid to glue the top, then let it sit for a day, before you start stretching the sides. Get an Extra piece of your material to practice with - find out how it reacts to heat gun and how much shrink you can get.
An immense improvement! Solid work. -Perhaps pin/thumbtack the vinyl to a sheet of plywood/chipboard underside up, and leave in the sun for a few hours, to get rid of those pesky fold-lines (also easier to work on a level surface). I always enjoy seeing old, useless objects being brought back.
This definitely works. I did one years ago and had the material added by a specialty shop for $50 back then. The guy told me what to do at each stage and then applied and shaped and trimmed it. It was better than new and felt nicer to the touch. If there was a replacement available it would not have been better.
I've done a couple of these, never thought about using drywall tape though, thanks for that tip! I have also not used the flimsy vinyl from Amazon on dashes, I have used it on homemade consoles though, I use the outdoor vinyl from Hobby Lobby/Michaels/Joann's fabric, yes it's a more expensive but it's also thicker and will last longer because it's designed to be used outside, plus the Dark Red and Green are only like a 1/4 shade off of what the Big 3 used in the mid 60's through 1980 ish and it's on a roll so it doesnt come folded so no fold lines and it has the fabric fiber backing that strecthens it when glued. They also have a Faux Tan (natural), Brown and Black leather for the same price with a custom look. I will spend a few dollars more to get something that lasts longer because the longer it lasts the less I have to deal with it again.
When he was in the middle of this project talking about thin and cheap vinyl I was thinking no, you want the thick stuff, but other that added uv protection, I have seen others struggle with thick vinyl where it has to follow alot of contours and this thin stuff seemed pretty unfazed, it also glue down pretty nicely, I think he is onto something. Also, I would usually use 77 spray but the contact cement seemed better in that It it really sticks when dry but drys slower so you have extended time to work it. Overall great project and instruction.
@@peglegtoo I agree and disagree, great overall project and instruction but that thin vinyl won't last in most places more than a a year maybe 2, yeah the thicker the vinyl is harder to work with and it may take you a couple of days to get it done but you only have to do it once, your not tearing it apart in a year or 2 and doing it all over again because you bought thin vinyl and it's already starting to melt or harden up and cracking. I'm all about doing it right the first time and never having to do it again.
I remember a time before the restoration reproduction parts existed. This is how we fixed things if we couldn't find a nos part from a old dealership parts department or a better conditioned part In one of the many local junk yards back then. It was called just fixing a car up..not restoring it as common today. Like you said, we are going to have to go back to fixing things and working with what we have. Excellent work there. Bonus is, you're keeping original parts on it still. As a automotive trimmer by trade, this is exactly how I would have done it.
It was just called Fixing the car up, because it was still too new to be as raggedy and wore out as you'd managed to get it, So there was no 'restoring' those cars back then, they mighta looked 'restored'. .. .. But in reality it was just alota folks takin a lot better care of their shit then u were & not just runnin it into the ground blastin Rush Limbaugh
The theory behind contact cement is to apply to each surface and let dry. When you wrap the vinyl and the 2 surfaces make contact, it will stick. You don't need tape to hold it.
Great Video! I did this same process on a 84 Mustang dash about 10 years ago and it absolutely works. The dash still looks great today and its been outside the whole time. Also looks way better than the caps that are for sale to cover them..
I began watching this video out of curiosity and thinking “I want to see how bad this is going to come out”. I didn’t know you were going to put vinyl over the entire dash, and even then, I thought, this is going to come out so bad. I can’t believe what a great job you did! I’m going to subscribe and binge watch just to see what else you will do. Thanks!!!
Same I expected it to look bad with all the bondo, once he said vinyl I was like what? Then waited and saw the awesome finish!!!!!! Going to try this on my square body dash 👍🏻
I thought I knew a few tricks to try saving an old dash pad but never would have thought of using bondo and drywall tape like that to repair it. I’m impressed with the way it came out and will be using this method on my 63 Dodge 440 sedan. I think I can see a few ways to make tools to aid in doing it and may even experiment with a few of them just to see how they will work for helping with trouble areas such as all those little holes over speakers on other dash pads.
Just had a guy come in and ask me how to repair his dash yesterday then I stumbled upon your channel great job man on the recover I'd also suggest using binder clips I usually keep a few when I do chair recovery
I'm 55 years old now and this videos of first time I've ever seen dash restored and turned out and look that good I will subscribe hoping to find many many ways to save money and time thanks for making the video it turned out great 👍 outstanding job.
just came across your channel and your tips and techniques are awesome I would have never guessed a repair/ refinish job would look so good and on a budget to boot thank you for sharing this
Amazing job you did sir ,I gotta say everyday I learn something new, it's good that your passing on your knowledge and saves you money on something that you can fix yourself for little money, thanks for showing how to fix a car's front panel I really appreciate it and enjoyed watching this video 😊.
