Advice on Dashboard repair (holes and cracks)

[stussy2870]

Folks,

My dashboard had an external tach at one time - I'd like to repair that hole (Fill it in) and the crack that came as a result of said hole.. What products do you recommend or have experience with? I cant imagine this is too difficult? I want to paint/refresh the dashboard back to its factory colors but want to address those problems first..

Thanks in advance.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

The biggest issue is matching the pattern that is stamped into the plastic. The crack and hole can be fixed with epoxy, but obviously the epoxy will not have the pattern, and the surrounding area will also not have it when you sand it all smooth.

There are dash repair kits available with an iron that allows you to attempt to imprint the pattern back in, but unfortunately the kit I got did not have a matching print for the Fox body. I don’t know how well it really works, unfortunately.

 

[stussy2870]

Tbh, I dont really care about matching the pattern.. Although that would be REALLY nice i think that having the hole filled/gone is more important.

Any guidance on the kits? I've not really found much..

Edit:
I think JBWeld Platic Weld might do the trick for the hole..

 

[FortySix&2]

There are a few Youtube tutorials on using paint less dent removal tools to make a texture stamp. You basically glue a puller to the plastic then pop it off and then you have a negative impression of the texture. You can then stamp some plastic putty onto the surface. In theory you then have the texture...

I say in theory because I tried this and it didn't work at all. The putty just sticks to the stamper and not the plastic. I gave up and attempted to match the texture with a toothpick and putty. For the interior pieces that just have a sand texture (around the radio and shifter) I was able to use SEM texture coating successfully to match.

I would be interested in hearing if anyone successfully got the stamping method to work.

 

[stussy2870]

Interesting.. I have a PDR tool.. Thats really a good idea! I would think you could use a soapy water mixture to maybe spray on the mold/impression. Its going to get painted after the fact anyway.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Hers an idea....why don’t you replace the area that was damaged instead of trying to repair it.

 

[90sickfox]

Dave used 3m 8115 PBA to fix his interior parts. That stuff will fix anything you need if used properly. I used it to glue my wing on my trunk lid...and mold my cobra lower to my LX bumper.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Hers an idea....why don’t you replace the area that was damaged instead of trying to repair it.

Cost. Dashes are expensive.

 

[stussy2870]

Cost. Dashes are expensive.

EXACTLY.. not to mention, besides that stupid hole, theres nothing wrong with it.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

On another note, I would probably back it with some mesh screen (imagine the stuff you use to back a hole in drywall) so that your epoxy has something it can set up against. Glue it in place thoroughly against the back side of the dash behind the hole, then after that cures fill the hole in with fresh epoxy. It may take a couple of applications since the epoxy will typically shrink.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Oh, and I almost forgot about this...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTGNVtNUKg8


Plastifix. It's pretty cool.

 

[stussy2870]

That's a petty cool video.. Good to know.. thankful I don't have a huge hole.. I don't know if im skilled enough to perform that kinda repair..