Dashboard repairs

[KBabcock]

I still think it looks sharp. Interesting to see how it looks in a years time.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I still think it looks sharp. Interesting to see how it looks in a years time.

"Interesting to see how it looks in a years time."

You and me both. Especially in this harsh desert sun. That was the point I was trying to make earlier; I'm hoping that bedliner is more resilient to UV damage, fading, cracking, and other typical dashboard issues.

 

[Hasbro]

"Interesting to see how it looks in a years time."

You and me both. Especially in this harsh desert sun. That was the point I was trying to make earlier; I'm hoping that bedliner is more resilient to UV damage, fading, cracking, and other typical dashboard issues.

I would imagine the best way to clean it would be with a soft brush, maybe a vacuum brush. Is it smoothe enough to take a wax to it?

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I would imagine the best way to clean it would be with a soft brush, maybe a vacuum brush. Is it smoothe enough to take a wax to it?

I agree about using a brush on it. I don't think it would take a wax very well, I'm guessing it is a bit too textured for that. Plus that sounds like work.

 

[lookforjoe]

What advantages do you see with bed liner vs a urethane paint or rust killer paint like Rust Bullet or POR 15?

Don't use POR15 on any panels that can flex, like floor pans. The stuff is completely inflexible, it will crack & then you will be worse off than before. Worked fine on heavy components like strut uprights, control arms, etc., just NOT on sheet metal.

 

[dnudelman]

Don't use POR15 on any panels that can flex, like floor pans. The stuff is completely inflexible, it will crack & then you will be worse off than before. Worked fine on heavy components like strut uprights, control arms, etc., just NOT on sheet metal.

what about Rust Bulllet?

 

[lookforjoe]

what about Rust Bulllet?

I've never used it. After my POR15 experience, I decided it's just better to remove all rusted sheet metal, if it can't be stripped back to clean metal.

 

[tvmaster]

Don't use POR15 on any panels that can flex, like floor pans. The stuff is completely inflexible, it will crack & then you will be worse off than before. Worked fine on heavy components like strut uprights, control arms, etc., just NOT on sheet metal.

So not in the frunk floor for example? What alternative would you use there....

 

[dnudelman]

what about Rust Bulllet?

I checked with the manufacture, Rust Bullet flexes enough to be suitable for floor boards.

 

[GregS]

What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

It is base coat any particular reason you chose one method over the other? I’m having discussions with my painter, and this has come up. He likes the enamel because that’s how it was painted originally. Thanks.

xwebforums.com

I wanted to post Marks dash repair from "What did you do to your x1/9 today?" page 196, to make it easier to find for anyone attempting this job. It looks like a really fine example. Also further down is my attempt using Plastidip.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

My experience with spray-on bed liner products is almost zero, but they strike me as the kind of product that wants to hold onto a fine dirt/dust. How do you think your product will handle being subjected to an onslaught of fine dust, since you live in the desert?

Although the dash won't be going back into the car for a while, I have been working with it off and on to finish up some electrical work and related items. So it has been in the shop where things get very dirty. I try to keep it covered with a old blanket but it still gets exposed to a lot of dust and dirt. I've found that wiping it off with a microfiber towel seems to work well to give it a general dusting/clean up. The texture on the surface isn't so rough that the microfiber gets hung up when wiping it off (like it can on some surfaces). I'm sure a deeper cleaning using something else will be needed now and then.

I also came across another possible finish treatment rather than truck bed liner. Something with a bit smoother finish but not completely flat. More on that in my next post.....

 

[Dr.Jeff]

This week I attended another trade show here in Vegas. This one was a tool expo, but it caters to all trades and not just the automotive industry. That means there are vendors with all sorts of things you might not normally think of when you think "tools".

One of them was the "Flex Seal" company. As described earlier in this thread, one of their products is what I used to fill the huge voids in the dash before finishing it with truck bed liner. So I stopped to talk with the rep about it. He had lots of demonstration materials and was quite knowledgeable about their line of products for all manor of applications (although this was the first time they had ever heard of using it to restore the dashboard from a vintage car).

