AMX Dash Pad Restoration
Printed From: TheAMCForum.com
Category: The Garage
Forum Name: Body/Interior
Forum Description: Paint, glass, interior, rust, sheetmetal goes here.
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=92448
Printed Date: Apr/16/2024 at 5:51am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: AMX Dash Pad Restoration
Posted By: Bandana
Subject: AMX Dash Pad Restoration
Date Posted: Feb/11/2018 at 1:04pm
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Anyone had any success getting a dash pad restored? I know there are new repos available for $250 but I've heard nothing but horror stories about filament. Mine has the vinyl curling up along the rear edge where it meets the dash (that's actually the only issue). I don't know it its possible to heat the vinyl soft and glue it back down or if it needs to be stripped and recovered? |
Replies:
Posted By: 2javman
Date Posted: Feb/13/2018 at 12:15am
| I had my 70 javelin dash pad restored some 20 years ago by "Just Dashes" out of California. IIRC it was about $300 and took some time to get it back but it came out great! |
Posted By: Bandana
Date Posted: Feb/13/2018 at 9:12am
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Thanks for your reply. Do you know or remember what they did to restore it? Was it completely stripped of vinyl and recovered? |
Posted By: pacerman
Date Posted: Feb/13/2018 at 9:35am
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i have never used "Just Dashes" (yet) but their restoration process is pretty well explained in numerous magazine articles and involves completely removing the old degraded foam and shaping new foam and then vacuum forming new vinyl over the piece. If you google Just Dashes I think you will find plenty of links to the process. It is expensive now too. Joe ------------- Happiness is making something out of nothing. |
Posted By: 70amxvegas
Date Posted: Feb/13/2018 at 8:01pm
| They are 450 to 500 now and the plastic backing can not be to cracked up |
Posted By: 2javman
Date Posted: Feb/14/2018 at 12:03am
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$450- $500, wow! Although I thought $300 was a lot back then also. I can't say for sure how they did it but it still looks as good today as it did new (fortunately it spends its days in the garage now when not in use). I do believe it did have some cracks in the plastic though. |
Posted By: Steve_P
Date Posted: Feb/14/2018 at 11:47am
You can reglue the 70 AMX/javelin vinyl back in place with crazy glue (or similar). You'll need to remove it from the car and then a lot of small clamps and pieces of wood to hold the vinyl in place while segments dry. I did this years ago before the repro dash pads were available. |
Bandana wrote:Posted By: 70amxvegas
Date Posted: Feb/14/2018 at 1:24pm
| The biggest issue is the foam under the cover breaks done so you have that valley appearance. I have a aftermarket in mine now but will swap it out someday |
Posted By: Bandana
Date Posted: Feb/16/2018 at 10:48am
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Steve, do you heat the vinyl up first to make it pliable? It seems very stiff on mine. |
Posted By: kracex
Date Posted: Feb/16/2018 at 11:26pm
If the back edge is rolling up this is how I fix that.  ------------- 69 amx racecar 70 amx BBG S.Mask 70 amx 73 gremlin |
Posted By: Bandana
Date Posted: Feb/24/2018 at 9:34am
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Exactly, the back edge is rolled up. Other than that the piece is in good shape. What is that a two part epoxy? Where do you get it? |
Posted By: kracex
Date Posted: Feb/24/2018 at 9:53am
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Plastifix it's not epoxy, I get it online and use it on dashes, grills,and anything plastic. I've seen similar product at Orielys auto or Autozone. ------------- 69 amx racecar 70 amx BBG S.Mask 70 amx 73 gremlin |
Posted By: Lyle
Date Posted: Feb/24/2018 at 1:33pm
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The vinyl will move with hot - near boiling water. You can use an electric heat gun but have to be extremely careful. I personally prefer the hot water, even on the interior ABS panels. Heat it, move and clamp it, glue and clamp it after.
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Posted By: Steve_P
Date Posted: Feb/26/2018 at 7:05am
| Heat it with a hair dryer as you go. Use small clamps or vice grips and put blocks of wood, something like sections of paint stirrers, on the top surface to spread the force out and not mar the vinyl. You can use wax paper under the wood so as not to glue it in place. Crazy glue type adhesives work well, it essentially welds the vinyl to the plastic. |
Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Feb/26/2018 at 7:58am
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Steve is spot-on. I cut custom strips of wood with slight tapers so that the clamping force is exerted more evenly otherwise unless the wood is thick you still concentrate force in the middle. As a wood worker there's ways to clamp evenly and we use curved and tapered strips to ensure that even WOOD we are gluing together is pressed on evenly. Honestly, glue even 3/4" plywood and you can see the force of the clamp is greatest at the point of the clamp and the wood has a slight bow to it as you move away from the clamp. Granted, before anyone gets excited, that's using far more force, but the point is the same - clamp EVENLY and be clever about spreading the clamping force or you have WAVES. -------------  http://theamcpages.com" rel="nofollow - http://theamcpages.com http://antique-engines.com" rel="nofollow - http://antique-engines.com |
Posted By: 71SC360
Date Posted: Feb/26/2018 at 8:25am
| Just remember, you'll never get it perfectly flat. Even NOS crash pads have a slight curl to them.. |
Posted By: rodhhrod
Date Posted: Feb/26/2018 at 12:15pm
| He's right, I have a NOS one and it indeed has a curl to it. |
Posted By: Bandana
Date Posted: Feb/27/2018 at 10:11am
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When I think back on it, the dash pad rear edge on many makes had a bit of an upturn to it back in the day. Mine has turned up significantly though and separated. I appreciate all of the tips and recommendations. I may try to reglue this thing myself. I am once again way behind on this winters work on the car. The trouble I had with the drive train grinding in the fall has pretty much held up everything I wanted to do over the winter. My car has been in a shop for 4 weeks now.... and counting... |