Dash and Console Care

Repair
If your dash has gone beyond the point of no return, you're in trouble. One of the most common dash flaws is a tear or gouge in the surface. Unfortunately, there's really no perfect fix. Some may simply cover it with a fitted cloth pad, available at auto parts stores. Or you may be able to find a replacement part at a salvage yard.


Another imperfect solution involves cutting away the surface material from the crack, then filling the indent with automotive body-filler putty. The area is sanded and then a vinyl sheet that matches the dash surface is glued over the putty.


The long-term problem with this method is that with exposure to heat and cold, the body-filler moves under the dash skin. Lumps form and eventually rear their ugly little heads through the surface material. If you're not a perfectionist, this fix may fill the bill. But if your vehicle is a classic, or well on its way to becoming a classic, professional restoration is the only long-term, permanent cure for an unsightly dash.

Restore
The technology for serious dashboard repair has been developed for classic car restorations. Understanding how it works requires a bit of background info. Dashboards are filled with a low-density foam. Over time, especially if the vinyl surfaces haven't been well maintained, this foam basically disintegrates and crumbles. Dashes also warp and shrink over time.


So professional restorers must remove the aged foam and replace it with a more sophisticated, lightweight product. This material is then handcrafted to the contours of the original dashboard. To counter the warping and shrinkage and to avoid gaps between the dash and vehicle body once the dash has been re-installed, restorers have the equipment and vehicle specifications to re-align the dash back to its intended shape and size.