[Darth Menace]

Hi, I have a 69 custom S and my next project is to redo the dash. I would like to remain it as to get rid of the dark blue hue it has become and have a nice solid black again. Obviously I don't want it too shiny to look lame, so I was wondering what kind of paint and what lustre you use.

Also, I was given new knobs, circle bezels and woodgrain kit so I am obviously getting this done at the same time. With this I assume I am going to have to take the dash and the above mentioned parts all off so I can start from scratch. Is there any words of advice for how to properly take the dash off. (Sorry if I am using the wrong wording...I know that we just have to remove the dash skin vs the complete metal assembly underneath)

[dataway]

Don't worry, you can't take the metal part off without a torch

The dash pad is held on by spring metal clips that push into square holes in the metal underneath.
The difficult part is getting it off without damaging the brittle old vinyl.

If I get a chance I can take pics of the metal part of my dash with the pad removed so you can see where the clips are.

[marxjunk]

i have been doing dashes for 30 years..in the late 90s i figured it out and this works for me very well..ive been happy and many of my friends have done it too..really nice results

take the dash apart...use grease and wax remover at least 3 times..follow the directions..

get a grey or white scotch bright and some comet cleaner...wet the scotch bright...sprinkle the comet well..keep the scotch wet and scrub it well... nothing should be shiney at all...it may take 2 or 3 apps...be carefull on pressure...if you get ruff you will break the dash..just light steady pressure...think of it as cleaning a nice piece of silver...you want to touch every surface you just dont want to damage it

its using the grit in the comet and pad to "sand" it..it also cleans it very well..its a delicate way to sand delicate surfaces....we used to use it on blend panels when i painted cars for a living..

when dry...right before you are ready to spray take a thinner rag and lightly rub the pad and dry with another..wait 5 minutes and spray

if the thinner rag picks up paint or lifts paint..it isnt ready,,it does 2 things..
if it lifts with the thinner..it may lift with the paint and thats bad,,,real bad,,and it opens the pores of the vinyl..

Use SEM trim black..its kinda flat...but it doesnt matter..dont spray it thick..get just enough paint to get it covered...use a light to check if you can see thru it..dont put it on to make it slick and shiny...just get and even coat as you can with no dry spots, make it smooth and even...and as little material you can and let it dry..use SEM trim black in a spray can specifically...not a substitute..ive tried everything..SEM is quality and reliable

within 12 hrs after you shot it...look it over make sure ya like it, and drown it with armour all on a rag....use the armour-all to get the sheen you like...what ever the armour all does to the fresh paint..it soaks in there and makes that stuff wear like iron..with little to no maintenance... ive got cars i did in the late 90s that look like the pad came out of the factory yesterday

practice..practice on something..dont jump to the pad the first time if you have no experience..once you get comfprtable and see what going on, then do the pad

it works on vinyl of all type...glove boxes...consoles..hard plastic with grain etc..i dont knw why but works

i took a 72 nova with dark green interior, i was broke and couldnt take the green..couldnt afford the $500 for new covers....i use the process above and for 50 buxs turned it black..just like i did above...and 12 years after i sold it..i saw the car and it looked fresh just like the day i did the car when i owned it..and there was a little wear on the edge of the drivers seat it really really looked good..

[Darth Menace]

Should I just redo the dash with it on? I don't want to break anything. I could tape it off nicely and go from there.

I would still have to remove the chrome trim pieces with the woodgrain to redo those as well.

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[marxjunk]

its easier off the car, but can be done in..its going to be difficult to strip everything off the dash with it in...so just tape it up..id at least get the steering column out and out of the way...it will help a bunch

sometimes the right way, like removing the dash, is the fastest way..having to deal with stuff..and taping etc can be a pain...i guess it depends on what level car you are building.

if i was going to do it in the car..id still use SEM trim black...

or at autozone there is vinyl dye that i have used...buy it and some adhesion promoter to help..the secret to making it stay and not peel and crack is prep

thing is the more stuff you spray on it...the more material build up and thats an opportunity for it peel or crack

[69 RA GTO]

Excellent write up marxjunk as I have a nice 69 Dk Blue A/C dash pad I am about to dye shortly.

Anyone have an idea on how to fix a small crack between the guage pod holes. Its about 3/4 inch long

X2 on the SEM trim black paint. That stuff is awesome and works great. I painted my steering column with the trim black gloss and it was perfect and I would say its 80% gloss when dried and really close to original. I used the SEM acid primer first before using trim black and that paint is pretty durable

[Darth Menace]

Okay...the dash will come off. I like easier. I took some screws out from below and the globe box but still no movement so I figured start a thread here before I break something

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[gto4evr]

going from memory here but here are the fastener locations:

3 screws (one in each pod) up through the instrument pods.

3 nuts, first remove the glove box plastic insert, the nuts are above sandwiching the metal vent panel between the windshield and the dash. sometimes there's only one or two of the nuts on the three studs from the dash.

2 big nuts holding the metal frame around the steering column bracket. First remove the two screws holding the plastic column filler underneath the steering column to expose the nuts.

2 bolts, one on each side of the bottom of the dash at each end. I think you may need to pull the bolt out of the parking brake bracket to get it out of the way but can't swear to that.

At this point you also want to drop the steering column down. Remove the plastic kick panel so you don't break it. I can usually flex the column down enough without messing with the firewall bracket but it's easier if it's down as low as possible.

