Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001
From: Hopper Peter D SSgt 3TRANS/LGTM <Peter.Hopper@Elmendorf.af.mil>
Hi Glenn. I seem to remember reading a story about fiberglassing a dash vs. replacing the padding. I thought it was on your site but I can't find it now. Was it you? I am planning to do the same and wanted to refresh my noggin on the plus and minus factors. I see a new thread on the 1800 list about making new aluminum trim pieces and thought I would offer up the alternative. I have a supplier of carbon fiber/carbon fiber tape and plan to use this as the backing behind the gauges and standard fiber mat everywhere else. I am in the process of converting all my gauges to aftermarket. I have the Speedo done so far, and am using the Autometer Carbon Fiber series. I think it will look pretty sharp. Any comments?
Pete Hopper
Anchorage Alaska
65 1800 w/new ding in the grill surround (another story)
Peter - Yes, that was me. I must have mentioned it in passing, because I never have written a complete story about fiberglassing the dash. I'm still not sure that losing the original dash was such a great idea. For one thing, the fiberglass dash is much harder. Fortunately, I and my passengers have never hit it forcefully with our heads, but I sometimes consider padding it or replacing it with an original dash for the safety value. Of less importance, but still a consideration, is the original appearance.
The main reason I used fiberglass was to ensure that the dash would last a long time. It's lasted about fifteen years without any maintenance beyond wiping it with a damp towel, so I guess I got what I was after. Also, at the time, I could not afford to re-cover the dash with original materials.
I used fiberglass matting and epoxy resin with black pigment. The resin was expensive, and it might have been sitting in the warehouse a little too long. It was runny and difficult to use. The matting made a thinner covering than the original foam. The epoxy resin was too gooey to sand, even after it was cured. I spent a whole week getting real frustrated with it. The black pigment made the clear resin a sort of transparent gray, so I decided to paint over it. I used Rust-O-Leum spray paint, gray primer with a flat black topcoat. I reused the original dash faceplate, trim and gauges.
Altogether, I think it is possible to make a good-looking, functional and durable dashboard with fiberglass. I think I only hit two out of three, but if you are patient and have the time and/or the skill, you could definitely make a dash that looks as nice as the original. -Glenn.
Photos of the fiberglass dash: It looks o.k. from this distance, but a closer inspection reveals problems I had with details.