Ed Taylor wrote:
>
> Am on the last leg of restoring my B, but seem to have hit a snag on
> installation of a new dash. After removing all the old dash and foam,
> etc., I am at a loss as to what should be the next step. Since the holes
> don't want to line up quite right, I have trimmed some of the foam from the
> backboard until they line up pretty well but...
>
> For those of you who have done this:
> 1. Did you cut the holes prior to gluing to backboard, or afterward?
I made sure the alignment was correct, cut the holes for switches and
gauges, then applied the glue. Switches and gauges do help align.
> 2. What kind of adhesive did you use to glue the dash to the backboard?
Good quality, brush on contact cement on both the new cover and the
frame.
Let it dry so it is no longer tacky, and cover the frame with an opened
up plastic trash bag. This will keep the pieces separate until you want
them to bond. The contact cement I bought at a builder's supply. It's
intended to bond Formica type countertops.
> 3. In order to make sure that the holes will remain lined up properly,
> should I install a gauge or two in the dash while gluing? Seems this
> would tend to hold the alignment while the glue sets.
Yep, that's a good idea. I also found that I needed to trim all of
the excess foam in the area of the tach and speedometer. These are
a twist-lock type of mount, and with _any_ amount of foam behind, it
becomes almost impossible to apply enough pressure and twist to get
them in place. The others were not a problem, since they are held on
by a bolt-on bracket.
> 4. As shipped, the unit had a few wrinkles, etc. in the vinyl. Will
> probably use a hair dryer or heat lamp to make vinyl more maleable.
> Any suggestions here?
Didn't have this problem, but heat, carefully applied, should help.
>
> Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!!!
Be very careful not to bend the framework - you probably couldn't
get it back right. Keep a few cold beverages of choice on hand
for after the job is done to reduce the frustration level.
>
> Thanks,
> Ed in Greensboro, NC
Wayne Kube
'79B
Plano, TX
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