DashTop™ dash "caps" are not bad!

DarrylD · 02-11-2005, 11:05 AM

I didn't use one for my 911 dash but I was planning on it until I stumbled across a near perfect used original at John Walker's shop here in Seattle and bought it from him. I already had the DashTop™ (by Palco Industries) dash "cap" purchased and was planning on using it to transform this:

Into something a bit more appealing to the eye. Somewhere under that sorry looking recover job was an original 911 dash with a crack in it.

Well, I went ahead and installed it on the old dash yesterday and here's the result:

I had to trim a good 1/8" of padding off the front edge of the old pad in a couple places to get it to fit snug but it really laid down nicely and the silicone glue provided with the DashTop™ really did a good job of holding it down. I used wood clothespins around the perimeter to hold the cap until it was dry this morning. The only thing that's less than desirable is the area just above the gauges, which you really can't see much of when the dash is installed. It just seems funny they wouldn't fully cover this area too. The little vinyl skirt around the front edge is also missing but not something you can really see much of with the dash pad installed.

There is no way to get this thing to fit correctly without removing the dash pad and trimming it a bit.

All-in-all, for $89 it's not a bad solution, but I'm very happy I found the great original used one from John Walker given the work to install it.

The DashTop™ website is: http://www.dashtop.com and you are referred to an authorized dealer's website near you.

I read that the DashTop™ brand fits a bit better than the CoverLay™ brand in the archives here on this BBS and that's what influenced my purchase decision.

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

sweet. I went a step further. My car already had the cap. I removed mine and am in the process of covering it in ultrasuede. I'm giving it some "class"

RickM · RickM's Garage

A friend put one of these on his Mercedes 280SL and I could hardly tell it wasn't original to the car. Unbelievable.

He purchased his from Adsit. I'm not sure who they source from. I'll bet it's Dashtop or Coverlay.

DarrylD · 02-11-2005, 11:15 AM

I contacted the manufacturer and they pointed me to a place in Kalifornia. Shipping was nothing due to the featherweight of the cap.

I've noticed the Coverlay™ are molded black and kind of shiney, the DashTop™ is sprayed with a dye and can be ordered in just about any interior color Porsche offers. Unfortunately the dye got a little scuffed on mine (the area over the gauges) when it was shipped and I'll need to do a touch-up with VHT spray dye.

Covering the cap with ultrasuede, that should look great! Then you can add the little skirt too!

Wrecked944 · 02-11-2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by }{arlequin
sweet. I went a step further. My car already had the cap. I removed mine and am in the process of covering it in ultrasuede. I'm giving it some "class"

What is ultrasuede? I've never heard of it before?

CarreraS2 · 02-11-2005, 12:51 PM

It's like suede - but even better!

RickM · RickM's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
It's like suede - but even better!

Isn't it like Pleather?

Drago · Drago's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
It's like suede - but even better!

Are you talking about Alcantra? Kind of a synthetic suede...

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

It's exactly like pleather!

Ultrasuede is synthetic suede, also known as alcantara.

Par911 · 02-11-2005, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JanusCole
What is ultrasuede? I've never heard of it before?

It's a duct tape type of material

, right Dave

!

Yellowbird RS · 02:37 PM

here it is

ERCOOL · 03-01-2005, 01:10 PM

uhhh....... no...comment...

doozer · doozer's Garage

is it smooth like leather or textured like suede?

There is a material like leather that is not affected by water, spills, sun exposure, etc.. Anyone know the brand name of this stuff??

doozer · doozer's Garage

Check this out: http://www.gulffabrics.com/

Yellowbird RS · 03-02-2005, 07:47 AM

It's like leather it just like the Ferrari 360CS material.
cost $60 us. dlls. p/yr.

doozer · doozer's Garage

Is it "pleather" or "ultraleather"

no substitute · 03-02-2005, 07:53 AM

Ultrasuede can be found in fabric stores. Garments are made of it, with fewer maintenance and cleaning problems. It's a fabric of sorts and is easier to sew than real leather.

Yellowbird RS · 03-07-2005, 02:56 PM

ok here it is what I'm using on my dash, door arm rest and headliner.

Is just like the one BMW use on the M3

doozer · doozer's Garage

cool!

Oldporsche · 03-07-2005, 03:12 PM

I was looking at an ultra-suade couch in an upscale furniture store last week. I asked the clerk about the spill, wear, charastics of the material. They said it cleas up very nicely from spills. That its better than the leather.

I have a coverlay on the '75. It was not installed very well. It creaks and makes noises. I would put in a new dash however, I figure this will be the fun car anyway. This Dashtop product may make more sense. So its not stock, well neather are the carbs.

David Duffield