I described which product I used and how I applied it. If you look back at my earlier posts I noted that the Flex Seal product I used was just something I happened to have on the shelf. Actually I got it as a free sample at the same trade show a few years previously. Back then they only offered a couple of products (unlike the wide range of stuff they now have), and the "paste" was not one of them. What I used was their "glue" ("Flex Seal Glue"). He told me the glue and paste are very similar in texture, composition, finish, viscosity, etc, but the glue has an adhesive added to it. After describing my use of it he thought the paste may be the best choice; mainly because adhesive isn't required in this case and the paste is a little easier to spread without as much clean up needed (as the glue sets it is more difficult to remove any excess in areas where you don't want it). He gave me a jug of the paste to try next time. It comes in either black or white color (the glue is only available in white or clear). I think black is better when it comes time to add a black finish over it.

But here is the interesting part. He asked what finish I applied over it. After discussing it he suggested an alternative that will give a smoother finish, if that is what you desire. They also offer a product they call "Flex Seal Spray". It is a thinner viscosity aerosol version of the same rubber coating. According to him it leaves a slightly textured surface, not completely flat, but not as 'grainy' or rough as a bed liner. Looking at the demo samples it is a little too smooth for my preference, but others may prefer that.

Being the same basic product as the stuff I used I assume it will adhere well to the dash. And it should hold up pretty well, although I have to believe a bed liner product will be much more durable. When it dries it isn't glossy or shiny but still brighter than the bed liner I used (other bed liners have more sheen). The spray also comes in a choice of colors (including black). Therefore this might be an alternative treatment to finish the entire dash after using the paste to fill the damaged areas.

EDIT: I should note that I haven't tried the spray version of their product for this purpose. But back when I first saw them at the show years ago I got a sample of it in addition to the glue. When I tried the spray for another purpose I did not like it. It is quite thin and difficult to get a good even covering. I think it may be difficult to hide any imperfections on the rest of the dashboard using their spray, which was one of my goals when using the bed liner. The spray also was terrible as a water sealant, which is what it is supposed to do (although that does not matter in this application). For my personal preferences I'd rather use the bed liner, but others may try the Flex Seal Spray to see how they like it.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

A little update on the truck bed liner finish on my dash.

Since I first applied it to the dash (late July of this year) it has been laying around in my overcrowded workshop. I was hoping to reinstall it soon after refinishing it but decided to redo the wiring first. That turned into a rather lengthy task, which also revealed several other jobs that I took care of, plus delays for other life obligations, etc. Unfortunately I never did anything to protect the newly resurfaced dash during all this; it just sat around constantly getting shuffled about, bumped, scraped, rubbed. Furthermore I've done a few mock-up installations of it as part of several other interior jobs. And these dashes aren't light so it tends to get beat round in the process.

Throughout all of that (it's still not installed for the final time) the finish has held up pretty well. It shows a couple of scuff marks where the worst of the abuse occurred. They may clean up (haven't tried) or I might hit them with a quick touch up using what remains in the spray can of liner. But all in all I think it has fared better than the original (brittle) covering would have, certainly better than a regular paint or plastic dye would, and still no signs of the massive cracks that it is hiding.

However the dash has not been subjected to actual use and sun exposure yet. So there still remains more to be seen on the durability of this finish.

EDIT: I wasn't too clear about it in this post but one of the points I intended to make is the truck bed liner isn't bullet proof...it can get scuffed or marred.

 

[tvmaster]

A little update on the truck bed liner finish on my dash.

Since I first applied it to the dash (late July of this year) it has been laying around in my overcrowded workshop. I was hoping to reinstall it soon after refinishing it but decided to redo the wiring first. That turned into a rather lengthy task, which also revealed several other jobs that I took care of, plus delays for other life obligations, etc. Unfortunately I never did anything to protect the newly resurfaced dash during all this; it just sat around constantly getting shuffled about, bumped, scraped, rubbed. Furthermore I've done a few mock-up installations of it as part of several other interior jobs. And these dashes aren't light so it tends to get beat round in the process.

Throughout all of that (it's still not installed for the final time) the finish has held up pretty well. It shows a couple of scuff marks where the worst of the abuse occurred. They may clean up (haven't tried) or I might hit them with a quick touch up using what remains in the spray can of liner. But all in all I think it has fared better than the original (brittle) covering would have, certainly better than a regular paint or plastic dye would, and still no signs of the massive cracks that it is hiding.

However the dash has not been subjected to actual use and sun exposure yet. So there still remains more to be seen on the durability of this finish.

