Refurbished DashBoards

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Daz-RSK
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Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Daz-RSK »

OK people - this follows on from Nick's post / thread on Cool Dashboard. I have been doing a little bit of digging around.

I like what I saw there, but as I think I said in Nick's thread, I would prefer something more as a permanent finish. Cool Dashboards have taken on-board my comments when I contacted them and looking into this. I think by permanent, they are looking at the cover route again.

I have been in touch with someone else as well, just as a matter of chance when I was inquiring about some fabric for the Capri, and they are very, very interested. The guy I have been liaising with took it to management and they would like to explore this.

This isn't just a permanent cover / temporary cover - which is one route that Cool Dashboards are looking at. This is actually a permanent solution to repair / cover your dashboard.

The company name may be familiar to you - Newton Classics in Suffolk.

So what they would do is do take your dashboard in house and make good the blemished areas, probably with a form of filler, then cover the dashboard in a grey/black vinyl - whichever is the colour of the original. In this way, it preserves the dashboard, it is permanent, you won't need a cover and because it is completed in house, this isn't a throw on cover.

OK, the downside of this is that because it is a permanent cover, made in vinyl, this does not resemble the original dashboard. It'll follow the contours and there would be a grain effect. But your dashboard is being covered by a vinyl material. I get that and that may be precious to you. But you'll have a perfect dashboard which will last years without the requirement of a separate cover.

So I have been asked a couple of things from Newton Classics:-

1) Is there interest in this ? In fairness, you will probably have some difficulty with making your mind up until you see the output. But indicatively, is this a route we would like a company to do for us ? Just even a "Maybe - depends on what it looks like and how much it will be" is good enough for me.

2) Does anyone here have a Mk2/3 dashboard that is a bit scruffy / bit messy, tucked at the back of the shed / garage and is going nowhere that could be donated to Newton Classics for them to experiment with please ? If the experiment turns out to be good, you have a perfect dashboard in return, I am sure, for free. I haven't agreed that with them, but that would be fair that you have given up something for them to work on and then receive back the finished article. I can entertain that discussion with them, for sure if someone has something they could work on.

Thanks people.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Jasonmarie »

Cost would be getting the dash out and then back in as I have heard that it takes some people up to 3 hours to remove .
Or would they want the dash and not the car ?

Just a thought as I don’t think I would remove the dash myself .
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Daz-RSK
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Daz-RSK »

Yes agreed Jason - it's not so easy to get the dash out.

It's easy for me at the moment because I have all of the lower dash out, with the heater motor/blower extracted. But I don't really want my reasonably good / serviceable dash being the guinea pig, in case they make more of a mess of it than where it is at today.

But I get your point.

We haven't discussed yet the detail of who would be doing the job of extracting the dash and whether it's just the dash that they want or the whole car. But that is a fair point and may be a sticking point to anyone.

I see the benefit of the cover that Cool Dashboards do and it's simple fit. I am just seeing what appetite there is for a more permanent (but probably bit more long winded) solution.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Jasonmarie »

I did see a guy I think on a car show programme fix the dash on a ford and he just filled the cracks and then used a small spray gun to coat the dash . Was done very fast and cheap also saved removing the dash .
The Tickfords had leather dash and do belive somebody on eBay does do them .

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 1002027209
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ESSEXV6ESSEX
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by ESSEXV6ESSEX »

I would be interested and have a couple of dashboards. I would be interested in donating one if they want to try it out?
I would even send it to them
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Daz-RSK »

OK, so just a small update.

With thanks to Mark, a donor dashboard will be sent for Newton Commercials to work on.

I have been liaising with a guy called Josh there all week and they are really gratified to Mark for donating this and are quietly encouraged that something might happen. It's early days yet and they won't know until the new year.

But I have placed myself 1st in the queue if their result is successful, after I have seen their results.

If my car does become first in the queue, at the Capri events next year (quite a lot of them, aren't there :D ), I am happy to showcase the dashboard, along with detailed instructions that people can take away, not only to call Newton Commercial for their dashboard project, but a pictured how to to get the dashboard out. OR alternatively, if there is a classic car restorer / repairer in the area that they can link up with in Leiston that does that work for you.

There are great instructions here, all over the forum, but I can't easily migrate the forum instructions to my windscreen where all of this detail will be laid out in hard copy for people to take away, I am afraid. :D So I will place all of this together.

But first things first - let's see their success and their price.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by scherrit »

Has anyone seen the fibreglass dash that Capri club do? I understand you need to strip out the steel "chassis" of your original dash?
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

scherrit wrote:Has anyone seen the fibreglass dash that Capri club do? I understand you need to strip out the steel "chassis" of your original dash?
Hi,
they do look great when fitted, you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference between the repro and original dashes.
Mark (brooky) fitted one to his 280. It's a project I started but had to give up due to lack of time. The CCI advert for the dashboards state that there is a lot of work involved, and they aren't joking!

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=47380&hilit=Project+dashboard

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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Not_Anumber »

I went for one of the leather dash covers from Ebay last year. It looks ok but it was quite tricky to fit, stretch and glue in place - one of those jobs where several times I wished i hadn't started. Given the choice again I would have gone the CCI dash route.
The thought of being able to send the dash to someone for recovering on an exchange basis would have been attractive.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Daz-RSK »

OK so Newton Commercial have received Mark's dashboard and started getting stuff together.

They have asked me about the stitching. Unfortunately / fortunately (dependent on your viewpoint) stitching is going to be required.

