Geez... I'm not getting break here. Well just finished my gauge project and now found my first crack in my dash on the passenger side of the truck. I was doing a bit of surfing the forum and links of dash providers seem to of gotten old so I'm going to ask all you what you used for dash replacement, caps, etc.

Writeup:

1. find old RV from the early 70s.

2. tear out old green, yellow & burnt orange carpet.

3. slather old dash with glue.

4. apply carpet & trim.....

 

Ed

 

 

 

 

Ah..... the monkey fur dash , reminds me of my youth , wait do I still remember back that far ? 

Some days yes, as to the Dashcap I learn to the LMC replacement.

Mine is a spider web of repaired cracks from www.plastex.net

I haven't see a cap that fits tight, hence I just replaced my dash with one from LMC.  The fit is good, and I replaced mine when I did my heater core.  The little bolts holding vents in took some time - but the rest was easy.

A house cat could hide in the hole in my dash.

I can fit a medium dog in mine at this point.

If this helps, I fixed my dash with some plastic glue where broke, then sand down entire underside of dash with like 60 grit, used fiberglass hair like green resin on first layer and then put another 3 of clear liquidy stuff with mash material. It was a bit messy but didn't take to long, put extra hardener and only takes 20 or so minutes to set up. I basically field it to top of ribs on inside and some over. Been about a year now holding up good from what I can tell. You can still see fine lines but they're all as one. I might have $50 in it, and have left over fiberglass. To take dash out is easy ones you figure it out. Few screws from bottom in middle are hidden, only put one of them back in for future, and if you take it out keep vent tubing bolted to dash cover instead of trying to find all screws that you can't see that hold it to cover. I actually left all vent work on dash when did fiberglass that way it kept it's curved shape and some pieces together. One problem I had was smell from resin that took a good mount to come out. Burns your eyes. Have fun.

Just figured out how to post pictures, so here are few. Not sure how long it's going to last but sofa so good.

Edited January 25, 201510 yr by Dieselfuture

That seem like a lot of work chasing cracks as the form. Pull the entire dash is quite the project so you can access these area. Bad enough doing a HVAC case.

I agree Mike ,My dash had so many cracks ,it broke in small pieces but I live in Arizona and the sun destroys plastic here. Like mike said it's a lot of work ,if it cracks once it will crack again. A new dash should fix it forever.

True but I'm a cheap *** sometimes. But just gave dentist $1500 for an hour of work.

I was thinking about laminating over the top of mine with cow hide. Letting the old ranch brands show. I will cut pieces or buy remnants and use rubber cement to overlay and overlap the pieces. I wonder.... with enough laminated leather it should hold up fine.

 

A tru cowboy dash   

Edited December 3, 201410 yr by JAG1

I was thinking about laminating over the top of mine with cow hide. Letting the old ranch brands show. I will cut pieces or buy remnants and use rubber cement to overlay and overlap the pieces. I wonder.... with enough laminated leather it should hold up fine.

A tru cowboy dash

It should, that's a good idea. Next time I take dash out ill do something similar. Some sort of leather, so it will look good when armoralled.

Wow...... Amoralled Hide. Think of the look...... could be beautiful.

OMG...

 

Well its a solution I guess I wonder how much it would flop around with leather?

Probably have to reinforce it like dieselfuture did to his.

You guys are funny, that's why I like it.

OMG...

 

Well its a solution I guess I wonder how much it would flop around with leather?

You could leave some flaps loose so it sounds more like a real truck when the window is down.......  

 

Seriously though...... I'm thinking about doing this so it looks good. Cowhide is strong full thick leather but buy it tanned a nice color.

 

Them guys with the King Ranch trucks be lookin' like this   at my truck.

Edited December 4, 201410 yr by JAG1