Dash Pad-Replace or Restore?

[Tom Reppart]

Joe, et al,
I need your advice once again. I'm restoring a '67 coupe. My right side dash pad is cracked, and I'm not sure what the best way is to fix it. I've thought about replacing both pads, but I've heard the new reproductions are a little thicker and therefore look different. Is there a place that makes good, accurate reproductions?

There's a place advertised in Corvette Fever magazine called Just Dashes...they'll rebuild both of my pads for $500...which is about the cost of two new pads. Has anyone heard of them, or better yet, dealt with them? They won't restore just the cracked right side pad because they say the left one will probably crack soon since the right one did recently.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated,
Thanks again,
Tom

[Jack H.]

Re: Dash Pad-Replace or Restore?

Guess I agree with their assessment (if one side cracked--the other can't be far behind) and much of this deals with using 'modern' vinyl restoration chemicals that accelerate the outgassing of native plasticers in the material + years of sun bake on the 'eyebrow' pads.

Is there a source for absolutely/positively 'correct' restoration materials, my guess is no. We simply don't make plastic like we used to (we make it BETTER and the subtle differences ARE typically detectable). The $500 to send out may seem reasonable, but somebody has to undo the dash pad to door jamb rivets, replace the installation later AND spray the dash-door jamb color blend.

This is a non-trivial labor exercise that has to be absorbed somewhere in the cost equation. I guess where I'm leading is absent walking a swap meet and finding orignal eyebrows to install, sounds to me like you're stuck with the dilema of a typical restoration project--tradeoff between originality and condition points....

At some point in time, everyone who's been there has to bite the bullet and 'fess up' to what the game is--restoration vs. Bowtie/Survivor. Once, that's behind you, buy the best and do the best you can. The car was really new/original only once!

The other alternative that few acutally examine is REPAIRING a deteriorated orignal this/that. How many original carpets with their dated JP Stevens labels are ripped out/thrown away simply because they're sun faded? Was it possible to re-dye the fabric? Most will never know because they looked for a REPLACEMENT solution vs. a repair solution....

You'd be surprised what a GOOD vinyl repair man can do for original material without the cost of R&R labor. But, few let their fingers walk the Yellow Pages to investigate the possibilities. I'll tell you there are some fabric craftsmen out there who can pull rabbits out of their hats given the opportunity!

[Jack H.]

Re: Dash Pad-Replace or Restore?

Guess I agree with their assessment (if one side cracked--the other can't be far behind) and much of this deals with using 'modern' vinyl restoration chemicals that accelerate the outgassing of native plasticers in the material + years of sun bake on the 'eyebrow' pads.

Is there a source for absolutely/positively 'correct' restoration materials, my guess is no. We simply don't make plastic like we used to (we make it BETTER and the subtle differences ARE typically detectable). The $500 to send out may seem reasonable, but somebody has to undo the dash pad to door jamb rivets, replace the installation later AND spray the dash-door jamb color blend.

This is a non-trivial labor exercise that has to be absorbed somewhere in the cost equation. I guess where I'm leading is absent walking a swap meet and finding orignal eyebrows to install, sounds to me like you're stuck with the dilema of a typical restoration project--tradeoff between originality and condition points....

At some point in time, everyone who's been there has to bite the bullet and 'fess up' to what the game is--restoration vs. Bowtie/Survivor. Once, that's behind you, buy the best and do the best you can. The car was really new/original only once!

The other alternative that few acutally examine is REPAIRING a deteriorated orignal this/that. How many original carpets with their dated JP Stevens labels are ripped out/thrown away simply because they're sun faded? Was it possible to re-dye the fabric? Most will never know because they looked for a REPLACEMENT solution vs. a repair solution....

You'd be surprised what a GOOD vinyl repair man can do for original material without the cost of R&R labor. But, few let their fingers walk the Yellow Pages to investigate the possibilities. I'll tell you there are some fabric craftsmen out there who can pull rabbits out of their hats given the opportunity!

[Grant M.]

Re: Dash Pad-Replace or Restore?

Tom,

I agree with Jack on the vinyl repair option. I had cracks in my (right) side pad repaired over 13 years ago by a franchise operating (I believe) as 'Doctor Vinyl' or the 'Vinyl Doctor'. The serviceman came to my house and in fact, performed the repair on my driveway (I had removed the pad, intending to replace it with a repro item that I had purchased from John's Corvette Care.

The cost?...only $60.00 (Canadian) and that included re-dyeing the pad (black).The repair has held up perfectly for all these years (my car is a driver, so it hasn't been 'babied'. As for the comments re: the other side will crack sooner or later, I disagree. The driver's side on a mid-year does not have the 'passenger assist handle' cut-out, which, I suspect if used when getting in and out of the car, probably puts extra stress on the right dash pad vinyl. My (original) driver's side pad is still in perfect physical condition (but it could use a dye job).

As for replacement pads, the best ones I've seen were Al Knoch's. They seemed to be of correct thickness and grain compared to others (like the ones I bought from John's Corvette Care...still have them in the box, 13 years later).

P.S. Funny thing about the vinyl repairman's dyeing apparatus. He used a small, glass bottle spray reservoir, with a fine spray nozzle/syphon-tube cap. What I found most interesting was the air source: he simply blew into the air supply tube, carefully modulating pressure (and therefore spray volume and pattern). I know there'd be some introduction of 'moisture' likely, but the results spoke for themselves, and I think it was an interesting departure from air pumps.

Good luck with your dash pads.

grant

[Grant M.]

Re: Dash Pad-Replace or Restore?

Tom,

I agree with Jack on the vinyl repair option. I had cracks in my (right) side pad repaired over 13 years ago by a franchise operating (I believe) as 'Doctor Vinyl' or the 'Vinyl Doctor'. The serviceman came to my house and in fact, performed the repair on my driveway (I had removed the pad, intending to replace it with a repro item that I had purchased from John's Corvette Care.

The cost?...only $60.00 (Canadian) and that included re-dyeing the pad (black).The repair has held up perfectly for all these years (my car is a driver, so it hasn't been 'babied'. As for the comments re: the other side will crack sooner or later, I disagree. The driver's side on a mid-year does not have the 'passenger assist handle' cut-out, which, I suspect if used when getting in and out of the car, probably puts extra stress on the right dash pad vinyl. My (original) driver's side pad is still in perfect physical condition (but it could use a dye job).

As for replacement pads, the best ones I've seen were Al Knoch's. They seemed to be of correct thickness and grain compared to others (like the ones I bought from John's Corvette Care...still have them in the box, 13 years later).

P.S. Funny thing about the vinyl repairman's dyeing apparatus. He used a small, glass bottle spray reservoir, with a fine spray nozzle/syphon-tube cap. What I found most interesting was the air source: he simply blew into the air supply tube, carefully modulating pressure (and therefore spray volume and pattern). I know there'd be some introduction of 'moisture' likely, but the results spoke for themselves, and I think it was an interesting departure from air pumps.

Good luck with your dash pads.

grant