[dataway]

It's been so long since I basically ...well...destroyed by original GTO woodgrain dash that I've forgotten something. Is the wood grain insert attached to it's own thin metal backing ...like the shifter insert... and then attached to the pebbled plastic dash ... or is the wood grain "decal" applied directly to the pebbled dash surface.

If my memory serves, the insert was a seperate piece of thin sheet metal with the wood grain sticker bonded to it, and then the whole thing was glued to the plastic dash.

Which begs the question ...why does no one reproduce this thin metal backing. The stickers don't like to attach right to the pebbled plastic very well, but they would probably glue quite nicely to a thin metal substrate ...which could then be applied to the pebbled dash surface with a more robust adhesive.

Long winded question asking ..... do you guys with original dash inserts know if they originally had a thin sheet metal backing?

Thanks,
JohnnyB

[GTO68FXSTC98]

I'm not 100% sure what the original had behind it, but it was definitely thicker than the decal (on my 68). I wish I had know that P.Y. offers a thicker better fitting decal for $65 bucks instead of the thin one that I got for $25. Not sure what year yours is.

[anewtoi]

dont know about the actual dash portion, but when i recently had my gb door and corner piece painter, those 2 pieces had a very hard plastic backing, with a thin sheet of vinyl on top of that. while trying to peel the gb door piece off the door, that plastic broke and we werent able to paint it, instead we fabbed up a thin sheet of metal to fit. dont know that mine was/was not original.hope that helps.

[dataway]

I could almost swear that I remember the original dash had a very thin sheet of metal that backed up the woodgrain. But I'm just not sure.

Could someone with an original dash destroy it a little bit to answer this question

JohnnyB

[cuz68]

I also think it was metal on the GTOS

[kngstrk]

My 64 has a metal backing.

[6869GTO]

The older cars had the aluminum backing like last poster mentioned.(pre 67 I believe) NEVER seen a 68 that had alum or metal backing. Had a plastic backing for wood decal/vinyl. If you got a dash bezel from a Tempest and are using it on your car you should have bought the more expensive decal(with backing as poster 2 mentions instead of just the $24.00 decal) which is what I'm guessing you have? Otherwise you would just have removed decal and left the plastic backing? I''ll destroy a corner for you if you want and post a pic if it helps out.Tempest had no woodgrain,(all the ones I've seen)GTO and Lemans would have plastic backing and decal over pebble surface.

[dataway]

That basically answers my question ....there was a "template" matching the vinyl "applica'" (sp) that backed up said "applica" and they were then both adhered to the peebled face of the instrument panel in some way....?

In any case ....all instrument panels were of a pebble finish underneath the faux wood covering (68's I mean) ?

JohnnyB

[newtoGTO]

I was just looking at mine this past weekend. I'll confirm too that there is an additional backing that the vinyl attaches to. I can check if it is metal or plastic and measure the thickness (as best as possible) if needed.

The additional backing was dark brown in appearance and very smooth although this could have been remnance of the vinyl material left behind.

This was for a 68 GTO too.

[webfoot]

Under the original vinyl woodgrain applique is a pebbled plastic finish. The new one will apply directly to that surface. I get the feeling the thin vinyl sticker applique is designed to go over the top of worn/faded factory originals and the thicker laminate stuff is designed to replace it completely.

[dataway]

Thanks guys,

NewtoGTO3, it would be great to have a ballpark thickness mesurement on that backing .... and maybe see if you can tell metal or plastic.

Seems like a person could do the CAD drawings (happens to be one of my specialties and maybe have those backers laser cut in whatever the original material is, not sure why this hasn't been done yet (or maybe it has).

Anyway, seems like it might be a butt load easier to apply that woodgrain sticker to a backer while you sit down at a nice flat table, rather than sticking it to the dash. I can't remember if the glove box and end piece had the same treatment either.... in fact I remember less of everything every year

JohnnyB

[newtoGTO]

I took a measurement of the backing thickness with a caliber and it measures 0.039 +/- 0.0005 inches or in metric 0.99 +/- 0.001 mm.

It is hard to tell the exact material it was made of without taking it apart, but as mentioned above it looks to be a none metal material (almost like a fiber board or plastic composite).

The material is super smooth.

Yes, the glove box and the end piece both have the backing material (I measured the thickness at the edge of the glove box).

Hope that helps.

[Greg Reid]

I'm pretty sure the woodgrain went directly on to the pebbled plastic.
I could be wrong but I think the last GTO with metal backed woodgrain was the '66, which used real wood by the way.
As mentioned above, there are two qualities of repro woodgrain for the '68. The thicker one has the woodgrain as a laminated affair made up of the decal and the backing...which is a flexible smooth material almost like a tightly compressed foam rubber.
Peel and stick for both types. I'd reccomend adding some type of contact cement though. The peel and stick stuff peels as much as it sticks.
BTW, I have an original instrument panel that's missing the woodgrain. It has a heavy glue residue remaining on the pebbled plastic portion. Not sure how I'm going to get it off...

[dataway]

newtoGTO,
Thanks for the measurements ...I saw a used instrument panel with some of the woodgrain peeling off, there appeared to be a smooth, plastic, yellow/brownish liner behind it just like you describe ...but I was only looking at a picture of it. My guess is the super smooth surface is why the original "stickers" stuck so good for so long. Heck they may originally even have been bonded together in one piece before installation.
Thanks again,
JohnnyB

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by dataway

newtoGTO,
Thanks for the measurements ...I saw a used instrument panel with some of the woodgrain peeling off, there appeared to be a smooth, plastic, yellow/brownish liner behind it just like you describe ...but I was only looking at a picture of it. My guess is the super smooth surface is why the original "stickers" stuck so good for so long. Heck they may originally even have been bonded together in one piece before installation.
Thanks again,
JohnnyB

That's certainly how the better repop seems to be made. It wouldn't occur to you really that they were separate parts but it just appears to be a thicker, higher quality stock than the thin shelfpaper like version.
Also, the thick glue that I described on the original untouched panel I have is yellow brownish in color...but slightly translucent.

[dataway]

Would any of the repop inserts actually crack or break if you bent them? I think the backing of the orginal inserts would break if you tried to bend it very much, which is why I think you never see a complete orginal insert separate from the instrument panel. I wonder if the insert was a separate part number from the panel?

Think of formica ....I think the originals were like formica before it is bonded to a thick countertop. With the exception being that unlike formica the pattern was not "made" into the suface, but was a sticker. Somewhat flexible, but far more rigid than typical "peel and stick".

JohnnyB

[Greg Reid]

No, the repops are completely pliable...the backing reminds me of double-sided foam tape.
The thin, cheaper one is like shelf paper but maybe slightly stiffer. .