for those of you who are trying to mold your dash or other interior, the fillers suggested in the FAQ may sound a little "out there".

After trying several other options i found the Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler (seen below) works very well. From the tube it's very much like playdough, rather clean and doesn't stink like some other options.

The filler takes to hand molding well. For deep moldings (say gap filling a C5 console ciggarette bin) dry time is about a day to full hardness. After hardening, it's strong enough to be sanded without cracking but is flexable enough to not crack with minor twisting.

Once it's sanded, coat it with SEM texture finish and spray paint the color of your choice and it comes out quite well. (I'll be re-doing mine in a week or 2....I was rushed and ended up nicking a chunk out of it before it dried completely)

 

does it shrink with temperature changes? the advantage of the sludge is that it actually bonds to the plastic

 

Temperatures here have ranged from 40 degree nights to 80 degree days. I haven't seen any cracking (especially along the edges where the bondo i tried earlier cracked)

I believe it's designed with minimal flex once hardened because wood expands and contracts significantly more than plastic or metal.

 

Don't do it.. you will have problems in the future with the ADHESION of the plastic to the wood filler.. use the duramix or duraglass technique I told you about at the vette meet in Houston, sand, primer-sealer, and Sem satin black for the finish. Yes, the materials are expensive and the amount of labor sucks, but there is no easy way out... for a lasting product. Make sure to watch your humidity when using the Sem paint to get a perfect finish... I actually fixed one of these back in '01 for a customer had it fall apart on him in the summer...

Sand both surfaces to 120 grit
spray with sand-free
clean surfaces
apply duramix or duraglass (try to minimize air pockets)
let cure overnight
sand until you get the shape you want up to 220 grit
use a pin-hole filler if needed
use a heat gun to knock down the plastic "hairs" from sanding
clean surface and use a tack mat
Spray with a primer-sealer (z-chrome is the best, hands down)
let cure at least 1 day
finish sand to 400 grit or so
clean surface and use a tack mat
spray Sem paint (1st coat light, 2nd and 3rd coats medium)

If you are a DIY and don't have these materials just laying around, it WILL be expensive as you can't buy small quatities of any of the needed materials and you need a mask to protect your health. gl.

 

the abs/mek sludge is a cheap alternative and wont crack. My original attempt used epoxy and it eventually cracked when A&A replaced my clutch and had to remove and reinstall the dash piece.

 

Yea...unfortionatly i don't have

a) the proper work enviornment for any quality molding
b) the money for the small amount of the "Sam's-club-size" materials i'll need.
c) the expertice to make it all work.

I can't seem to find any ABS material at home depot or lowes.... I'm probably not looking in the right place either.

 

abs is the black pipe in the plumbing section next to the white pvc pipe. m.e.k can be found in the paint dept next to the paint thinners. shouldnt cost you more the 12 bucks. then get some spot glazing to fill in the pinholes.

 

If your gonna do it, do it right! Its your own car, dont cut corners. BOXOLOGY is 100% right! Its the only way for professional looking results.

 

not the only way.,, one way. personally i like the chemical version of doing it because you have a molecular bond.