EDIT: I wasn't too clear about it in this post but one of the points I intended to make is the truck bed liner isn't bullet proof...it can get scuffed or marred.

If you compared this matte finish to say, painting exterior wood trim on a house - is there a product that could add a satin/eggshell level of shine to the truck bed liner? It would also reflect light, which could help lengthen the lifespan of the surfaces? The TBL looks good, but is seems just a tad less than a vinyl 'shine' would produce. What product could you add on top of the TBL for that effect?

 

[Dr.Jeff]

If you compared this matte finish to say, painting exterior wood trim on a house - is there a product that could add a satin/eggshell level of shine to the truck bed liner? It would also reflect light, which could help lengthen the lifespan of the surfaces? The TBL looks good, but is seems just a tad less than a vinyl 'shine' would produce. What product could you add on top of the TBL for that effect?

If you look back through this thread there are a few options discussed for your question. Different brands of bed liner have various levels of sheen, so choosing another brand may give you the finish you want. I can't say what brands will, you'll have to experiment. Also we discussed painting over the liner to give a different finish. That opens a ton of possibilities. But keep in mind a shiny dash that reflects more light will also cause a lot of glare when driving.

 

[tvmaster]

If you look back through this thread there are a few options discussed for your question. Different brands of bed liner have various levels of sheen, so choosing another brand may give you the finish you want. I can't say what brands will, you'll have to experiment. Also we discussed painting over the liner to give a different finish. That opens a ton of possibilities. But keep in mind a shiny dash that reflects more light will also cause a lot of glare when driving.

yes - read the entire thing. shiny, no. similar shine to factory vinyl? yes.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I should note the idea of using a truck bed liner to refinish the dash is not intended to replicate the factory finish in any way. And it does not look stock at all. That's one of the reasons I like it. To try and put it in words, the factory finish has a faux animal hide "grain" while the bed liner is more "granular". Two different textures.

 

[tvmaster]

I should note the idea of using a truck bed liner to refinish the dash is not intended to replicate the factory finish in any way. And it does not look stock at all. That's one of the reasons I like it. To try and put it in words, the factory finish has a faux animal hide "grain" while the bed liner is more "granular". Two different textures.

They sell Flex Paste in 1lb and 3lb tubs. How much do you think you used?

 

[Dr.Jeff]

They sell Flex Paste in 1lb and 3lb tubs. How much do you think you used?

What I used was a sample given to me at a trade show several years ago. Back then they did not offer any "tubs", only a squeeze tube, which is much smaller than any of the current tubs. And that was more than enough to do my complete dash. So the smaller tub should be plenty big. I believe now it is also available in a choice of black or white. That's new compared to when I got mine, so it was white. But I'd get black to be a closer color match and therefore easier to top coat.

 

[tvmaster]

What I used was a sample given to me at a trade show several years ago. Back then they did not offer any "tubs", only a squeeze tube, which is much smaller than any of the current tubs. And that was more than enough to do my complete dash. So the smaller tub should be plenty big. I believe now it is also available in a choice of black or white. That's new compared to when I got mine, so it was white. But I'd get black to be a closer color match and therefore easier to top coat.

I’m finally experimenting with an extra dash. That Flex Paste product the rep recommended? I’m not sure he understood the assignment. Or maybe I don’t understand either of you….but…

I bought a small tub of Flex Paste to try out. After applying some test globs in less critical areas, I’m thinking this may not be dashboard friendly, but I won’t know for sure for 24-48 hours. Why? Here‘s from their support documentation:

”Flex Paste dries to a waterproof, flexible rubber, unlike spackle or joint compound. Therefore, sanding may not be the best option once Flex Paste cures.”

So let’s say you wanted to fill deep cracks, and then either do what you did, or recover with vinyl, leather, etc., if it can’t be sanded relatively smooth, that’s not going to work. You’d always see undulations, at least under new vinyl.

UPDATE: nearly 24 hours later - product is indeed spungy and rubbery. Seems to be dry, as no residue is left on fingers while touching. And it seems to stick in the foam crevices. However, I don't see how it's possible to sand this even mildly smooth so as to be invisible through a vinyl covering. Maybe if spray painting with your truck bed material, it may hide the rough contours, but that's questionable...