Good 'shadetree' method, excellent idea to make the video. Now, you want to know how 'the $500 per dashpad' guys do it (on things like original Boss Mustangs, etc.)? It's almost as cheap, uses 'off-the-shelf' items, and isn't much more expensive to do...and will give you an OEM dashpad, every time! First things first: understand what you're working with. The 'foam' substrate is EPDM foam...quite similar (when new) to modern car foam seat pads (found beneath your upholstery). The upper 'shell' surface is not just 'vinyl' it's Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC...as in 'water piping'). So, you need two 'repair materials', plus (as most modern PVC dash pads are all one color, starting out, they are 'painted' with vinyl dye or 'plastic paint'...easily acquired at most auto-parts stores). To effect a STRONG, 'like-new' repair, you basically want to 'weld' all the damage back together. I cringed on the 'Bondo'...yes, it fills...but it's not similar material...so, it's more like 'bondo-ing' a cracked water pipe, instead of welding it. You want a GLUE or other chemical that can 'properly repair' EPDM...closed-cell EPDM. The best I have personally found is that damn, nasty Gorilla Glue! Yep...worthless for most things, but for EPDM repair, it can't be beat! It bonds, it's somewhat pliable but rigid, it's waterproof when cured, it can be sanded and worked. Most repair shops use their own proprietary 'EPDM epoxy' selection...and choose depending on the size of fill or crack they have to repair. I have found that if you flip the dash over and 'back-tape it' (like backing a weld on a thick plate) with simple duck tape, the Gorilla glue works still...you just may have to be patient for multiple layers to cure...takes 24-36 hours for good cure per coat (and if you jump the gun, it will keep expanding and 'rise' on the repair line eventually). Oh, one other note, WATER makes Gorilla glue cure...so warm temps and high humidity do the magic to get it there as fast as possible...you can even 'spritz' the 'final fill' with a mist of water, to make sure the glue has all the water it needs to properly cure...just get the prep clean of dust first. So, identify your cracks to be fixed, use a dremel or 2-inch pneumatic grinding disc...V-grind the crack to the backside (but don't 'open up' the crack any wider at the bottom than it was originally), dust it all off really good, back-tape the crack - if it went all the way to the backside, now fill the crack with gorilla glue (in multiple fills, if it is deep...too much at one time, and it will never cure)...and now to fix that top 'vinyl' surface. See, we fixed this layer at a time, not like 'one bulk fix'...like trying to fix a car tire using steel plugs...yep, there's a steel wheel in there, but rubber is on the outside! For the outer surface, most 'Pro's' use something like Polyvance Padded Dash Filler to repair the vinyl. Keep in mind, while the can says it can 'fill the cracks', it's not really meaning the foam...so don't think you've got a one-can solution here. This is for the VINYL outer surface...an 8-ounce can of it is around $35...but that's a LOT of putty to have on hand (4-6 dashes...even 2-3 like the one as bad as in this video, if repaired correctly). Plasti-Dip also makes a surface vinyl repair gel that's clear, and MELTS contacting vinyl to weld itself into the repair. (Plasti Dip 61Z09 VLP Clear Vinyl Repair) While it sounds 'cheaper' at $10 a 1-ounce tube, notice that's only 1/8th as much product for 1/3 the price...Polyvance is cheaper. Last two items you'll need is of course, the desired 'plastic dye or paint' that you want the dash to end up...Plastic-cote and several others make exactly what you need...1-can should do it if you are going back 'near the original color'...and the dreaded pain that most 'hobbyists' never figure out...'how to get that texture to match' for the grain. THAT'S EASY...got a hot glue gun and a 1-inch dowel of wood? Take your wood dowel, cut it off square, sand it smooth (oh, and heavily Armorall or 303-Protectant a small area of the dash you are repairing)...now, ideally using 'black glue' (dries very hard) for your glue gun, put a hot, wet puddle of glue on your wooden dowel...as it starts to cool (don't do this too hot, or you'll get a thermal bubble in your vinyl), gently press it down on your desired texture area. Once cool, use a little cold water mist and a plastic 'bondo spreader' to lift the dowel off...you now have a 'texture stamp' that is GUARANTEED to be a perfect match! Now, prep your 'formerly repaired EPDM cracks' with a dremel or 2" pneumatic, you want that top valley to be 'square with slight ramping to the top of the EPDM'...now, clean (again) and put your Polyvance Vinyl repair-filler into the prepared valley...fill to flush of the gap, and slowly as the Polyvance starts to set, 'set the grain' with your dowel. Too soon, you gooey up your dowel-stamp, too late, and you don't get a good grain transfer...test it with your finger for 'right time to do it'. Finish up with some fine 360-480 sandpaper, to get rid of 'silkies', strings, etc. Let it all cure up...give it a day or two, check it well, and paint it. The repair will last as long as the OEM dash did. Oh, and one other thing...the thing that makes vinyl dashes crack is a combination of UV light, high heat and loss of vinyl esters...and THE ABSOLUTE BEST THING you can do to make that dash pad last a LONG TIME (other than cracking your side windows to let that 200-degree air out of the car in the summer) is protect it from UV while returning those vinyl esters to it...and the best commercially-available product available to do this is 303-Protectant! It was developed by the Aerospace industry, in conjunction with NASA and the Air Force, to keep 'esters in the compound polymers' of aircraft cockpits. Armorall doesn't compare...simply re-treat the dash twice yearly (more, if you let a lot of dust get inside the car, as silica grains wick esters out of vinyl)...For less than $40 a dash-pad, you can make a few bucks doing this for others too...as once you've got familiarity with repairing these kinds of dashes, you can make a fortune off a big junkyard run for Chevy Square-body trucks, fixing friends' dashes, etc.
