[64catdroptop]

I've got a small crack (1/4") in the Catalina dash. The rest of the dash is in great shape - still soft, etc. The crack came about from the boys playing (sigh)

Any suggestions on repairing the crack? I'm hoping for something that will take vinyl dye as I plan on recoloring the dash (it's black so no problems with color matching)

[rexs73gto]

You can try a lot of items but if the dash is cracked now it is already getting hard & 1 crack will lead to a lot of cracks now. I've never found anything that really works, there are things that will Temp. repair but they don't ever seem to last. I'd say if your going to keep the car for a long time start saving for a new dash for one of the companys that do the complete redo of the dash. Plan on around 1500-2000 for the dash to be redone.

[BOB VIDAN]

If you have the short 63 - 64 pad, I have one for sale. It's in the fullsize parts for sale section.

[2002Z4CSS]

I recently purchased a replacement dash for my GT-37 that had a few small cracks and was from a 1972 Luxury Lemans so it had a Pontiac and LM emblem area to also be filled in. Cost me $125 and it looks as good as new. I will see if my son can get the guys phone number. Maybe you can ship your dash to him for repair.

[jd66]

check with your local used car dealers, theres usually someone who makes the rounds doing dash and door panel repair. jd grim

[Cammer-6]

I think I have an uncracked 64 pad

[John Haley]

Super glue is what I have used and seen other vinyl repair guys use. Put super glue in the crack, wipe any excess glue off with a rag and put some baking soda on it. Repeat until the crack is filled. Sand area, I've seen finger nail files used or some how remove any excess. The baking soda causes the super glue to harden immediately and acts as a filler creating something like plastic.

[rohrt]

I have been reading up on dash repair for a bit. From what I have gathered they make a padded dash filler product and some have used flexible bumper repair epoxy mix with good success to fill cracks.

From what I have gathered the trouble is matching the grain. I found one product that can be put on the dash to make a mold but I have my doubt that you could fill the crack and put the mold matching material over it and be done. Hower most of the time fillers need sanded.

I have seen some use SEM texture paint on the whole dash and then paint to match and it looks pretty good. The down side in non matching grain.

The other alternitive I have found is getting some matching vynil and recovering the dash.

[Willshire]

I recovered my GP dash with vinyl. I used a 2 way stretch. if you are doing vinyl on top use contact cement as spray glue doesnt hold up. JustDashes quoted me 700+ to do my dash. Strip, new foam, new vinyl and packaging. Shipping both ways was extra.

[BruceWilkie]

How the dash pad cracked may affect how you fix it. If it was old vinyl that suddenly got too much pressure you can stop the crack from lengthening same as cracked sheet metal...put a small round hole at the end of the crack and then repair the crack with the vinyl bumper repair mix... A piece of screen or coarse material may help you recreate the grain.

It takes strong cleaners including mineral spirits and detergents to get rid of embedded silicones from Armor-All and the like... ANY trace that remains will eventually fail any gluing or painting you do. When you think its clean...clean it at least 2 more times! Use same paint additives you use for flexible bumpers.

Dashes that split from old age and sun are tougher to do. More often than not the under foam is swollen at the crack... best thing I found was to just cut it back aways from the split and cut out some of the lower foam.... then fill with insulation foam... level that or slightly recess it so when you add the vinyl bumper mix you dont end up with a bump.

If you avoid putting pressure on your repaired dash and avoid using Armor-All your dash will hold up for a long time.

Any dash new or old... high SPF suntan lotion leaves a nice luster and protects from suns rays that kill dashes. Besides wipin dash with Armor-All and the like usually afects your glass cleaning chore at some point... usually while dryin or wipin off glass cleaner your rag hits the dash and picks up traces of Armor-All and you end up getting it on the glass, compounding your glass cleaning problems.