A single stitch line where the dashboard goes from the thicker piece to the thinner, left side of the speaker grill / radio housing, if you like. The stitch line would follow the line down that seam from the windscreen to the base of the top dashboard.

But they have asked me about some further cosmetic stitch lines that might make the dashboard more premium looking. These would be double stitch lines - one would be at the top of the dashboard around the instrument panel, radio, on the top protruding edge and down the protruding edge around the driver air vent and heater controls on the other side. The other would be the lower edge of the passenger side, following the top of the glove box.

I have attached a link here of the Mercedes and what they do so you might get an idea. If you look at the upper dashboard, you see how the double stitch line follows the edge. That's the sort of thing they are referring to.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/mer ... s-interior

The single stitch line is unavoidable. What do you people think about the double stitch line ? We don't have to have it. But it's there as a finishing option, if you think this is good.

Thanks
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by ESSEXV6ESSEX »

Hi folks.
Newton are indeed taking a look at a dash I supplied. Mine is a Brown dash and the sample they have sent me is a good match. I have given the go ahead and gone for a single stitch down the centre. Nothing ventured nothing gained and we have to commit to finding a solution. This will be a recover so not 100% original but in reality does it really matter, neither were holed and cracked dashboards original and who wants to pay five hundred quid for a 35 year old original that is yet to crack? The guy 'Josh' that have been communicating with seems a decent chap. He is going to keep me updated and likewise I will keep you posted.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Daz-RSK »

Hi people. Some bad news.

They have not been able to cover Mark's dashboard to a satisfactory standard that they would wish to market.

At least they are being honest and not trying to sell us some dodgy / poor quality covering that will do. That's the only consolation. If they are not comfortable with the quality, we probably wouldn't be either.

That's a shame because I had trust in this lot finding us a solution. Unfortunately not.

Sorry folks. It's either the dash top covers, or the CCI version, which does look like a lot of work from Andrew's great write up. Or stick with what you have - which probably what I'll do.


Mark - have they contacted you yet ? I am sure Josh will soon. It's only that I asked him for a progress report this week. My lower dash has been off since October whilst the heater box / motor was repaired and kept in that state until I knew the solution to this.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

That's a disappointment, but thanks anyway for putting in all the hard work to try and find a solution to one of the most common Capri issues.

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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by Jasonmarie »

That’s is a shame , can’t we say that the split dash is patina and stick with out dash mats when parked up .
:beer:
But thank you for trying yes Andrews little write up on the CCI dash is very good and a good warning to all really .
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by ESSEXV6ESSEX »

Hi, yep they have been in touch cheers mate. I have received it back. I am going to have a go at it myself so watch this space.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by ESSEXV6ESSEX »

Hi all just a quick update re this. Two issues, firstly finding a mint dash is an issue and who wants to pay upwards of £500? So I thought with that in mind I'd have a go. Now I am not very skilled and no expert but I had some isopon bumper filler and ordered some textured paint and gave it a go. There were a total of 18 cracks. I sanded the whole dash down, then drilled out the cracks, the speaker holes where it was cracked was damaged so I traced the other side, filled the whole part in and filled in all the cracks. I bought some halfords filler primer £6.49 and sprayed this on then used the paper I copied the speaker holes on to, placed it over the top and using braddle and a 3mm drill bit I drilled them all back in. I had a few problems with one of the cracks but perstence paid off. I then bought some textured paint from ebay £8.99 and sprayed the whole dash. It isn't perfect but very useable. The ONLY issue I have and its not that I cannot not sort it is I was using a ghia dash and didn't dril down far enough where the grab handle holes were but about fifteen minutes work will sort it. I have a spare dash that is equally as bad that I will do. I can't post pics but I will send some if someone wants to send me there email address. As I say not perfect but if your dash is knackered for twenty quid and a couple of nights work it's a good fix.
Cheers.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by D366Y »

ESSEXV6ESSEX wrote:Hi all just a quick update re this. Two issues, firstly finding a mint dash is an issue and who wants to pay upwards of £500? So I thought with that in mind I'd have a go. Now I am not very skilled and no expert but I had some isopon bumper filler and ordered some textured paint and gave it a go. There were a total of 18 cracks. I sanded the whole dash down, then drilled out the cracks, the speaker holes where it was cracked was damaged so I traced the other side, filled the whole part in and filled in all the cracks. I bought some halfords filler primer £6.49 and sprayed this on then used the paper I copied the speaker holes on to, placed it over the top and using braddle and a 3mm drill bit I drilled them all back in. I had a few problems with one of the cracks but perstence paid off. I then bought some textured paint from ebay £8.99 and sprayed the whole dash. It isn't perfect but very useable. The ONLY issue I have and its not that I cannot not sort it is I was using a ghia dash and didn't dril down far enough where the grab handle holes were but about fifteen minutes work will sort it. I have a spare dash that is equally as bad that I will do. I can't post pics but I will send some if someone wants to send me there email address. As I say not perfect but if your dash is knackered for twenty quid and a couple of nights work it's a good fix.
Cheers.
I'd be interested to see some before and after shots and will upload them here for you, will pm you my email now!
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by D366Y »

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Here are the pictures Mark sent me and it looks like a good job to me! Very impressed!
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by andyd »

Bloody good effort Mark :applaud:

Being over 30 years old, no dash is going to be 100% perfect now.
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Re: Refurbished DashBoards

Post by ESSEXV6ESSEX »

Cheers guys. Yeah that's it, not many dashboards are perfect and it's making the best of a bad job.
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