Cracked dash woe

[mole42]

Ever since I took the dash out of my Stag while it was in the bodyshop, I carefully stored it away in a safe place to prevent any damage. Once I got the bodyshell back I started putting parts back on it and one of those parts was the dash. Imagine my dismay when I found that another part of the car had impacted the dash top, just above the instrument panel, and cracked the vinyl. Sods Law in action!

Anyway, since Stag dashes are made of highly refined pure unobtanium, I'm seeking methods to repair the damage. I looked at re-covering with 4-way stretch vinyl which looks a likely candidate but it is all 1.2mm thick which may compromise fitting somewhere along the way. I looked at thin, unbacked vinyl but that looks a little too fragile so right now I'm thinking about repairing the crack with a proprietory vinyl filler/adhesive, then using VinylKote spray from a rattle can to blend it all in. The dash is still out of the car, so I'm happy to use any technique which will get me back in the game!

Any ideas based on previous experience will be very welcome.

[APS]

sorry to hear of your damaged dash.

Have a look at my posts in this thread from October. Hopefully they are of help.
Alan.

https://www.socforum.com/forum/forum/stag-owners-club/soc-forum/844443-minor-spits-in-the-dashboard-vinyl

[SaphireSpud]

I have used Vinylkote on past classic Rover P6 cars, once to recolour Buckskin to Ebony! Very impressed and would recommend it. Good luck and regards, John.

[Philip Wardle]

I went ahead and tried the 4-way stretch vinyl, a local chap put a spare dashboard in an oven with vacuum forming. The fiinished result looks great but we found it difficult (as you might expect) to get the vinyl to fit into the corners where the veneers fit into. I haven't totally given up, but as yet can't see an easy fettling process to resolve this. An interesting trial, but not yet successful.

[jbuckl]

Have txt messaged you Richard.

[ramjam2005]

Suggestion A - What about Hydro dipping ? My son had a Lexus and he had pieces of the centre console / door armrest inserts dipped in a replica carbon fibre effect. Mike brewer even done this to change the colour of alloy wheels (snake skin effect if I recall). Maybe something similar could be done with a leather grain effect but unsure what sort of tensile strength the coating has or resilience to everyday use, sunlight etc on such an exposed surface area as the dash.

Suggestion B - Isn't there a vinyl repair coating kit I've seen on the market ?

Ray

[wilf]

The hydro dipping coating is very thin - really just a water transfer, so would not be able to cover the cracks in a Stag dash top.

[richardthestag]

Check this chappy he did a Land Rover series 3 dash and got a very very good finish using stretch vinyl

https://youtu.be/HzCAwkwzU8w

[mole42]

Check this chappy he did a Land Rover series 3 dash and got a very very good finish using stretch vinyl

That does look good - I'll have to view the YouTube a couple more times but if mine comes out looking that good I'll be happy. Thanks Richard.

[mole42]

I've started the repair using this https://www.repairingproducts.co.uk/...hboard-repair/ which seems to be making a reasonable job so far. I'll post some pictures when I've finished.

[Bakdraft007]

I've started the repair using this https://www.repairingproducts.co.uk/...hboard-repair/ which seems to be making a reasonable job so far. I'll post some pictured when I've finished.

As I have a small crack on my dashboard, any chance you could photo / video as you do the work your work so we can see how you get on? The instructions in the add are a bit vague

Dave

[wilf]

I've started the repair using this https://www.repairingproducts.co.uk/...hboard-repair/ which seems to be making a reasonable job so far. I'll post some pictured when I've finished.

Wow, there are some unusual products on that website, good find.

[tvrgeek]

Ever since I took the dash out of my Stag while it was in the bodyshop, I carefully stored it away in a safe place to prevent any damage. Once I got the bodyshell back I started putting parts back on it and one of those parts was the dash. Imagine my dismay when I found that another part of the car had impacted the dash top, just above the instrument panel, and cracked the vinyl. Sods Law in action!

Anyway, since Stag dashes are made of highly refined pure unobtanium, I'm seeking methods to repair the damage. I looked at re-covering with 4-way stretch vinyl which looks a likely candidate but it is all 1.2mm thick which may compromise fitting somewhere along the way. I looked at thin, unbacked vinyl but that looks a little too fragile so right now I'm thinking about repairing the crack with a proprietory vinyl filler/adhesive, then using VinylKote spray from a rattle can to blend it all in. The dash is still out of the car, so I'm happy to use any technique which will get me back in the game!

Any ideas based on previous experience will be very welcome.

I just installed the leather dash cover. Had to trim the wood a little, but looks great.

[mole42]

Here's the crack that I'm trying to repair, right above the instrument panel.

Cracked!.jpg

[mole42]

Just an update and some photos. I used the South African WondaFix as instructed in the leaflet (the box suggests that the material is black....):

Underside filled.jpg

Then cut it back with a sharp blade, sanded to get some grain into the material:

Stage 2.jpg

Before painting with Halfords Vinyl paint from a rattle can:

2nd stage repair.jpg

Not perfect, but as I want the car back on the road as soon as possible it'll do for now. I can live with this:

Installed.jpg