Dash re-covering project

[dld]

I'm getting ready to re-cover my dashboard using the method that Just Dashes does, home version. I've removed all of the old cracked vinyl from the dash, made some repairs to the foam. I have 1/8 sculpting foam to lay over the existing foam, I'll then shape it before the final re-covering. I've built the basic vacuum box, and now I'll build the frame to hold the vinyl while heating and during the vacuum process. The box is made of 1 x4s, melamine and perforated melamine. Ther are multiple webs inside to avoid collapse under vacuum, and duct tape seals the edges. Here is a photo of the almost finished box.

[Gregs672000]

Wow, never seen someone try to do an at home recover like that. If you pull it off you'll save yourself $1000!

[jcd0402]

How would you manage to cover the gauges inside. Wouldn't you need to mold that area by hand. Sorry it's that i'm new to the whole vacuum thingy. The only thing i have seen getting molded like that was something of the heater box of a roadster in youtube.

[spl310]

This will be fun!

[dld]

Vacuum is a powerful tool.

With the vinyl heated it is very flexible, and will conform to almost any shape under vacuum. The gauges, and everything else, must be removed for this process.

The idea here is to not only save myself a bunch of cash, but also to save some fellow roadster owners a bunch of cash as well. Once I've successfully done this, I will offer to do it for roadster owners at a much, much lower cost.

The reason I'm doing this is because I've seen the re-covered dashes and the dash caps, and although both look very good, I prefer the look of the re-cover better, and I like to do things myself if I can. I hate paying people to do something I can do myself.

I'll be posting photos and descriptions as I progress.

DLD

[Tad240]

Vacuum is a powerful tool.

The idea here is to not only save myself a bunch of cash, but also to save some fellow roadster owners a bunch of cash as well. Once I've successfully done this, I will offer to do it for roadster owners at a much, much lower cost.

I'll be posting photos and descriptions as I progress.

DLD

I'm in! Please keep posting your progress and provide as many details as possible. I had actually considered doing this as well - but I'm sure I'd screw it up. This is going to be a great project. Best of Luck!

[spl310]

After you do the high windshield dash, is the low next in the offering?

[notoptoy]

Subscribed, great experiment if nothing else!

[dbrick]

Is it a different type of vinyl? I'm guessing no cloth backing. Carbon fiber texture/pattern might be pretty wild...

[sleepyzzz]

Vacuum is a powerful tool.

With the vinyl heated it is very flexible, and will conform to almost any shape under vacuum. The gauges, and everything else, must be removed for this process.

The idea here is to not only save myself a bunch of cash, but also to save some fellow roadster owners a bunch of cash as well. Once I've successfully done this, I will offer to do it for roadster owners at a much, much lower cost.

The reason I'm doing this is because I've seen the re-covered dashes and the dash caps, and although both look very good, I prefer the look of the re-cover better, and I like to do things myself if I can. I hate paying people to do something I can do myself.

I'll be posting photos and descriptions as I progress.

DLD

admire you for that, but my job gets in the way. between that and driving my roadsters, there is no time left.

good luck on your project. and what kind of price are you thinking on a repair?

[Thomcraft]

Love to see the process and progress!

[Garm]

subscribed and I am SO in to have you do mine.

[dld]

Thanks for all the interest. To try and answer some of the questions, I'm hoping to be able to do a re-cover for a couple hundred dollars, but it will probably depend on the shape of the foam under the old vinyl. The original foam was molded to a very specific shape, so it needs to be somewhat intact so repairs to cracks and such can be made, sand it down some and apply a thin layer of sculpting foam over it. ( this is what Just Dashes does).
I haven't looked closely at a low windshield pad, but it should be do-able with my set up.
Be patient, I'm doing this evenings, so it won't happen overnight. I'm going to try and keep a steady slow progress going, and I'll post photos as often as I can.

DLd

[dld]

It doesn't look like a lot of progress, but it is progress none the less.

The frame will hold the vinyl while it's being heated, stretched over the dashboard and vacuum formed.

The box shows the vacuum hookup siliconed into the box, and barely visible is a silicone seal around the edge of the box.

Next task is bulding the heater box. To start with, it will be made of foil lined heavy duty cardboard, and two heaters that I just happen to have here.

[JMartin]

That sounds like a great project....keep us posted.