Repairg dash panel threads
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2017
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Holding the central gauge cluster, those holes are in the speedo/tach panel. I have the same problem on the other side with the map pocket panel. In other words, the central gauge cluster is just half hanging there.
The screws are essentially slid in there and not cinching whatsoever. Rather they are cocked and sorta holding.
The screws are essentially slid in there and not cinching whatsoever. Rather they are cocked and sorta holding.
Last edited by DorianC3; Oct 24, 2018 at 01:56 AM.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2017
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The retainer in the photo above is what is used on the early C4 doors and in some areas of the interior of a later year model C3's, I can get you the part number tomorrow bit I seriously doubt I would try to make these work. Due to the depth of this type of retainer...it may not want to work due to the length of the screw needed to make it lock in place will have to be longer than the screws your car needs.,....thus causing it to possibly poke THROUGH the vinyl.
I have used heat gun to soften teh vinyl and peel it back so i can make a steel plate and fit it to teh main dash panel and then get the vinyl to go back to where it was....then drill a new hole.
DUB
I have used heat gun to soften teh vinyl and peel it back so i can make a steel plate and fit it to teh main dash panel and then get the vinyl to go back to where it was....then drill a new hole.
DUB
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Guys... To me and IMHO... the best fix on this is to use what is called "Plastic Fusion" or "Plastic Weld". You can find this 2 part epoxy at most any local flaps.
Using the console side panel nuts and/or the door panel nuts is harder because you have to enlarge the hole to accommodate the nut and this nut also has an edge to it which will make it harder to install the center dash bezel... I've seen people use the dry wall ex-panders as well, but they too have a lip on them.
With plastic fusion you open the hole up a bit, mix this epoxy up and then push it into the hole making the outer edge smooth. When dry you then re-drill a tiny hole in the repair and the screw will tap it's own threads. I don't remember what size drill we use in the shop, it's after hours so there isn't anyone here to ask... but you drill it just a tiny bit smaller than the screw size.
Plastic weld is made to glue and repair ABS plastics and it works like a charm. We use this stuff almost every week to make repairs... it's amazing on fixing cracked area's behind dash pads, kick panels and other places as well... you just V groove the crack, sand and scuff the backside material and glue it.
Another trick is that on say quarter trim panels where the material gets nicked... You make the repair and if you have the vinyl repair kit for fixing vinyl... once you make the repair use the vinyl repair kit and the pattern cloth it comes with and you can hide to some degree a defect in a quarter trim panel, pillar molding and so on.
Willcox
Website https://willcoxcorvette.com/
Tech Page http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/
Please bump our sale threads if you get a chance..
Using the console side panel nuts and/or the door panel nuts is harder because you have to enlarge the hole to accommodate the nut and this nut also has an edge to it which will make it harder to install the center dash bezel... I've seen people use the dry wall ex-panders as well, but they too have a lip on them.
With plastic fusion you open the hole up a bit, mix this epoxy up and then push it into the hole making the outer edge smooth. When dry you then re-drill a tiny hole in the repair and the screw will tap it's own threads. I don't remember what size drill we use in the shop, it's after hours so there isn't anyone here to ask... but you drill it just a tiny bit smaller than the screw size.
Plastic weld is made to glue and repair ABS plastics and it works like a charm. We use this stuff almost every week to make repairs... it's amazing on fixing cracked area's behind dash pads, kick panels and other places as well... you just V groove the crack, sand and scuff the backside material and glue it.
Another trick is that on say quarter trim panels where the material gets nicked... You make the repair and if you have the vinyl repair kit for fixing vinyl... once you make the repair use the vinyl repair kit and the pattern cloth it comes with and you can hide to some degree a defect in a quarter trim panel, pillar molding and so on.
Willcox
Website https://willcoxcorvette.com/
Tech Page http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/
Please bump our sale threads if you get a chance..
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Oct 25, 2018 at 06:24 PM.
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