my first crack at recovering my dash.

[themadness]

my dash was in horrible shape so i bought a dash cover. while it was ok i thought i would try to recover it myself since none of the upholstery shops would touch it.

30 bux worth of fabric and contact cement later this is what i have.

the flash makes it ALOT more pink than it really is. ALOT. the color is a decently close match but i may try some sort of dye that can be brushed or rubbed on to get it a little closer. i still have rough edges that look white in the pics. i have to find a way to hide those a little better.

what do you guys think? i kind of like it but based on your opinions if it looks retarded i can always throw the velour cover back on.

[project90tempest]

personally, i'm not a fan, but like you said, the pics make the colour look way different. so maybe with the dye it could be enhanced. in saying that, if you like it, rock it. who cares what anyone else thinks, right? lol

[themadness]

what part dont you like? needs to be fixed?

or do you just hate it all in general?

and the color is way off in the pic because of the flash.

its all one big experiment really.........

[project90tempest]

I like the idea and completely understand the reasoning behind it, but i think my issue is that there isn't one continuous edge of the material from where it slopes down from the driver's side (just above the right center vent), all the way along to the passenger side. Not sure if that makes sense.

[Beretta_gal]

Don't go based on everyone elses opinions,If you like it that's all that matters. you don't have anyone to impress but yourself. It's your car and your the one who has to see it on a daily basis....not anyone else!!!! I had a lot of people telling me not to put hood scoops on my 95 base, they all said they are "played-out" and look to 16 year oldish...so You know what I did? I PUT THEM ON...because I liked it. I used one of those dash carpet things once that I got on ebay...yeah, wasn't happy with it at all. yours don't look to bad, and like you said the camera made the color look different, but if it really was as bad as you say,then anything is better than a torn warped dash right?!?!

[3X00-Modified]

Well he did ask for our opinions, I don't think just sitting here and saying "it's your car if you like it then its fine" really helps him much... I think he's looking for constructive criticism.

If you want my opinion, the only issue I have with it is the fact that there are multiple overlaying seams and they don't line up with each other or anything really. If you could get the seems to line up with each other and possibly not look so overlapped or stacked then I think it might come together better.

[Beretta_gal]

Well he did ask for our opinions, I don't think just sitting here and saying "it's your car if you like it then its fine" really helps him much... I think he's looking for constructive criticism.

If you want my opinion, the only issue I have with it is the fact that there are multiple overlaying seams and they don't line up with each other or anything really. If you could get the seems to line up with each other and possibly not look so overlapped or stacked then I think it might come together better.

OK I get the fact he may want criticism, but at the same time he says in his origional post the HE LIKES it, just wants to know what we think, and then he says that if it looks retarted he can take it off and just put the other on. And I was just making a point that if he likes it then it don't matter what WE think as it is HIS car.....But I suppose never mind as MY thought don't matter.

[3X00-Modified]

Ok wow, didn't think I was stepping on any toes with what I said... Hell I didn't even cap's any words or underline anything. I know I've been a bit short lately, and I blame most of that on my stress level recently with so much going on, but damn everyone does seem to be taking posts way to personally lately.

[themadness]

tempest and 3X00

you guys are exactly right. the seams were a pain in the arse. i actually peeled it off and started from scratch 3 times. the dash warp just wouldnt let it lay flat at the slope from driver to passenger side. which of course led to cutting and seaming which then lead to crooked lines etc. anytime i laid the fabric on that slope i ALWAYS got a section that wouldnt lay flat no matter how i cut it. that particular vinyl/faux leather fabric also tended to get air bubbles no matter how carefully i laid it down.

the overlapping i can live with if i can get the color to match a little closer. i may take a couple of day shots just to show the real light. i have roughly a yard left if you add up all the little scraps. i used contact cement but looking at it now i'm not so sure it was the best choice for adhesive. it holds well but is very finicky about sticking until it cures thoroughly.

constructive criticism is always welcome

[Beretta_gal]

Ok wow, didn't think I was stepping on any toes with what I said... Hell I didn't even cap's any words or underline anything. I know I've been a bit short lately, and I blame most of that on my stress level recently with so much going on, but damn everyone does seem to be taking posts way to personally lately.

I'm not taking anything serious, by your post, I was just voicing my opinion. I don't give criticism to others much as I don't like when others say something I do is a dumb idea...all I was doing is voicing my opinion. And your stress level has been high lately, Hell you have NO idea my stress level, I am almost to the point with getting rid of both my Beretta's...been having nothing but issues with one then when that one gets fixed, something goes wrong with the other...and this has been for weeks non-stop. i just had all the fuel injectors done in one of my cars, and it was running beautifully now all of a sudded...it won't start.....so now here goes more money and stress....But I wasn't getting snappy, I was just simply adding in my thoughts.

[Chad91GTZ]

Cut away the stuff that's warped and cracked, and lay the fabric on the actual dash, so that it doesn't look stupid.

So far all you have done is lay fabric over a turd. It's a fabric covered turd.


Keep at it.

[themadness]

Cut away the stuff that's warped and cracked, and lay the fabric on the actual dash, so that it doesn't look stupid.

So far all you have done is lay fabric over a turd. It's a fabric covered turd.


Keep at it.

NOW THAT IS CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!

i actually did cut away the bad stuff laid down some foam to replace it. it laid just slightly lower than the original dash material. the biggest problem was that there was so much that had to be cut away b/c it was rolling up and away from the dash. the roll started at the windshield and peeled back toward the front.

i probably should have used a spray adhesive instead of contact cement since the fabric was so stretchable. it was super pliable when i put it down and as it dried it sort of shrank and pulled away from the foam underneath. that took away the nice dip on the passenger side. the contact cement is fairly easy to use and comes off without too much work. so i may pull it and try some spray adhesive to see if it has more holding power to prevent air bubbles. the only problem with aerosol is overspray in the car.

what kind of fabric would be better to cover a turd i wonder??

[theSLEEPER]

Does anyone have a picture of what is under that stuff?? Mine looks like a oversized raincoat...

[themadness]

oversized raincoat?

when i peeled the bad stuff off there was a greyish black foam that was as dry as jiffy mix cornbread!

nah it was actually more like a very dense hard mattress topper. mine crumbled when i pulled it off.

[theSLEEPER]

What's under that?