Dash repair idea

[glistx]

So I have been reading the posts about the dash repair process that fills the cracks and then is repainted with the sem texture coating. I have been thinking about doing this for awhile, but since I first thought about doing it another crack showed up.

So that got me to thinking about something more permanent. What if the current cracks are filled (like outlined in the other post) but than the whole top portion of the dash is covered in one or two layers of fiber glass. After that the top section is finish with the texture coating we've all read about. You wouldn't have to worry about any more cracks right?

Shoot me questions, comments and concerns!

[sblake01]

I doubt if the fibreglass would stick to the vinyl. Even if it did, you'd have the original layer of vinyl with filler, a layer (or two) of fibreglass, and a layer of texture coating. How thick would that thing be?

[EScanlon]

I agree with Stephen. At that point a Dash Cap would be thinner, quicker and probably cheaper as well (they're about $90-100), and definitely less hazzle than trying to put two layers of fiberglass AND have it evenly smooth everywhere.

[d240zx2]

I remember the summer of '70. I had had my Z for only a couple of months and the West Texas sun began baking the dash to the point the fumes were coating the inside of the windshield. I had to clean the glass at least once a week, more often with contiguous cloudless days.

It appears that Nissan used a volatile component that evaporated from the dash, and I think it likely that the evaporation process has resulted in hundreds or thousands of cracked dashes.

Mine hasn't suffered to the degree that others have, due to garaging over the years, but it did require repair. I have also begun using a Meguiar product that seems to soak in quite nicely. After two applications a month apart, the dash has a "looks new" appearance. This isn't an ad for Meguiar's stuff, although I think their stuff is pretty good, but merely an observation on what I think happened and what may prevent future degradation.

Frank

[Jackhammer]

I remember the summer of '70. I had had my Z for only a couple of months and the West Texas sun began baking the dash to the point the fumes were coating the inside of the windshield. I had to clean the glass at least once a week, more often with contiguous cloudless days.

It appears that Nissan used a volatile component that evaporated from the dash, and I think it likely that the evaporation process has resulted in hundreds or thousands of cracked dashes.

Frank, I think your theory is very plausible. I experienced the same thing with a '71 Corolla....by the end of '73 the dash developed a split during a spell of colder weather. Then again with a '76 Mazda RX3...by the winter of '78 or '79 another split dash pad. I remember forever cleaning the fog off of the inside of the windshield as well.

I agree with Enrique. Install a dash cap and then it can be painted or covered with much less hassle and better results than repairing and fiber glassing the original surface.

[glistx]

There are a couple different types of fiber glass, if you use the more expensive kind (woven, it very thin and easy to use like carbon fiber), I don't think it would be that thick at all. And fiber glass (or the epoxy at least) sticks to anything. The whole point would be to integrate it into the dash so that it looks original, a dash cap does not look original and is not permanent. You would essentially be adding a new skin to your dash with no more worry of cracks. Does anyone get I'm talking about?

[EScanlon]

Brian;

I would gladly take you up on one of those challenges like you see on Mythbusters. I've worked with fiberglass and have had the itch blisters to prove it.

I say "would" because I believe you're being extremely optimistic as to how easy it is to lay fiberglass, carbon fiber or any one of the resin reinforced materials and maintain a smooth transition from one surface to another. If you've ever tried to get a large sheet of fiberglass cloth to behave (and that's what you're referring to), as you pull in one direction and have it distort and bunch up and require pulling in yet another direction all while your resin is beginning to set (working time is short depending on how much catalyst and ambient temperature) and STILL try to maintain a thin layer... then you know that this is a highly desireable condition, but in actual practice a hard to attain one. Then toss in the "eyebrows" of the gages and their inset "tunnels".... in ONE CONTINUOUS SHEET?? Not by any process that would be easy to set up in your average garage.

Maybe if you use a vacuum forming machine...but then again, that IS what a Dash Cap is. It's a thin layer of ABS plastic that's been heated till it's pliable that is then vacuum formed over a mold taken from the dash. Is it perfect? No, there are at least 2 generations of molding conformity at play there before you start making the actual caps.

But TWO layers of fiberglass cloth followed by a surface texture layer? I'd bet that you couldn't get that thin enough to challenge a dash cap's thickness, final texture and most of all... ease of application/installation.

Just my itchy 2¢

E

[hls30.com]

If you want the Dash to look original-NOS or an undamaged used one are pretty much the only ways to go.

Applying a uniform, proper and well matched pattern to fiberglass would be the biggest challenge.

Try this:

Make your composite cloth layup of the valley area between the tach and the speedo that has the proper finish-when you can make that area and texture look better than the same area on a the dash cap, then maybe.

BTW.

I have had a dash cap installed since 1992 in a 240z that would drop a valve if it saw the inside of a garage from the inside. In the 16 years that cap has been installed, it has not cracked, warped, or otherwise had an issue.

I bought the cover from MSA and paid something like $120 including shipping. The real key to the covers is installation-I posted my secrets in a thread four or more years ago.

I have a NOS dash, a restored Dash(Dash Restorations USA), and the capped dash, and in comparing the three of them side by side(photos of the NOS and restored dash are in another thread). The cap looks closer to the NOS texture than the restores dash.

I have gotten 16 years out of a $120(incl s&h) cap-with no hint it is going to be an issue in the near future,

so putting a great deal of time into fabbing up another solution just doesn't make too much sense to me.

With careful installation, the only areas you can absolutely tell that there is a dash cover installed is at the ends of the dash-or with the glove box open-riding down the road, no one will notice-except ZCCA judges, serious enthusiasts, and the anal among us.

I would notice(I fall into all three groups), and I would smile and complement you on the installation, or ask if you wanted some help getting it on there where it wasn't as noticeable.

The only show that I know of with judges with enough experience to spot the differences between NOS/Original and restored dashes are ZCCA shows.

In a ZCCA judged show, If I was going for a Gold Medalion, anything short of a NOS or original or undamaged dash would loose points anyway. In the Modified/drivers classes, you could probably get away with a restored or covered dash with no points lost.

If you aren't entering a ZCCA show in the Stock class...the cap works, is easy to install, and inexpensive in terms of both time and materials.

Unless I have a Stock Class entry, once I have used my NOS and my restored Dashes, I will use full face caps unless I come across a NOS or excellent condition used Dash for a song...

Will