Help! Perfect dash developing crack!

[59ghia]

Hello fellow Zers'

My perfect dash is developing a crack! It's about an 1/8 inch. I've been keeping a white towel over it since I got it. Does or has anybody tried to repair one of these? I remember years ago they used to advertise on t.v a vinyl repair kit but I have yet to see one. I really want to take care of this ASAP. Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

[Bambikiller240]

Full Dash Cap.

I've never seen a dashboad that has been repaired that didn't look like it had been repaired. Most attempts end up looking like crap IMO. Even the best "repairs" look like a SCAB on your (pick one) favorite body part.

Of course, you could spend many hundreds of dollars at a place like http://www.justdashes.com/index_home.htm

[2ManyZs]

Try PM'ing kats and see if the guy who repaired his dash has any ideas. If you look in kat's gallery, you'll see a repair done on his dash to hide the empty hole above the flasher switch that is completely hidden......

Once they start to crack, there is no stopping them unfortunately, you can try to repair it, but like Carl said, they usually end up looking like they were repaired. It would take a someone with a perfect touch to fix it.

BTW, Eastwoods has repair kits if you really want to try one.

www.eastwoodcompany.com

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

Try PM'ing kats and see if the guy who repaired his dash has any ideas. If you look in kat's gallery, you'll see a repair done on his dash to hide the empty hole above the flasher switch that is completely hidden......

That's right, I forgot about kats dash modification. That one DID come out looking very good. Of course, kats lives in Japan, so shipping the dash to Japan for repair and back isn't going to be cheap either.

[2ManyZs]

Not cheap, that's for sure. But it would have to be cheaper than a new dash at 800+, if you can find one that is.....

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

Not cheap, that's for sure. But it would have to be cheaper than a new dash at 800+, if you can find one that is.....

Absolutely agreed. I wonder how much you'd have to pay the guy that did kats dash, and whether you'd be sending it back in a year or two to have another (different) crack repaired, since it's a 30+ year old item.

I'd juxt go for a properly fitted dash cap unless I needed a concourse quality dash, then, I just bite the bullet and pay JustDashes what they want for a completely recovered unit before I'd spend $800 for an NOS (mfg'd long ago, and stored god knows where, or how) Nissan Dash.

To Each His Own.

[59ghia]

Thanks guys, I did see kats repair, I'll drop him a pm and see what he says. Since this is my daily driver I'm not going/ willing to drop that much money on it, heck, 800 bucks otta by a cam! As I voted in the go or show poll, I'd rather GO:D !

Thanks again!

[Doehring]

59ghia,

some days ago here was a carbon fibre dash shown. That looks great! Who sent in that picture? Once more,please.

Rolf

[Caen Fred]

I was looking at a Dino dash a while ago and wonder if we could have a Z dash done in leather ? Ever been done tastefully?

When I look at all the amazing quality of the things done in leather in country like Morocco or Tunisia, and their little cost, I think that their should be a second life for all our cracked dash

[59ghia]

Hmmmm ........ Carbon fibre I really like the sound of that! I think TAP plastics here in San Francisco sells it by the roll, just add hardner. I would think you work it like fiberglass. Sounds like a great winter project, go to an auto wreckers, pick up a cracked dash and see what comes of it!

[2ManyZs]

Here's the link to the post about the carbon fiber dashes guys.....

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=3405

[XYZ]

There was a thread back awhile here about repairing your dash by sending it overseas to Australia or something for $600-700 shipping included, completely restored. I don't remember exactly what the costs where but it wasn't that expensive.

If you do the full plastic cap for the $90-$100 bucks or whatever it costs, it looks pretty good. I have one in my Z and it's pretty hard to tell what's happening underneath it. I had three cracks and except for a very slight wave in the dash you'd never know. It didn't take long to install and looks great.

If nothing else, for the $100 or so bucks it's a good temporary fix if you absolutely can't stand seeing the crack.