My 85's dashpad is still in great shape, but the empty fabric speaker covers on top are faded pretty bad. Anyone ever try and refinish them somehow.

 

Yup. I pulled the dash pad and found the covers were held in by a couple of screws each. Took them out and used flat black fabric (seat/carpet) spray paint from an auto parts store. Did three coats, spraying evenly and quickly each time, and they still look great almost three years later.
[RICHR]

 

I was hoping that they would just pop out. Thanks for the info. I think I'll try and paint them while in place.

 

You have to pull the dash out. I did mine and cut the cover fabric off of the plastic and dyed them with RIT. That helped, but they were still not completely black. Plus it's a pain to glue em back onto the plastic.

I like the spray idea, sounds much easier.

 

I used replacement fabric from Radio Shack. Still have plenty on hand. Removed the old, sprayed the frames with 3M adhesive and applied the new which I had precut to shape. Turned out awesome.

I had to purchase a whole roll 32" x 108" which was just a little more than I needed, almost 100 inches more than I needed.

I ran this on the for sale last year:

"So here's the deal, it's kind of like a group purchase but I already have the fabric so it ships immediately. You get a section 32" x 10" that's enough to recover 3 front speakers (just in case you make a mistake). Selling for $6.85 delivered via priority mail continental US. I'll accept paypal, money order or cashiers check."

Forum members fmrff and Red Runner took me up on it last year.

I have enough left for 7 more takers.

Let me know.

Ryan

 

Go to your local Hancock Fabrics, and look at some of their material Its over next to where they keep the crushed payne and velvets. I have a roll of it, but it doesnt have the damn item number nor the name of it. But im looking at the fabric right now, its probably better looking than original. It also isnt the same material as sold at Radio Shack, its way better stuff. I had planed to do my door speakers in this, but went a totally different route. Next you'll need a can of 3m spray glue or spray contact cement. Both can be found at Walmart, and even on rare ocasion at Hancock Fabrics as well. It is a bet pricey at $10 a can, but you'll find a a million uses for the stuff on other projects. I could send you some fabric, but it would cost more to ship it than what I paid for it I think I paid $5 a yard for it.

anyways, thats my sugestion at least. One problem with going to hancock fabrics is, that you'll get other ideas for stuff to upholster.

on a side note, I used to do upholstery for a bunch of "tuner" guys (ya know, all tatooed up, hat back, lowrider vehciles). And I drug a few of them into hancock fabrics for their little projects they wanted to re-upholster on their cars, now they go there on their own...its hillarious to see one of these guys in Hancock next to the mormon homemakers discussing and swaping fabirc stories

snoopdan

 

The Radio Shack material is identical to the stock covering on my '85. Depending on the viewer there may be other attractive materials, but I wanted the original look.

Ryan

 

Ok, let me make a claification of what I think is better. The stuff from hancock was way more stretchable then the stuff you can get at Radshak. Which means you can upholster items with sharp edges and creases much easier, and with no wrinkles in the fabric once its glued in place. There are a ton of great lookiing fabrics out there, the main problem is the plyability of the material. Not knocking your suggestion, but just pointing out that radshak stuff isnt any where near as easy as material to work with. It doesnt give at all...which you DO need it to if you want to reduce creases and make sure the fabric is relaxed enough on the glued surface so it does not warp and wrinkle up later from the heat of being in the sun. Just my 2 cents...ive done ALOT of fabric work.

snoopdan

 

just did the same thing