cracking up,how I repaired my dash cracks

[Backyardbodyman]

i'm just going to get these pics on here off an old computer on reply later with some details. cheers










i have more pics of dash finished on my phone that i will post later. hope these are helpfull

[Rasta Monsta]

Hmm, shouldn't you have used VDO boxes?

[Backyardbodyman]

I started with a dark primer cause I was gonna paint black. Changed my mind and went with a bright met silver

[Backyardbodyman]

Wow,I forgot how bad my dash looked. My car came with a dash cover. It was coming apart and it looked like crap. Finding a used dash in good shape was rare and expensive. I've repaired cracked dash pads before and was happy with the results. All you need is a compressor and spray gun. For the primer a gun with a 2 or 2.2 mil fluid tip will work best.
:first thing I did was shamfer and open up all the cracks with a razor to remove raised areas around cracks. Open up cracks into a V shape about 1/4" deep and 1/4" or 3/8" wide
:I used wax silicone remover to clean,put a little on a rag and use a clean rag to wipe off before it dries,if you don't have any,soap and water will work
:I mixed some short strand fiberglass filler and packed it into all the cracks,this was done several times to build up areas,I used tape under back side of defrost vents and filled them in,if you plan on keeping the vents functional you can leave them open
:I layed a scim of filler on the entire surface of dash
:for the gauge cluster I used sheet metal and welded studs on back side to line up with bracing on dash,like this I can adjust it straight and secure it solid
:I cleaned up the sides around cluster with a razor and filled it in with filler
:now a nice block sand on surface and sand underside aruond cluster,120 grit and finish up with 180 grit paper
:if you're satisfied and dash looks and feels straight you can clean and prime
:using a shop vac or blow gun remove any dust and use a prep cleaner or sticky tach cloth and mask off areas you don't want overspray on
:I sprayed 2-3 coats of polyester primer and let it dry for a couple of days,as the primer hardens it will shrink a little,leave it out in the sun for a few hours
:I spray a mist of guide coat,this will highlight any low spots,craters and pinholes
:block sand with 180 or 220,there will be some low spots and craters visable now
:clean and scim some finishing putty or glazing putty over any imperfections
:spray another 2-3 coats of polyester primer,I like using it cause it fills and levels really nice and has minimal shrinkage
:guide coat and block sand with 280 or 320,if there are any minor imperfections visable we can hide with another 2-3 coats of primer,because it's a dash pad the filler and primer are going to shrink and soak in more than usually
:when satisfied and dash looks and feels straight,finish with a fine grit,400-600 or a fine scuff pad
:clean and paint

[sausagehacker]

Holy crap that looks good

[jhowell371]

Sweet