Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help !
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove CA
Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help !
I started to hate looking inside my beloved flawless `96. Previous owner installed this wood kit on dash. I HATE IT WITH PASSION. Do you guys have any tips on how it could be removed ? Can it be removed ? Has anyone done it? Dealer replacements for all dash pieces are $600 !! I`d like to avoid that. 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 12,968
Likes: 0
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
just be careful with whatever type of glue remover that you use won't eat the original dash plastic.
personally i like the carbon fibre kits, if the removal doesn't go well you could always cover up the mess with one of those
just my $.02
personally i like the carbon fibre kits, if the removal doesn't go well you could always cover up the mess with one of those
just my $.02
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,304
Likes: 240
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
I had a wood dash kit in mine when I bought it. Eventually the wood got under my skin so I got a carbon fiber one. I was lucky, because I was able to peel of the wood one without too much problems. Well when I installed the carbon fiber one the last piece didn't line up well with the gauge openings. They told me to remove it and they will send another one. It was a nightmare to remove. I used the primer for acrylic foam tape and that SOB was not comming off without a fight. I tried to heat it up with a hair dryer and peel it off. No way !!!!!!!! I had to take a zip knife and peel and slice the foam tape, little by little till i could get it off. Then I rubbed my fingers hard on the left over tape till it balled up and could be picked off in small pieces. If I had to remove all the pieces I would buy trim adheasive remover.
Good Luck and be sure to buy the trim adheasive remover
Good Luck and be sure to buy the trim adheasive remover
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,032
Likes: 4
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (AGENT 86)
Those wood dash kits are godawful... who would want their vette to look like a stationwagon with cheap plastic wood panels. Carbon fiber is nice... I still prefer the original though... but then again that's just my opinion.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove CA
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (mikey whipreck)
`94-`96 have rubber coated dash. Anyone here knows what remover won`t eat it ? is there a safe one ? I know i can always cover up the mess with carbon fiber kit but just love the original black, plus the carbon fiber kit is $300 ! Thanks for all replies so far
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,661
Likes: 4
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
Is it a 'glue on' or a real wood kit that replaced the stock trim pieces? My GF has a '86 raodster with real wood everywhere. She now wants to sell it and I am planning to buy all new pieces & replace the wood. Looks dawm ugly to me! Of course she also has a '98 "Hot Wheels" purple & Yellow Pace car! Anyway, I liked the soft rubber, but think it may die a horrible death when romoving the glue on wood if that's what's required.
What all has the wood on it? I have a brand new console shift plate from GM still on the shelf from when I sold my LT4. They are expensive. The piece over the heater & radio is fairly reasonably priced - or was when I last checked. E-mail me if you want the shift plate with the lid over the cup holder. Also have a brand new ashtray & the rubber insert thingy for the cupholder.
Paul :flag
What all has the wood on it? I have a brand new console shift plate from GM still on the shelf from when I sold my LT4. They are expensive. The piece over the heater & radio is fairly reasonably priced - or was when I last checked. E-mail me if you want the shift plate with the lid over the cup holder. Also have a brand new ashtray & the rubber insert thingy for the cupholder.
Paul :flag
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 670
Likes: 1
From: charlotte nc
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
Have you tried a product called "Goo Gone" ? I have used it to remove all manner of adhesives. It will be slow because you need to work it under the applicade to the glue , but if you keep adding it to the exposed glue line it will eventually cause the adhesive to release. Also, I havent seen any damage caused by the product on any plastic to date. You might want to give it a try .
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis MO
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (dwestsr)
I had that crap on mine when I bought it. Took a lot of elbow grease, and I still cant get all of the glue off of the door panels, and around the door handle itself. The glue was like molecularly bonded to the door panels. Best tip I can give you is to remove the entire peice, and then try removing the wood, it should just pry off.
After that, I got some Klean Adhesive Remover wipes from Wal-Mart. Started rubbing my little butt off. After about an hour or so the interior looks good, except for the door panels.
After that, I got some Klean Adhesive Remover wipes from Wal-Mart. Started rubbing my little butt off. After about an hour or so the interior looks good, except for the door panels.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 3
From: Clearwater FL
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
I would just rip it off and strip the rubber coating off, then re paint it with the reproduction rubberized coatings they sell in the vette mags. I know Mid america and Eckler's sell it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove CA
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (C4DC)
Thanx guys for the replies. I tried a few months ago to sell all my dash pieces with the wood kit on them but no response. My plan was to sell them and use the money to buy brand new GM all black original dash pieces or to trade my wood dash pieces with someone who wants them and get his original black ones. Seems like no one likes this crap but a lot of Vettes have it on their dash. For now i`m open to all your ideas to remove the wood or replace all the pieces one by one. Paul has offered to sell me the console plate which is the most expensive piece. This forum is just awesome !
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove CA
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (1996blklt4)
Paul, to answer your question the dash kit is a Mid America 12 piece set that glue on existing original black dash. They have a self adhesive tape on back.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,581
Likes: 1
From: Springfield VA
Re: Wood Dash Kit Removal...Please help ! (dwestsr)
Have you tried a product called "Goo Gone" ? I have used it to remove all manner of adhesives.
My 86 had the fake wood dash when I bought it. The stuff seemed to have been baked on. I pulled it loose around the edges and soaked it with Goo Gone and watched some TV and let it work. Let it set for about 15 minutes and repeated. One evening spent removing the wood veneer, one evening spent removing the adhesive residue.
A little warm water when it was over cleaned up everything.
