1974 series 3 dashboard retrim advise

I am looking to retrim the dashboard top in my series 3, it has a lot of cracking and holes, the dash bottom is in pretty good condition and doesn't need redoing.
unfortunately I am away and can't take the measurements needed to order some leather/vinyl and foam.

Could anyone with easy access to there's measure the total length. Upto and including the end caps.

What sort of foam and thickness should I use for the underlay?

Do I absolutely need to remove the whole dash top to do this or is it possible while it's fitted?

Any other advise that people have would be greatly appreciated.

-Maxim

Your not going to be able to buy materials at approximate sizes. Upholstery fabrics are generally sold in yards, short yards or meters.

For a dash top your likely going to have to buy two yards but it will likely be a yard wide so plenty of scrap for other areas.

I would strongly recommend evosticking (not spray) EVA foam (2mm) to the back of the vinyl itself in one piece, joints will be seen through the vinyl. Once dried the EVA backing and vinyl can be stretched over the dash as one covering, using spray adhesive to tack it down to the structure. Alternatively stretch and smooth the EVA over the dash using high temperature contact spray and use evostick to stretch the vinyl over that but it’s harder to smooth.

You will have to remove the dash as the vinyl has to be stretched round the edges and clipped into place with the original fittings. Don’t think for one moment glue will keep the vinyl stretched on its own. It won’t. Modern vinyl tends to bag over time with the massive temperature changed on a dash anyway no matter what you do but getting that eva on the back of it first to reinforce it is the better option.

You may have to fill the original foam in places but the filler has to remain soft after it dries so anything like expanding foam won’t do the job as it will dint and not return to shape if knocked. A silicone may work but then you’ll have trouble with adhesion. A simple tube of decorators calk could be best as long as it doesn’t cure too hard.

Bobsticle said:

Your not going to be able to buy materials at approximate sizes. Upholstery fabrics are generally sold in yards, short yards or meters.

For a dash top your likely going to have to buy two yards but it will likely be a yard wide so plenty of scrap for other areas.

I would strongly recommend evosticking (not spray) EVA foam (2mm) to the back of the vinyl itself in one piece, joints will be seen through the vinyl. Once dried the EVA backing and vinyl can be stretched over the dash as one covering, using spray adhesive to tack it down to the structure. Alternatively stretch and smooth the EVA over the dash using high temperature contact spray and use evostick to stretch the vinyl over that but it’s harder to smooth.

You will have to remove the dash as the vinyl has to be stretched round the edges and clipped into place with the original fittings. Don’t think for one moment glue will keep the vinyl stretched on its own. It won’t. Modern vinyl tends to bag over time with the massive temperature changed on a dash anyway no matter what you do but getting that eva on the back of it first to reinforce it is the better option.

You may have to fill the original foam in places but the filler has to remain soft after it dries so anything like expanding foam won’t do the job as it will dint and not return to shape if knocked. A silicone may work but then you’ll have trouble with adhesion. A simple tube of decorators calk could be best as long as it doesn’t cure too hard.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the advise, I suspected that I'd have to remove the dash top it's selve to do it to be honest.

I plan on removing the original foam as it's hard and probably easier to reform the whole thing.

Thanks
-Maxim

VikingRider said:

Thank you for the advise, I suspected that I'd have to remove the dash top it's selve to do it to be honest.

I plan on removing the original foam as it's hard and probably easier to reform the whole thing.

Thanks
-Maxim

Click to expand...

Original foam is moulded and not simply stuck on. Have a look before you decide.