Assuming that you've removed the radio already before all of this.

Once all of the bolts of the dash are off, you need to reach under and press the release tab that locks the speedo cable to the back of the cluster. You also need to free the heater controls. Two choices there, one is spaghetti arming your way to get the 4 nuts off the control face to leave the cables in place. That's hard to do without knowing where they are by memory since you can't see crap up that high. Easier to just remove the cables from the heater box. Once you get that stuff loose you can pull the dash onto your lap - helps if you have a helper in the passenger seat doing the same thing. Once away from the metal vent panel far enough to see behind it, unplug all your wiring from the dash.

At this point it's finally loose and you can carefully get it out of the car. Avoid flexing or cracking, these dashes are brittle!

[north]

After 3 decades of pulling apart dashes here is the optimum way to remove a 69 A body dash in my humble opinion...

1... remove seats and console and the AC lower plenum (if equipped)
2... remove steering column (2 bolts on the dash support, 5 on the firewall, two on the steering box and the cotter pin for the shift linkage beside the engine) and then release the speedo cable from the cluster
3... remove the four nuts from the bottom of the dashpad (two near the column and one at each far end
4... remove the glove box (lid and box itself)
5... disconnect the temperature cable (and others if no AC) at the heater box
6... remove the three nuts holding the dash above the glove box
7... remove the three screws in the bezel of the gauge cluster
8...place two boxes roughly one foot cube, one on each side of the transmission hump
9... grasping dash (from the column opening and the glove box opening) and pull it loose and lay it face down on the two boxes.
10... disconnect all the wiring (good idea to photograph everything for reference)
11... remove dash from car and then disassemble (radio, cluster, heater control etc)

It sounds like a big deal but it works very well and it is the safest way to minimize damage to a brittle original pad. It also minimizes the work done on your back under the dash. The key is to remove the column, you can leave the seats and console but i prefer to have lots of room.

[1978 T/A]

Originally Posted by 69 RA GTO

Anyone have an idea on how to fix a small crack between the guage pod holes. Its about 3/4 inch long

I'm attempting to fix a crack in my dash as well using 3M's flexible parts repair. I plan on redying the whole dash in the car using SEM's landau black and their low luster clear.

[Darth Menace]

Thanks for the write-ups everyone. This is making my head hurt looking at this. If I didn't have to remove the chrome trim pieces and put on new wood grain, I would not be taking the dash off I tell you that. Oh well, one day at a tine

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[1978 T/A]

I replaced my lower chrome dash bezels and wood inserts without removing the dash.

[marxjunk]

i learned a lot from a mobile dash, seat, and interior panel guy..i just watched what he did and learned a lot....he was getting 150 bux to repairs small spots caused by collision..and he was a butcher..he had good ideas but was sloppy..i mean 3 or 4 hundred for an inch long gouge or crack...

he fixed cracks in dashes with 3m red flexible spot putty...worked well..but you loose grain and needs more dry time....i do it better.."V" it out keep it small..small is easy to hide.....2 part flex putty, sand and flex prime keep it as small as you can..lots of prep to get it clean..keep the repair small...(experiment on flex putty til you get the stuff that powders off..you dont want to mix up some concrete and try to sand it...the 1 part red 3m flex putty works well..it needs lots of dry time..)

then i use spray bomb rocker coating or also called chip guard..the clear stuff...it doesnt take a lot...i play with it to get the texture i want..keep it small....all you want is enough texture to take the slick spot out...the eye can be fooled...a vertical surface hides repairs much easier than horizontal...and then use the SEM stuff..out on the horse/bench it may stand out..in the car...with doo-dads etc...it harder to see...but still keep it small and dont pile on the materials...

when i play with the texture..i do it like this...i get a piece of masking paper...i spray it close and wet...then every 2 inches back i adjust and maybe back as far as 8 or 9 inches to get more texture or a dry appearance.....if its too bumpy..i can sand a little off...and shoot a little more etc to blend the edges and make it gradually change of grain..cuz you arent ever getting the exact match,,you just get it close...never gonna be perfect...but if you blend it out and make the transition right..its hard to catch it when the dash is in the car.

on dashes..less is more..keep the spray on materials only as needed...dont pile it on or build it up...when i use primer on a dash..and i have to sand it...i sand till i can nearly see thru it...less is always better...it sucks to spend a day or two..and it cracks or peels because of material build up..its happened to me

patience is the key...and practice..try something that doesnt count much, get an idea how the materials work for you then tackle the "good" part..

[marxjunk]

on a dash pad..i would be worried about painting it and using a clear on it..because of material build up...the pad is pliable...once you coat it..it doesnt like flexing..at all..even with flex in it...id paint it..get it closed out and smooth and use and keep armor-all on it for the light sheen..

i dont understand what i know about SEM trim black and putting armor-all on it while its fresh or in the biz called open..but it changes it..in a good way for pads and consoles and even door panels..it gets in there and makes it flex so much more...

[Darth Menace]

Originally Posted by 1978 T/A

I replaced my lower chrome dash bezels and wood inserts without removing the dash.

How does a person do this?

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[1978 T/A]

Originally Posted by Darth Menace

How does a person do this?

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The bezel is held in place with threading nuts, the cigarette lighter and headlamp switch. You have to loosen those pieces and it comes out easily. There is enough room to work underneath the dash.