How-to: Fill in the speaker holes/cracks in your dash
Hey guys! I've been trying a little dash experiment and it turned out so well I thought i'd share in case anyone else would like to give it a go:
My dash is a disaster so i got one from the wrecking yard that was in pretty good shape with no big cracks and just the speaker holes starting to break through.
Here i've already sanded off the vinyl grain texture so that there's no obvious difference between the smooth bondo patch that i'm going to put over the holes and the original texture (sanded down to 150grit)
next up, i wrapped some cardboard in plastic
and taped it to the outside of the dash:
i sprayed the holes from the inside with foam sealant and spread it around a little with a plastic putty knife
when it cured, peeled off the cardboard and ready for bondo
bondo'd and sanded
primered
here it is still wet...i used SEP's colorcoat system
and here it is mostly dry...free of holes that could break in the sun and end up looking terrible
i have to say i'm pretty happy with the results. The sanded dash definitely looks more "modern" than the leather texture but I dont mind that. I definitely prefer it to the speaker holes. Especially since there's no speaker under them.
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Em
1980 F100 Custom Flareside; 2wd; Manual; 300 I6
I see every truck as a potential parts donor.
Where did you get the foam sealant, I have never heard of it. I would like to try this project.
foam sealant is just stuff like "great stuff" that you can get at home depot or lowes...i actually prefer the DAP latex version though because it cleans up in water
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Em
1980 F100 Custom Flareside; 2wd; Manual; 300 I6
I see every truck as a potential parts donor.
the only note i have is that by the time i sanded down the vinyl texture, and considering how non-flexible the old vinyl was given that it was over 20 years old, i probably could have used regular spray paint and not busted out for the colorcoat. that said, it was a great product.
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Em
1980 F100 Custom Flareside; 2wd; Manual; 300 I6
I see every truck as a potential parts donor.
Em, I just thought of something. If you keep up the good advise, you essentially could put Uncle Stosh out of business. I never thought expandable foam and bondo would work together so perfectly. Kind of like the do it yourself white gauges or how to fix a broken factory tach or modifing a newer mount for piller gauges (using bondo) or just diagnosing drivetrain problems. All just a constant inflow of fantastic knowledge, that is why I love this 80-86 site. I guess there are the do'ers in this world, but I think we have the lions share, for there seems to be a pile of them here.
All of You Keep Rockin' On!
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My wife and I before we were married...Oh hell wrong picture!
Looks very good em! I hated my speaker area on my truck so i cut out the old cracking speak holes. Than i place a wire mesh over it to help protect. Looks alright but yours looks great.
I plan on doing this here in the future actualy.
But i have one question. You said you sanded it down. Did you just sand the plastic covering smooth? The only reason you did that was just to make it smooth all over correct? Thanks!
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1981 Ford f-100 302 windsor/C6/3.25/9.0 rear
Bass, walleye, catfish, and trout, im tellin you now you'd better look out! You were safe in the lakes when i was home wishin. But be on your guard cause im goin fishin!
i have to say i'm pretty happy with the results. The sanded dash definitely looks more "modern" than the leather texture but I dont mind that. I definitely prefer it to the speaker holes. Especially since there's no speaker under them.
You did good!
My trucks dash looks like crap, maybe I can try this.
Most of the time I try interior work, I end up like this
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my V10 will out pull your PSD any day of the week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jmeyer1990 ... but i kept losing service in Victoria's Sectret, so I gave up.
Originally Posted by bghnkinf250
Can I retrofit a catalytic converter to my butt?
thanks guys! It was a good test-case. Hopefully, as stosh notes, it'll hold up in the harsh sun. I'll keep you posted.
Quote:
All just a constant inflow of fantastic knowledge, that is why I love this 80-86 site. I guess there are the do'ers in this world, but I think we have the lions share, for there seems to be a pile of them here.
i sure agree with that LN150. There's so much knowledge and creativity on this board. I love being a part of it.
Quote:
You said you sanded it down. Did you just sand the plastic covering smooth? The only reason you did that was just to make it smooth all over correct?
that's correct fordnfishin. i just sanded so you wouldnt see any difference in the textures of the smooth bondo patch and the stamped-on original texture of the dash.
oh and we all know that no one will ever put stosh out of biz...ha! he's the master! but maybe i'll be able to keep paying back all the great help i get here with some stuff i learn and make m'self
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Em
1980 F100 Custom Flareside; 2wd; Manual; 300 I6
I see every truck as a potential parts donor.
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How-to: Fill in the speaker holes/cracks in your dash
Em, I just thought of something. If you keep up the good advise, you essentially could put Uncle Stosh out of business. I never thought expandable foam and bondo would work together so perfectly. Kind of like the do it yourself white gauges or how to fix a broken factory tach or modifing a newer mount for piller gauges (using bondo) or just diagnosing drivetrain problems. All just a constant inflow of fantastic knowledge, that is why I love this 80-86 site. I guess there are the do'ers in this world, but I think we have the lions share, for there seems to be a pile of them here.
