Covering the dash,'69 vert
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Covering the dash,'69 vert
Has any one out there ever put a replacement cover on their dash? I'm ready to do mine, and I sure don't want to make any mistakes when it comes to using the heavy duty adhesive thats recomended>
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
I haven't recovered a dash pad before but here's some lessons learned from recovering my headrests. I assume you are using the dash pad skins available through Corvette America.
1) Trial fit the dash skin and make sure there are no fit problems to begin with or areas that may need attention while you are gluing it in place.
2) use a needle or other sharp object and perforate the entire surface of the existing dash pad surface. This will allow any trapped air bubbles to escape. Otherwise, you'll have to work the bubbles to the nearest edge which may be difficult.
3) I may get disagreement on this. but use brush on contact cement rather than the spray on. Apply it to the entire underside of the dash skin but not the dash. Let it tack up.
4) Make sure the new dash skin is plenty warmed up and flexible by using a hair dryer or heat gun.
5) Start from the middle of the dash as you glue the two together. Brush on the contact cement to the dash panel working away from the center of the dash and slowly work toward the edges as you press the dash skin into place. This will keep the dash pad and skin from immediately sticking to each other in unintended places as you work.
6) I found that I needed a heat gun around the edges of the headrests to soften and stretch the covers far enough under the headrest cushion so that wrinkles around the edges were not apparent. You may need to do this to pull the edges far enough under the dash pad, I'm not sure.
7) If you find that you don't like the way things are going as you are gluing or you need to do part of it over, the glue can be softened and cleaned off using 3M's adhesive remover that it is available at a body supply or a good auto parts store. I had to glue my first head rest over until I figured out how to get it right.
I was real pleased at how my headrests turned out. They look like new.
Good luck!
1) Trial fit the dash skin and make sure there are no fit problems to begin with or areas that may need attention while you are gluing it in place.
2) use a needle or other sharp object and perforate the entire surface of the existing dash pad surface. This will allow any trapped air bubbles to escape. Otherwise, you'll have to work the bubbles to the nearest edge which may be difficult.
3) I may get disagreement on this. but use brush on contact cement rather than the spray on. Apply it to the entire underside of the dash skin but not the dash. Let it tack up.
4) Make sure the new dash skin is plenty warmed up and flexible by using a hair dryer or heat gun.
5) Start from the middle of the dash as you glue the two together. Brush on the contact cement to the dash panel working away from the center of the dash and slowly work toward the edges as you press the dash skin into place. This will keep the dash pad and skin from immediately sticking to each other in unintended places as you work.
6) I found that I needed a heat gun around the edges of the headrests to soften and stretch the covers far enough under the headrest cushion so that wrinkles around the edges were not apparent. You may need to do this to pull the edges far enough under the dash pad, I'm not sure.
7) If you find that you don't like the way things are going as you are gluing or you need to do part of it over, the glue can be softened and cleaned off using 3M's adhesive remover that it is available at a body supply or a good auto parts store. I had to glue my first head rest over until I figured out how to get it right.
I was real pleased at how my headrests turned out. They look like new.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
After warming the cover more than should be nessasary I don't feel I could do a very god job on it. Plus it's not like it's a small tucked away item so, since it only has a few little cracks in it, I'm going to let a friend look at it. He has a vinyl and plastic welding kit and he thinks it may work. I have nothing to lose. Anyone ever try this approach before? Natrually I will finish it with vinyl spray.
