Dashboard reconstruction

K

kerristallax

I have an old foam dashboard that is badly weathered and was cut up to make some room for a roll bar. The cuts have to stay, as the car has the front roll bar. Large sections of the fake leather, nauga-hide, or ??? cover were broken out, so I just decided to remove all of the covering and start from scratch on the foam. This foam may have been soft at one point, but it's 40 years old now and pretty hard.

I am thinking of reconstructing the dash by brushing epoxy or vinyl-ester fiberglass resin into the foam, letting it harden up, and then going from there. I think this will leave me with a hard fiberglass dash when it is all done.

Has anyone done something crazy like this before? Ideas or comments?
 
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Are you planning on having it covered with vinyl after the shape is restored?
 
No, I am going to paint it with the SEM texture coating and SEM trim black
 
I'd be pretty reluctant to put so many hours into something untested like that. But, it could work.

I might want to use flexible repair material, though.

Dominion Sure-Seal has large cartridges of flexible repair material that are good for large areas.

Part # XPSTC I think.
 
Please keep us posted on your procedures and results. Photos will be awesome too :)
 
I think saturating the foam to start with it good but you will also need to apply a layer of matt so it doesn't crack, the dash will want to expand and contract and I think the mat should stop it from cracking. You can do the texture coating with epoxy or urethane primer by adjusting your gun settings for droplets instead of atomized spray, droplet size can be changed by reduction. Lightly sanding the primer to knock the tops of the overlapping droplets off will leave a vinyl like texture-if that makes any sense.
 
I got my gallon of West Systems epoxy + hardener in, and I picked up some fiberglass mat. Scrubbed the foam down good with soap and water, letting it dry for a week or so now. Do I need to get a veil cloth (?) to finish on top of the fiberglass mat? I know Shine had posted some fiberglass repair tips / how-tos on the old site, but I think those are lost.
 
I changed my mind on this one. Rather than go to the extensive amount of work to fiberglass a dash this way, I am going to make a mold and try casting one the normal way. If it comes out good, I could always make another one then.
 
Question.
I saw a video where a guy formed a couple interior using expandable foam like "Great Stuff." He sprayed it all over the dash and then began sculpting it with knives and sandpaper. Anyone tried something like that?
 
A writeup was done a couple years ago on filling big cracks with that, then smoothing with SEM flexible bumper repair, and then priming + finishing with texture coating & trim black. I'm guessing it would hold up well enough on a garaged car; not sure about a daily driver. Haven't heard from anyone on the long-term success of it.
 
clean the surface very good and west system should work very well . I use it every day and have been to courses if you need any advice let me know.

Jeff
 
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