Dash Cover or Replace

[toddbowie]

Just got my 86 944 painted and it's gorgeous. However, now the cracked dash stands out and looks worse than it did. I have never used a dash cover before so not sure how it will look. I know to make things prefect I should replace the dash but won't have the $$ or the time for a while. I figure I can replace it later but for now am thinking of putting a cover on it. Anyone have any tips on who might be the best supplier to get one? Also, any tips on installing one would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd

[Pauld_94S2]

You can get a cloth (not carpet) dash cover; they run about $35-40 for the 944 and they will cover everything pretty well. They are held on with Velcro, no gluing required.

Mandatory on my cars, even when new and no cracks.

[MDH]

Check this out...may be good alternative
1986 Porsche 944 Molded Dash Pad Cover at 1A Auto.com
I stumbled on this and am thinking about one for my car.
(I have no affiliation with this product)

[gibby]

I've been waiting to deal with the dash on my '86 944. The PO had a velour dash cover that, when I bought the car, was half destroyed. IMO dash covers are like seat covers: they are a cheap but also aren't that durable. You can search the forums here to find people who recovered their dashes with uncut vinyl with s ok me success, or you could buy a vinyl 'dash skin' that is precut. (http://www.andysautosport.com/products/coverlay__20-944-DBR.html)
I have seen pics of the lattet and they look pretty good even though they are prob thicker than the do-it-yourself vinyl solution. My interior is brown so I will prob do the dash skin so I get the right color.

[djnolan]

The dash covers don't look all that great. You can still see the cracks around the edges of the cloth ones, and the vinyl dash covers get dirt under the edges and don't look that great either.

You can get a restored dash for a little more and it is worth it if you have gone to that much trouble on the rest of the car.

[VOTS89]

You can always try to recover the dash by yourself. I recovered mine for about $200 if I remember correctly. It wasn't that hard to do and exceeded my expectations.

[toddbowie]

That looks great. Which one did you use and how long did it take?

[VOTS89]

Sorry I wasn't more clear. I removed the dash, bought the vinyl material and adhesive and then recovered the dash myself. Most of the cost was for the metal finisher for the vents in the top, I think that was $150 by itself.

Bruce

[toddbowie]

That is a consideration if I decide to pull the dash. Thanks.

[pfarah]

I wish someone here would take on the job with refurbishing these dashes without costing $1,000.00 plus. While realizing the time it takes to complete a job, I also understand that about 35-40 percent of 944 are still "out there". There's got to be a market for both early & late dashes as I'm sure the vast majority of them are significantly cracked.

I'd pay a fair price today for a rebuild... Anyone??

[flash968]

New Porsche 944 Dash Covers

[Tony-K]

Patrick - If it looked just like the original (down to the defogger vents, etc.), and were under $1K, and I knew it wasn't going to come apart or warp in the sun, I would definitely buy. I wouldn't pay a penny for something that is only going to last a few years, though.

[djnolan]

I have seen recovered dashes advertised for around $3-400 but I can't find the website now.

[v2rocket_aka944]

I have the plastic dash cover and have had one since 2005.
It looks a lot better than the cracked dashboard underneath and you forget its there.

[ckelly78z]

Luckily, my 944 dash is in good shape. I used to have alot of different Datsun Z cars that had the molded dash caps and in all honesty, you had a hard time telling it wasn't the factory dash.....no seams, or gaps....they looked very nice.

It would be pretty expensive, and extremely time consuming to change out the whole dash.

[pfarah]

Flash: They only carry dash covers and don't offer recover service.

Tony: I'm with you on this. Even using a windshield reflector (all the time), my dash is slowly getting worse.

Ckelly: Having the dash apart numerous times in the past, I bet I could have the dash out in one quiet afternoon and actually remember where all the parts go (Ok, almost all...).

[v2rocket_aka944]

early 944 dash comes out in about 30 minutes

[toddbowie]

I'm leaning towards a molded dash cover for the time being. I really didn't want to pull the dash right now and I figure it will buy me some time.

[Jordanarendt]

My wife got me a molded cover installed. Dash Cover (Classic 9 Leather)

Still standing up well.

[Arthropraxis]

I recovered my dash. The dash in a late model comes out in about an hour by myself and took a few hours to strip and recover the dash. I got the vinyl from Robert Bud, I think was his name. The new vinyl has held up well in the southeast summer heat and direct sunlight for the last several years as it is my daily driver.