Leather Dash Cover Installation

[Captain Obvious]

Thanks for the update. Looks great so far.

 

When do you think you'll have the big reveal of the finished product?

[Mike]

Found this in our gallery from awhile back...  Any relation to this project?

 

 

Here's a link to the gallery:

http://www.classiczcars.com/gallery/image/34712-leather-dash/

[djwarner]

No Mike, that looks like a one-off installation.

I'm about 95% through the installation of the cover. I'm contemplating re-installation of the speedo and tach with the extra layer of leather. I'm thinking of thinning the lip of the bezel on a belt sander to give the 0.020" relief.

Will be posting pictures later this week.

[bartsscooterservice]

It looks good, and it's a good option to make the dash look nice. But it doesn't come close to the original dash look. If you want to do a restoration I personally wouldn't do this. But if that's not that important, this is a great option.

 

I have a friend who works in the plastic industry, where they make dashboards for trucks and cars. Making an exact replica of the original dash isn't expensive, the problem is you will need the mold to be created ( they could actually scan an original dash dimensions ), that could costs thousands, but after that producing an exact one like the ones left the factory would be easy, and every club member or anyone restoring a datsun 240z could buy one.

 

http://img.weiku.com/waterpicture/2011/10/28/4/Plastic_Injection_Auto_Dashboard_Molding_634572337907634575_1.jpg

[djwarner]

I've finished mounting the leather cover and I am currently in the process of re-installing the dash. Finished pictures in a few days.

 

I did run into problems trying to mount the speedo and tach. Due to the difference in taper angles between the bezel and dash hole, there was no way to get within an inch of properly seating the bezel.

 

 

Following my own advice about quitting for the night when things looked dim. I realized the next morning that I would have to mount the instruments before installing the leather cover.

 

I worried future instrument removal would be a problem similar like incurred when installing a full plastic dash cover. Then I realized that leather is pliable and could be pulled away from the vinyl when needed for future removal. 

 

I mounted the bezel and used a ball point pen to mark the trim. Pulling the leather tube inside out made cutting to the trim mark easy and accurate.

 

 

Bart, many have talked about making a replacement mold and the problem is finding a pristine example to make the mold from. Then no one wants to be the entrepreneur to make the initial investment.

 

As I mentioned earlier, my prior attempt using Sems Bumper Repair failed and I had resisted another attempt until I had committed to the leather cover. Using the Six10 Thickened Epoxy Adhesive appears to be a stronger solution. I could have followed with Sems texture coating and trim paint and have an acceptable repair. The question of long term survivability with Six10 remains. If it cracks again under my leather, no one will see it.

[Captain Obvious]

Making an exact replica of the original dash isn't expensive, the problem is you will need the mold to be created ( they could actually scan an original dash dimensions ), that could costs thousands

 

I'm in for $100. You get thirty of us and you've got $3K you can drop on tooling. 

[Zup]

I'm in for $100.00 also!

Only 28 more to go!!

Jim D.

"Zup"

[bartsscooterservice]

I'm in for $100. You get thirty of us and you've got $3K you can drop on tooling. 

 

Well I asked my friend said if use aluminium mold ( lower production numbers than steel one ) the costs ( tooling, making mold etc ) to the point where you actually can start making them would be around 50k euro. Actual price of dash about 90 to 100 euro per piece.

 

But if could actually find the Original mold which Nissan used to make those dashes back in the day, costs would be much much cheaper because don't need to re-design.

[rossiz]

i'm assuming the 50k pricing is for injection molding tooling - an accurate, but very expensive way to do it. based on the shape, it would seem the dash could be vacuum formed or possibly done with high-density urethane foam. there are self-skinning foams that are used to make seats which form a precise and solid outer layer but stay soft inside. this might be an option because a flexible part would allow some install tolerance.

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, I was mostly kidding on the crowd funding a traditional mold for the dash. At $100 a piece, it would take 500 of us to come up with the 50K tooling for a traditional mold. I mean, I'd definitely be in for a hundred bucks, but at that rate, I don't think it's possible.

 

I'm surprised someone hasn't molded a fiberglass shell that can be backfilled with polyurethane foam and foamed into position on the existing metal skeleton. Or foamed into place on a skinned original dash ("skinned" as in "had the original black covering removed, but the remainder of the entrails remain).

[bartsscooterservice]

Yes 50 k is for injection molding, didn't know the right word in English. Is there any information on how Nissan made these dashes ?

[djwarner]

From what I can tell, the dashes were made with two molds. First the vinyl was vacuum formed in a negative mold. A thin sheet of plastic sheeting was placed over an inside, positive mold, along with some threaded fitting. The positive mold/sheeting was placed into the formed vinyl. An expanding foam liquid was injected between the vinyl and sheeting where it expanded and solidified. This foam didn't fully harden and with the thin vinyl outer layer became a "padded dash" touted to reduce injuries in a crash.

 

Over time the soft foam has hardened and the vinyl has become brittle.

 

Honey do's  have delayed completing the re-installation and photos. I'm also taking my time to clean up some wiring issues like re-connecting the hatch defroster and adding courtesy lights. Hope to have some photos posted by this weekend.