I'm finally starting to get serious about fixing up my TII. One of the major items that is damaged is the dashboard - there is bubbling on the instrument cluster hood (see attached pictures).

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Is it repairable? I would assume recovering in new vinyl or even leather could be a possibility, but much more time consuming and possibly not worth it. Or is my best bet to find a replacement dashboard?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

I have repaired that before, but what it entails is removing the dash board, sanding off the bubbles, refilling and retexturing and repainting the sanded area.

Most vinyl repair shops should be able to do it too.

However... Unless you can remove the moisture from the car, and dash board, they will return.

Might not be as bad, but some will come back that were either there before and you didn't get, or from new moisture getting into the dash pad (they are caused by moisture seeping into the dash pad (usually from a water leak near the pedals) that when the sun hits, boils the water that has worked its way into the dash pad foam) or from crappy dash sealants that do not let the vinyl breath at all.

 

dam acne! i had that when i was a teenager
try this



haha im just playing..
Fix it yourself, heres some inspiration
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...ht=dash+repair

Whatever you do, I suggest rocking a sunshade when you park for a long time period, The few seconds it takes to put up , can help in a long run.

 

Yeah, I've used a sunshade since I've owned the car. The bubbling was there when I bought it.

 

After a while of researshing this topic, I came across this old thread and i wanted to ask if anybody has repaired one succesfully? and what are the steps?
Thanks in advance

 

why not use a cover from mazdatrix?

 

I just don't like to cut corners on a restoration . Thanks for the help though.

 

well i was just seeing as to why one would want to use that as a replacement... for instance; Icemark said some sanding and what not.... and instead of refinishing, retexturing and all (all due respect to ICEMARK)... just glue on the cover?

I also agree with ICEMARK though, have it professionally finished if you are not goood with your hands *(thats what she said)*

BTW- dont you love your 88 vert? I DO!!! So sexy.

 

Wow, this is old. In the end, I decided to not bother with repair and sourced a used dashboard in excellent shape. The car is currently is pieces awaiting a lot of body work, paint and then reassembly.

 

Since it's back...
I repaired this on a dash I swapped in a few weeks ago, sanded it down, used SEM texture coat and some of their satin finish vinyl dye. Looks good. My bubbles were only on the driver side hood, so I carefully masked it so that you can't tell the difference in color between the new paint/dye and the rest of the lightly faded dash.

 

Do you have a link? I couldn't find it on their site (I could only find the FB one).

 

yeah I too love the vert,I've had it for like 13years and hoping to keep it running for many more.Anyway thanks again for the advice Bro

Sounds fun. Any pics of the progess? good luck with the project.


[QUOTE=sharingan 19;10190523]Since it's back...
I repaired this on a dash I swapped in a few weeks ago, sanded it down, used SEM texture coat and some of their satin finish vinyl dye. Looks good. My bubbles were only on the driver side hood, so I carefully masked it so that you can't tell the difference in color between the new paint/dye and the rest of the lightly faded dash.[/QUOTE

Awesome I'll give it a try and see what happens!

thanks again

 

Mines starting to do this alittle bit.

 

mine actually leaks clear liquids...

 

Haha! And my car still isn't done...

 

Mine did/does this too.

Here is the weird part.. my dash was perfect and I pulled the dash a couple years ago when I started my V8 swap.

The car and dash have been in my garage for the entire time and the bumps on my dash developed after the dash was out of the car, sitting in my garage. I live in So Cal so the temps are not extreme out there.

 

most likely solvents from the adhesive

The yellow FC I painted had the bubbling dash, if you pushed on the bubbles they would secrete liquid

 

which i'm sure isn't toxic at all

 

i wouldn't bother refurbishing the dash if it is that bad and the dash mat is probably the best option for a dash that sits in the sun for extended periods of time, or swap it with a good dash.

thing you have to consider is that if the OE mat has been baked that bad it isn't long before it starts to peel up from under the instrument cluster which is virtually irreparable(you could glue it back down but that's not going to last long).

 

I have the same problem with my 90 vert. I briefly looked at the video posted above for inspiration. However, I could not tell if his dash had grain lines like ours do. however I once saw an episode of Wheeler Dealers where they cut off the bubbles and applied some sort of product and essentially he recreated the grain pattern. I don't remember what car they worked on it so I can't remember the episode I've been trying to figure that out or at least find that product he was using.I do think something has to be done with the underlayer of the vinyl dash. or the breakdown of the glue will continue.