Great Dash repair for under $30.00!!! - Page 3

**akitaman** · #31 (**permalink**) 10-09-2005, 03:37 PM

I found that after you seal the old dash foam, and then fill it with spray foam. The foam cuts down to level real easy. The truck liner is a "high build" product. This means take your time, spray a few light coats on the big issue areas first, then spray the whole thing. The product is so thick it hides the issues ( with in reason) really well.

Akitaman

**sidewaysalfa** · #32 (**permalink**) 10-17-2005, 01:31 PM

OK Akitaman, I bought your story.
Now about 2 weeks after completing the dash, my Alfetta dash doesn't look so bad.
Starting condition of the dash was dismal (holes, cracks and valleys) , so I figured anything I could do to improve it was a +.
The Alfetta dash has a bunch of high and low spots so a lot more time was required to fill the holes and cracks. About 3 days, an hour a day.
The holes I patched with foam and a layer of bondo show a different texture than the vinyl areas, but considering what I started with . . . The cracks covered up OK, but, as someone else mentioned, the vinyl around the crack tended to push up so a bunch of sanding and grinding was required to lower the ridges, with not 100% satisfaction, but . . .
The dash has been in the car a week now, with 2 hot days, 95 deg + and only a few cracks are showing back up.
The truck bed liner is pretty nice stuff. It can cover a bunch of problems.
Will post pics in a week or so to wait for any more cracking.
Oh, I also used this method to repair some missing dash where it meets (met) the firewall/windshield. Up to 3/4" of the dash had cracked off leaving gaps visable from the outside. I used the foam with a bondo "skin" to rebuild the lip. The truckbed lined covered it up and you can't hardly see the patch.
Thanks for the tip.

**akitaman** · #33 (**permalink**) 10-17-2005, 02:03 PM

I did some more experimenting last week. And found an PERFECT 100%, stop the buck here fix! The bed liner is still the coating of choice. But the filler is just simply a product you can buy at any auto paint shop.
The 3M rep came to our shop a few weeks back, pimping his wears, and pulled out a great product. You see, on new cars the plastic bumpers get cracked and bent in an accident. Those bumpers cost mega bucks some times, and 3M now makes a filler/bonding product that is flexible and harder then a rock just for plastic bumpers. It comes in a caulking tube and when you squeeze it out, the two parts in side blend together to form one product. Once its dry (1 hour) you can sand it smooth. IT WILL NEVER GIVE AND CRACK or release V.O.C. After that spray the liner on and your done!

**torcia** · #34 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 05:36 AM

Akitaman,

Can you give more details on this 3M plastic bumper bondo? What would I ask for at the parts store?

Slackjaw · #35 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 12:15 PM

Akitaman, can you name the 3M product the rep showed you for the bumper repair? Thanks!

**akitaman** · #36 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 01:46 PM

I will get all the info in the morning. I'm sorry I did have the stuff with me last night when I posted. I just didn't want anybody to do it the first way anymore after I figured out a WAY better process.

DaveC · #37 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akitaman

I did some more experimenting last week. And found an PERFECT 100%, stop the buck here fix! The bed liner is still the coating of choice. But the filler is just simply a product you can buy at any auto paint shop.
The 3M rep came to our shop a few weeks back, pimping his wears, and pulled out a great product. You see, on new cars the plastic bumpers get cracked and bent in an accident. Those bumpers cost mega bucks some times, and 3M now makes a filler/bonding product that is flexible and harder then a rock just for plastic bumpers. It comes in a caulking tube and when you squeeze it out, the two parts in side blend together to form one product. Once its dry (1 hour) you can sand it smooth. IT WILL NEVER GIVE AND CRACK or release V.O.C. After that spray the liner on and your done!

hutchensgd · #38 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 04:47 PM

It certainly looks good in the pictures! Good luck for long-term success.

I am one of those guys that spent a lot of money getting my GTV6 dash restored by Just Dashes. It sure looks great, but at more than a $1000.

Nice creative approach!

stu mitchell · #39 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 05:20 PM

thats really great! i wonder if the idea of an epoxy w/ aton of microballoons would be better than bondo? tough stuff and the m/b's make it easier to sand? the bed liner idea is good 'cause that stuff is tough and flexible to handle expansion and contraction. well done!

stu mitchell · #40 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 05:22 PM

um. just re-read the idea on the 3m products. THAT sounds better than epoxy anyday.

**akitaman** · #41 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 07:54 PM

Hey gang, Dave is right this is the stuff. And it is really amazing! Once it's dry use 80 grit then 180 then 240, 320 and finally 400 grit paper. It only takes a few minutes. At this point the dash is scuffed enough for the bed liner and smooth enough for a great finish.

**akitaman** · #42 (**permalink**) 11-04-2005, 04:03 PM

Okay, we now have pictures and real testing results.

http://gtam.silvahalo.com/dashrepair/

**haus** · #43 (**permalink**) 11-04-2005, 05:37 PM

Akitaman, I can't see the epoxy product you're using in the photos (too small) - it doesn't look like the 3M product, is it? Sherwin Williams is selling a 5oz kit of 05895 for $42...that seems high, unless I'm mis-reading and it's a case.

**akitaman** · #44 (**permalink**) 11-04-2005, 05:46 PM

You are correct, it is not the 3M stuff. It's better (only because of cost). This made by EVERCOAT. It's called MAXIM plastic repair. Same rules apply, buy it at auto paint store. I want to say it was less then 20.00 a tube. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS STUFF.

**haus** · #45 (**permalink**) 11-04-2005, 05:49 PM

LOL - so that's how you kept it under $30.

Thanks!! I'm going to try this in my Spider at some point. Looks like kind of a fun project, actually - I love doing the interior stuff, why send away and let someone else have all the fun.

BTW - I'm thinking about flat black dash paint - kinda looks like yours is the glossy version. Does the bed liner stick to that OK?