What is the best dash cap out there?

[cnielsen]

OK, with the escalating cost of restoring multiple 911's I am (gulp), considering using a dash cap rather than installing a nice factory dash. I have a couple of extra dashes but they all have the typical cracks.

I saw one nice dash cap at the local historic races but the owner was a pompus @$$hole and had no interest in talking to a spectator. I think he thought he raced in F-1 instead of vintage...

Anyway, are there particular brands that anybody is very pleased with? Where did you get it and how much did you pay for it...any pics would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Chris

[Deschodt]

If you search this forum, I think you'll find a thread on the DashTop cap.. I've got one and it's OK, as much as a toupee can be, but pretty good. Forgot where I got it though, so search for the thread !

[Crachian]

I had an extra black ultrasuede (not Alcantara brand, but very nice) cover made recently. It's got a thin foam backing to hide any cracks and french stitches (in black) across the seams at the nacelle and outer ends. I haven't installed one yet, but I did a test fit and think it will turn out pretty good, especially if the door top trim is covered in the same fabric.

To me the plastic caps never look right, and then they warp.

Let me know if you're interested and I'll take some pictures.

[Deschodt]

Actually I am interested ! The thread I mentioned has HArlequin do the same thing, so if you found a source for such a cover, please show and tell !!

[ianc]

Yeah, I'm interested in seeing the alternatives too. My dash has some bad crackage in it. Funny, it never bothered me until everyone that has seen it immediately began beating me up about it. Now it's kinda bugging me, but not in a bad enough way to shell for a new factory dash, pull the windshield, etc. I did see Darryl's thread already. Thanks for any pics,

ianc

[zymurgist]

Are there new factory dashes? I thought they were NLA.

[Seeeu911]

another option is to use crack filler and re dye the dash pad. I am hopeing someone here has done that and can give advice.

[ianc]

another option is to use crack filler

I thought about this, but I don't think this type of thing would work very well. The crack kind of swells at the edges and the contour would be wrong... Very difficult to get it correct, and the soft nature of the dash means it would probably separate from the filler too...

ianc

[hifeverz]

Ref: Dash Repairs for the DIY'ers

1)I've used dash crack fillers with heating irons. These virtually melted/bonded the putty consistency of the plasticized new material to the existing dash. Use of a grained matting between the heating iron and the repair area resulted in a close surface match. This works well with small cuts, gouges and cracks. Large cracks are virtually impossible to repair this way. On small openings, You need to trim the high open edges of the crack with a razor before repair. This gives a smoother natural look of the bonding material. I think my repair lasted about 5 years before I sold the car. On another car, the repair began peeling at the edges and had to re-do part of it again. On a black dash it hardly shows (assisted with Armorall or similar to hide the repair area).

2)Dash Cap: On a '74 911, I installed a black molded cap. It looked good for the price. It's only when someone touches it that the realization of a hard plastic cap is covering ugliness. Under the heat of the sun (California) it never warped. I cleaned, roughened the existing dash prior to gluing the cap. I made sure I used enough glue, at all edges and used rolled towels and duct tape to secure it in place while curing.
My car was a daily driver and no one ever ranked my dash looks of a cap.

If it's concourse u desire pay the $$ for a new factory dash and the install costs.

Good Luck to All,
Hz.

[Crachian]

Here's my crack-repaired dash before. It had the usual huge split in the middle and another split on the far left side of the instrument nacelle.

I used 3M flexible, adhesive epoxy that is designed for repairing plastic bumpers. A razor blade worked well for putting it on, and after it cures it is sandable. So I lightly sanded the entire dash to mute the grain because I didn't even try to emboss the repair.


Then I painted it flat black with vinyl additive.







and finally back in the car:



Don't know how long it will last.

[911sTarga]

Wow....that looks really nice. Good job!

[Seeeu911]

hifeverz, my cracks are small only really visible from the outside, where did you get the heating irons ?

Crachian yea ! that looks sweet. great job. thanks for the pictures
http://www.leatherique.com/ sells a leather crack filler too. i am thinking this will work for me as I re dye the front seats.

[Paulporsche]

Nice repair. How long ago did you do it? Let us know how it holds up.

[sushinav]

I've used 2 different kinds of the hard plastic dash caps. Coverlay and I think the other was Paughco. The Paughco I think I got from GPR Parts, it was a thicker plastic than the coverlay, and better made. I did not glue mine on, just left it loose. And after a bit of trimming and fitting, I was happy with the look. Both did reduce the knuckle to dash clearance a bit right above the instruments. Much cheaper than a new dash.

[sammyg2]

When I first got my SC it had a tan dash cap the PO had bought from tweeks (now called mid America).
It was hideous. Fit was terrible, color was wrong, the first thing i did to the car was to find a good used brown dash and install it. can you say worth it's weight in gold? Not cheeep but best thing i could do to make the car look good.
A black cap would have looked better but the fit would have still sucked.

[Sunroof]

When I had my 85.5 944 the dash was cracked in several places and the replacement cost would have been as much as the value of the car!
I purchased a plastic and very flexible coverlay that really looked quite good. I avoided gluing, and had to live with a few minor flared edges, but overall it was much better to look at then the original that was beat.

The cost of a new dash and labor to replace it is a small fortune. If your not too handy with removing, patching and painting I think any of the plastic type coverlays would do very well.

I have a fairly new dash on my 1973.5T and I am considering placing an "unglued" coverlay over it to just preserve the new one! Crazy heh?

Bob

[ianc]

I am considering placing an "unglued" coverlay over it to just preserve the new one! Crazy heh?

Not in the slightest. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...

ianc

[hifeverz]

Sunroof "BOB":

Don't cover your good dash!

A true story . . . . My Dad bought a car brand new and immediately placed seat covers on the NEW seats (ugly looking ones they were . . . !). We kept that car for a long, long time. It was time to sell it and we removed the covers and saw how nice and new looking the seats were. All the years the family was forced to look at the ugly seat covers. The new owner got to enjoy the fresh looking factory seats upon the sale.
My lesson from my Dad was to enjoy the looks (of the newness . . . ) while it lasts, and when it gets sad- looking, . . . . cover it up, for yourself or the new buyer. Don't cover and savor it( your good looking dash) for someone else to enjoy.

IMO!!!

Hz

[randywebb]

You might try taking the entire dash out and recovering it in leather.

Leather won't last a real long time (even in places with little sun, like Seattle - search John Walker's posts for this) but if it can be done fairly cheaply it would be real nice for some years.

[Crachian]

Sorry it took me so long to get these pictures up, but here they are. You'll have to use your imagination a bit because I only had a few binder clips to stretch it over the dash. Glue and a steamer when finished to smooth it all out would be the way to go, I think, and the thin foam will hide the worst of dashes.
Your dash will have to come out to do it right.




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