OEM Dash Pad Repair- With Speaker Mounts (2 Viewers)

[h82crash]

My lovely bride said, "Just buy a new one." Almost did that, but I wanted speakers mounted up there and I couldn't bring myself to hack up a new pad. I am also DIY to the extreme. So, I went to work.

First you must cut out the cracks as they curl up above the original surface. A heat gun will soften the vinyl and a razor/Xacto will work fine. Once the surface is even again, fill the furrows you made with body filler. Rage Gold works great. 3M Premium is identical, as far as I can tell.

 

[h82crash]

Next I made some mounting rings from 1/2 MDF. After several considerations, I settled on a location and glued them in place.

 

[h82crash]

I built up a shape with expanded foam under the front of the rings. Then made a transition contour with t-shirt material.

I coated the material with polyester resin and stumbled upon my first fail. The resin melted the foam I added.

 

[h82crash]

I reshaped the area below the rings with body filler. When I was satisfied with the shape, I glassed the entire dash pad.

 

[h82crash]

Then finish filled and shaped with filler and primered.

 

[h82crash]

Textured black finish.

 

[diesellibrarian]

Looks deadly! Cool project, great work!

 

[CBFJ]

yeah f*ckin rad work man. Love it! Hope there's a sub in there somewhere...

 

[h82crash]

Thanks. I am planning a box behind the front seats with 2 6x9s and a sub.

I should have the speakers loaded into the dash today.

 

[Soberacho]

Wow, just Wow.! Beautiful craftmanship!

 

[h82crash]

Speakers and grills in.

 

[mn12]

Wow!
Great job. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[sogncab]

That's pretty neat!

 

[DPHFJ40]

I did a similar restoration to my dash pad 30 years ago. After 15 years of heat cycling, the vinyl/filler seams started separating. Glassed it with 3oz fiberglass/polyester resin and sprayed with duplicolor truck bed liner. Fiberglass hasn't delaminated from the vinyl yet, but wondering if I should have sprayed the vinyl with adhesion promoter before glassing.

 

[clrussell]

Absolutely great work.

 

[h82crash]

I did a similar restoration to my dash pad 30 years ago. After 15 years of heat cycling, the vinyl/filler seams started separating. Glassed it with 3oz fiberglass/polyester resin and sprayed with duplicolor truck bed liner. Fiberglass hasn't delaminated from the vinyl yet, but wondering if I should have sprayed the vinyl with adhesion promoter before glassing.

I wiped down the vinyl with acetone and it dissolved the surface slightly, which I believe is the same solvent in the polyester fiberglass resin. So, it should bond just fine. Mine was so brittle that it cracked just handling it, the filler/vinyl interface cracked as well. I just glassed the whole thing.

 

[MatthewMcD]

Love this build idea. Did you have to tip the window forward to remove/reinstall the dashpad? Can you provide info on the "installation" attachment process?

 

[h82crash]

Love this build idea. Did you have to tip the window forward to remove/reinstall the dashpad? Can you provide info on the "installation" attachment process?

I removed it pre restoration, but I did have the windshield removed or folded. It doesn't take much to make the tabs let go, but it is easier when you can see and get a screwdriver in to pry on them. You do not need to fold it to reinstall.

 

[MatthewMcD]

I removed it pre restoration, but I did have the windshield removed or folded. It doesn't take much to make the tabs let go, but it is easier when you can see and get a screwdriver in to pry on them. You do not need to fold it to reinstall.

Thanks, can the windshield be folded without removing the hard top? I fear that any movement of the hardtop will lead to a snake pit of removing the top, which I am not prepared for at this time.

 

[OlYellr]

Love this build idea. Did you have to tip the window forward to remove/reinstall the dashpad? Can you provide info on the "installation" attachment process?

I didn’t know how it comes off either, found a thread on the topic – still didn’t fully understand the removal after reading. I started at passenger side, lifted up and out along all six brackets/tabs toward the driver’s side. Rite of passage, I guess.

I removed my roof to fold window down. Windshield down was able to see where and how the tabs lock in the dash pad. Technically you don't need to but what I know now a) way easier and b) found some rust underneath that I was able to address and keep from spreading.

When I recently did my hinge pins on the doors - (the windshield needs to fold down for the top pin to come out) - I unscrewed most of the bolds from the front to the back (don't forget the 2 at the top of the windshield) of holding the roof on then me and a friend lifted up the front of the roof enough to fold the windshield down.

bottom line - don't need to take all the way off and if thinking someday do the door pins, do it then.