Recovering Dashboard Using Epoxy Gel Adhesive

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Discseven

A fellow forumer in this thread mentioned that vinyl will only last 2 years and then cracks. While that may be, I suggest any material's life span being variable depending on how much or little care is given it.

That comment was for dashes that are repaired but NOT re-covered, simply painted.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

Hot Damn! Love it!

I have leather waiting but may have to re-think to vinyl, hmmmm??? Leather is same material as the seats I redid last year. hmmmmm????

Draco,

I've not heard good things about leather on dashboards. Supposedly the expansion and contraction is an issue. But then I'm not sure how the leather in those cases was applied. Perhaps it was only attached in limited areas and left to float otherwise.

In the case of my dash, the vinyl skin is fully attached with one exception --- just the lip of the console floats. Because it is tightly pulled under, I don't think expansion will be a problem here.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

That comment was for dashes that are repaired but NOT re-covered, simply painted.

No offense was meant 1990C4S. If the text bothers you, you can be sure I'll gladly edit it out. PM me on this.

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by DaveMcKenz

There are other epoxies at hardware stores that are not "5 minute" type. That would give you a little more time for final adjustments.
Nice job.
Dave

You can also toss the material in clothes drier for a few minutes. I've done this we recovering motor cycle seats that have many compound curves in sort distances
Project looks good.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Discseven

No offense was meant 1990C4S. If the text bothers you, you can be sure I'll gladly edit it out. PM me on this.

No problem, I just want to be clear:

Fill and re-cover it should last a long time.

Patch and paint is only a temporary fix.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by Dueller

You can also toss the material in clothes drier for a few minutes. I've done this we recovering motor cycle seats that have many compound curves in sort distances
Project looks good.

Jim,

Tossing in dryer requires first move be a compound curve. In the case of our 911 dashboards... the compounds are well down the line from 1st move. Still... compliments for the add.

[Discseven]

Boyt911SC / Tony asked me to share the sequence for attaching the vinyl. Those drawings were in this location but have been updated and reposted below.

[boyt911sc]

Karl,

These illustrations are perfect and super helpful. After reading and following your procedures, I had the impression that you did the 1-2-3-4 back (flat) areas before doing the curved (domed) area by the driver side. So you did area #1 (back to front), then area #2 (back to front)......etc. PM sent. Thanks.

Tony

[Discseven]

Attachment sequence.

Entire skin is attached to the board with two exceptions: 1) The waterfall of vinyl along the entire front edge of the top deck including vent areas. And 2) the lip section of the console (shown in orange below.) Rather than epoxy the console's lip, the vinyl in the lip area is stretch-wrapped around the lip and glued underneath in stages 27-32. This is done to avoid possible issues in this area --- the curves around the lip make a smooth & even application of epoxy difficult.








Below are a few reference images to the areas above...


Stage 1




Stage 8




Stage 11




Stage 15. There is another push back of the vinyl in this area which has yet to be made as stage 16.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by boyt911sc

Karl,

These illustrations are perfect and super helpful. After reading and following your procedures, I had the impression that you did the 1-2-3-4 back (flat) areas before doing the curved (domed) area by the driver side. So you did area #1 (back to front), then area #2 (back to front)......etc. PM sent. Thanks.

Tony

Yes on "back-to-front" Tony. In other words, entire surface area within a dotted blue box has epoxy applied to it, curves and all. Once working area is covered evenly & smoothly with a skim of epoxy, and I'm sure the wet epoxy edge that butts a cured edge has no "mound" of epoxy, then...
1. masking tape is removed and the vinyl is laid over working area
2. on top deck, crevice is pushed in with tubing
3. vinyl surface is lightly rubbed to force epoxy gel slightly into backing
4. on top deck, tube is held in crevice (11 minutes from when a batch of 5-minute epoxy is mixed.)

[baloo]

Discseven,
THANKS FOR THE WORK DESCRIBING YOUR PROGRESS!

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by baloo

Discseven,
THANKS FOR THE WORK DESCRIBING YOUR PROGRESS!

My pleasure. The fact is, I've learned so much from this forum... whenever I have an opportunity to share & give back, I do. (Great "Oil Rig" in your garage Baloo... that's a piece of history!)

[Discseven]

Dashboard surface temp... Miami... after 30 minutes parked in direct sunlight:

[Ferrino]

Karl - how is that vinyl holding up after some Florida heat cycles? Which specific vinyl product did you use? I am getting a sample of Allsport's "4-way stretch" product, which is $28/yd:

AllSport 4-WAY Stretch Vinyl

[puddy]

Great write up! Does anyone know if this process would be compatible with Alcantara?

[jimbeaux911]

I have always wanted to use vacuum bags to help hold the material onto the surface while the adhesive dried. This way the atmosphere is pushing uniformly on the entire surface. I havent looked, but I think there are 'spacebags' large enough that this might be an option. Has anyone tried it?

I know this is how they make strong glue joints for wood. It provides much more pressure than a clamp, and more evenly.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by Ferrino

Karl - how is that vinyl holding up after some Florida heat cycles? Which specific vinyl product did you use? I am getting a sample of Allsport's "4-way stretch" product, which is $28/yd:

AllSport 4-WAY Stretch Vinyl

Ferri... Vinyl has held up without change since installation. Once in a while it gets some ArmorAll but would consider this "minimal maintenance." Is automotive-grade vinyl, 4 way stretchy, black textured surface (matches Porsche text quite well) with a woven material backing.

If using Gel Epoxy, suggest woven material backing very important as this woven backing is what gel sinks into. I'd not advise using a NON-backed vinyl as ANY imperfection will be transmitted to the visible surface. With a woven backing, the gel grabs the backing leaving the vinyl to "float." (Gel applied to dashboard is no more than a "skim coat." Too much gel and the vinyl turns into a water bed! Much testing was done to get this procedure correct.)

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by puddy

Great write up! Does anyone know if this process would be compatible with Alcantara?

Chris... Alcantara is very nice. One would have to be very precise in using gel epoxy to adhere this material to anything.

One drop of gel on the fingers and then contact to the face side of Alcantara and I believe it's game over.

I think it could be done.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by jimbeaux911

I have always wanted to use vacuum bags to help hold the material onto the surface while the adhesive dried. This way the atmosphere is pushing uniformly on the entire surface. I havent looked, but I think there are 'spacebags' large enough that this might be an option. Has anyone tried it?

I know this is how they make strong glue joints for wood. It provides much more pressure than a clamp, and more evenly.

Jim... bagging is an interesting idea that was tried. The problem is, a vacuum draws the vinyl TOO TIGHT to the dash's surface. This ultimately transmits any imperfections to the vinyl's surface. (If dash, application of adhesive, and vinyl are perfect... bagging has potential.)

The idea with gel is to "float" the vinyl by applying only very light pressure to the vinyl's surface once an area is glued. Technically the goal is for the woven backing to connect with the gel... not the vinyl. This "float" of the vinyl allows some tolerance for imperfections.

[Discseven]

Pardon for the very late replies guys. Been submerged in a 930 restoration and am guilty of working with my tunnel vision on full tilt.