Dash treatments

[Michael C Henry]

I have an older Everett Morrision car w/ a steel dash .It was painted a rough flat black.It is now rusting around everything. I have intentions on haveing a glove box installed.The glove box door is allready covered in black vinyl.I have a black vinyl cover for the dash from the same supplier.I had my scatter sheild powder coated it looks great but most glues don't stick.My plan is sand blast bare dash and paint ..Any other thoughts?
Has anyone used the bezels that tip the 2 1/16" gauges towards the driver?

[Mr.Fixit]

The vinyl or leather will wear just fine on your dash. sandblast then paint, it will last several seasons after you cover it.

[PSB]

I would think the glue would stick to powder coating if you roughed up the powder coating a bit with some sandpaper. It would last longer than paint.

Pete

[Roscoe]

I happened to have a tanned Elk skin from a Wyoming hunting trip. I dyed it black and applied it to the dash, door panels and pockets. I used 1/8" closed cell foam to pad the dash. Got it from a local auto upholstery shop.



Roscoe

[A Cobra guy]

I did my E-M dash in wood veneer. Being an old British sports car guy that was my preferance. It realy wasn't that hard to do. The E-M dash is well suited for covering with thin wood. I found a veneer distributor who had some walnut that was so thin it has paper on the back to add strenth. Contact cement holds in in place. Stain and urithane gave it a great finish. I too have a glove box that presented some minor challanges but it came out fine. If you're interested check out the interior picture in members rides for "A cobra guy" (Do a search for key word "Dashboard" to get right to the picture.)

[Michael C Henry]

I'm still open for advise. The dash is out I'm cutting a hole for glovebox.I plan on sandblasting down to bare metal.Want a coating or proces that will last and let the glue for vinyl cover stick.
While asking .What about glove box? I have a molded fiberglass box from EM.It has a flange around it I presume it mates with back of dash pannel.Door came pre covered.Metal pannel covered with black vinyl and a layer of padded vinyl and beading that extends beyond the edges of the metal door pannel,to cover up edges of hole. The hinge looks like it is intended to be clamped between the back of the dash and glovebox flange but is larger than hole in dash so it would have to be slipped inplace through the hole from the front then the glovebox fastened to dash from behind.
I know nothing is forever and I'm a heavey junk mechanic so I bolt and screw everything together I can.The dash is to be covered with padded black vinyl.I don't picture screws showing.I plan on installing a master switch by building a thick washer w/1 1/8" hole center and two threadede 1/4" holes .Bolting through dash into washer locktiteing in place, no visable screws and covering dash and sliding switch through from behind and nutting the two 1/4".The switch can be replaced if necessary and no visable swrews.
I propose the same treatment for glovebox .Bend a piece of 1/8" alluminum strap to follow the flange of glovebox,threading and bolting through dash .Then after the dash is covered I could set the cover inplace from outside and then slide glovebox on screws from behind and nut it place.That way everything is accessable and no screws should be visable through padded vinyl.Am I on the right track or is there a nother way that is much simpler that I've never considered?

[A Cobra guy]

That sounds good to me. My E-M dash came ready for the glove box. As I recall it had several studs around the glove box hole. The Box was put in place from the back, then washers and nuts went on the studs. You are right about the hinge. It is basicly pinched between the back of the dash and the glove box.

[cobrajeff]

If you want the vinyl to stick, I don't recommend powdercoating the dash. I powdercoated my front top bows - the result was that the adhesive for attaching the top material would not stick. I went out and bought a stronger adhesive - still wouldn't stick. I ended up grinding the powdercaoting off to bare metal to get the adhesive to stick.

I would bead-blast it and spray it with a "self-etching" (like Mar-Hyde) satin or flat-black paint. The self-etching paint should adhere well to the metal, and the adhesive should adhere well to the satin paint.

regards,

Jeff Burgy

[ccoe]

You might consider a rust reformer type coating, if rust has been a problem in the past. The coating turns any previously rusted areas black, and turns the rust and bare metal into a paintable surface. Cheap insurance under the primer or paint you use as a base for laying up vinyl. Here's a pic of mine!

[Roscoe]

It's known as a rust encapsulator and is available from
http://www.eastwoodcompany.com

Roscoe

[Michael C Henry]

I have "EXTEND" a rust converter encapselater I'll use that.That light collored car in Hawaii is gorgious Shouldn't let my wife see it.

[ccoe]

Thanks Michael, it's a little different...Fiberglass XKE tilt front end has been fitted to it, and the builder did a fine job. Makes working on it quite easy....and as they say, "everything "is for sale, in case you're wife needs one.........