6 replies to this topic

[Bigalholden]

Hi All
I removed my top dash rail to recover it with nice double stitched leather. Metal dash rail part is fine. A few bits of very light rust easily dealt with. I removed the outer vinyl from the pad as carefully as I could. It took hours of gentle prizing and heating. Sadly that did not work. I’ve got an area round the ashtray hole which is now missing. I’ve also got bits along the front edge where there bits of partly missing foam. I searched the Internet for how to repair this foam, found a model site where they used gorilla glue and sanded it (DONT DO IT, it’s terrible and full of tiny holes). Can anyone tell me if there is anywhere I can buy just the foam padding piece to cover please. I’ve hunted eBay and can find second hand knackered dash pads to re cover but getting the vinyl off is just going to ruin the foam again. Really stuck now.

[colinf1]

I would forget about trying to repair the foam, it would be almost impossible to get it right and any indentations could be exaggerated when recovered.

 

Your best bet is picking up a good dash rail and applying the leather on top of the vinyl.

[Bigalholden]

Thanks Colin
I was pretty much thinking that this morning. I really didn’t want to have the vinyl part still attached and cover over it as it would add bulk. The old vinyl was in a pretty poor state too. Unless there’s some wizard out there who knows how to recover the metal rail with new foam, I’ll be ripping it off and starting again.
Today, I’m wishing I hadn’t bought super strong contact adhesive to glue the foam to the rail with before attempting to repair it!!! Ha ha.

[Bigalholden]

Thanks Colin
I was pretty much thinking that this morning. I really didn’t want to have the vinyl part still attached and cover over it as it would add bulk. The old vinyl was in a pretty poor state too. Unless there’s some wizard out there who knows how to recover the metal rail with new foam, I’ll be ripping it off and starting again.
Today, I’m wishing I hadn’t bought super strong contact adhesive to glue the foam to the rail with before attempting to repair it!!! Ha ha.

[Chris1275gt]

I repaired the small holes in the foam on mine by using a bit of polyfilla all looks fine and you wouldn't know.

if i had to do it again i would use some of that expanding foam gap filler sparingly, when it hardens cut most of the excess with a hacksaw blade and sand it down to the contours of the existing foam with 80 grit. it would be a bit messy and dusty but you should be able to get it looking perfect.

[Itsaminithing]

If only someone close to you was willing to donate a dash rail to help you out.

....sort of like the one (that i'm not going to use now) that's been sitting in my shed for yonks.

Not in as good a condition as it was when i put it there, but yours if you want to play with it.

 

[Alice Dooper]

I used a leather cover but stuck it straight onto the dash pad. There was only minor damage on the vinyl / foam and I got away with it nicely..  looks great.  Ended up buying a matching one for the lower dash rail too.

 

You’ll never repair the foam recently.  

 

Couple of solutions -

    strip back to metal and apply your leather straight on it.  Won’t have a nice feel to it and might reduce the size of the assembly too much for it         to sit nicely over the dash.

    Strip the foam / vinyl and then either recover the metal of line the leather with new foam.  There’s plenty of decent choice out there, just make sure the new foam doesn’t retain water.  I’ve never redone a dash pad, I have made up plenty of foam lined A post trims and a few other bits.  Works well.