Interesting but my method is for a quick, cheap alternative for a daily driver type vehicle instead of spending $300 for a new one, or in your example, $500 to rebuild one.
@@clunkersandclassics My way will set you back MAYBE $40...allowing for you having a dremel or grinder, some sandpaper and a box knife...BUT, you could then GET $300-$400 for the job...and there's a great demand for 'non-popular' dash pad repairs. Sure, everyone can order a '69 GTO dash pad' or a 'square body Silverado' pad...but how about a 1978 Nova, or a 1977 Cordoba? Hell, I just found out yesterday that my 'cockroach driver' ('02 Grand Prix) NO ONE makes a replacement seat foam or lower seat cover for it! $300 for a junkyard seat, $250 for an upholstery shop to recover it! Whole lot of 'we don't care about that model' stuff out there...
That's a fantastic job. I've seen many cars that look good except for the dash. I don't know if this would work, but I'd consider putting that vinyl into a clothes dryer for awhile to heat it up to get it nice & stretchy. Then maybe use a heat gun or blow dryer to keep it that way. It should cool & tighten up around the dash. That's just a thought because you got great results. Very impressive.
Great vid, I have a vinyl phobia but this gives me new confidence, thanks! Stuff like this is the hardest part of a restoration for me. I build transmissions, engines, suspensions and rewire with no problem. Interiors though, YUK!!!
Cool! Thanks for taking the time and effort to share the video, old school budget work needs to be passed on to the next generation. Another option is to prep the old dash with bondo just like you did and lay on fiberglass matt, sand, prime and paint for a custom look.
I just discovered your channel. Great job. I appreciate that you dont play music and yammer alot. Its like you are my friend showing me how to fix my 71 Camaro dash! I am a new subscriber for sure! Only thing you need is a buddy (or Girlfriend/wife to video for you to free up you other hand. 😊 Thank you so much regardless! Great fur buddy helpers too!
It's hard enough that you do that with two hands holding the part and put that Bondo on and you're doing it with one hand and holding the camera. You are the man thank you for sharing
Well, I ain't gonna lie ;cause,My mom taught me not to and not to mention it's jus plain wrong ! Young Man, You absolutely had me think'n this is gonna be some funny stuff watch'n you make a worse mess than you already had! Sir, You definitely have some valuable skills. It was a pleasure to watch you make this video. Joe C.
I'm not very good at wrapping or recovering but pretty handy with Bondo lol. I've done dashes before with Bondo (never thought of the mesh tape though) then sprayed them with an undercoating, lightly sanded (for texture) then painted. May have to try my hand at wrapping again in the future. Amazing work.
That dry wall fiberglass tape is the shit it’s strong and will hold things together real well ! This is a killer idea along with you can get matching color material for your interior . Cause back in the day you had white interior but most dash pads were not white also if you wanted to you could mold out your dash further or make the edges even sharper ! What a great idea again ! Hats off to this guy like one handed bonds spreading . Get some real Italian leather boy you could be right up there with the bmw !
Great Video! I’ll definitely be using your method to fix my dash pad on my GTX. The pad isn’t worth what they are asking currently. I’m not looking to make a museum piece. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
This turned out very nice on some cars it's not as easy. This is just a dash pad some would require taking the complete dash out that's when it really becomes a problem. Can't tell you how many great restorations I've seen but the dash is still cracked up.
Wow that is very awesome! It isn't show quality but who cares honestly, non car people aren't even gonna know the difference. And its perfect for a daily, Well done sir! I'm thinking about trying to redo my own headliner too. My dash is a green, and I'm wanting to change it to red so perhaps using your method I could get the desired results. Thx for sharing your workmanship and advice! 👍
Looks nice!! A new dash for my 79 camaro is between 350 n 500 bucks and like you I cant justify paying that much for 1. Thanks for sharing how ya did yours.
Mark a center line on the vinyl and the pad. Do so at the quarter width points as well. Reference lines in advance will help keep it predictable. Work center out, only gluing sections at a time. Easier to make corrections as you go. Smoking is a bad idea as the fumes from the contact cement can light off. Contact cement is meant to be used on both surfaces. You wouldn't need all that tape. Just start in the middle, glue the pad and vinyl 4-6", let air dry or user a hair dryer with heat, tack in place and move on. Leave those edges and curves for the end. Good job, and it can be even easier with a bit of planning.
I used to work maintenance at an OEM seat supplier. For smaller jobs like this, National Guards Foam Lock was the preferred glue, it gave just enough time to pull the vinyl into place, and any wrinkles and corners were taken care of with a Jiffy steamer.
