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LC LJ Crash pad restoration. HOW TO!

Started by _Eedman_ , Aug 14 2010 05:59 PM

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28 replies to this topic

#1 _Eedman_

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Posted 14 August 2010 - 06:01 PM

Ok so heres the deal, my LC crash pad should have really gone in the bin and i should have bought a new one, i was thinking ok if i'm gonna do that maybe ill try some techniques on this one and see what i come up with. after a bit of research and few bourbons with Walshy (mechanic/electrical genius) and D.C ( metal finisher/body work guru) i hunted down some fibre glass. The guys almost walked out when i suggested it! hahaha unbeknown to them i'd found a glass called fiber tissue. a wafer thin .25mm thick and apparently what they use on surfboards i though that would work beautifully.

all up cost on evilBay......$2 a meter!!!...ordered 5 meters ..it arrived 2 days later from somewhere in mexico....i mean Victoria.
link to it here. http://cgi.ebay.com....r-/140315538824

Heres how to do it!

01.JPG 119.2K 106 downloads

02.JPG 87.12K 115 downloads

03.JPG 113.87K 108 downloads

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05.JPG 89.5K 95 downloads

06.JPG 76.73K 82 downloads

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08.JPG 187.99K 84 downloads

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continued below (includes diagram on repair.).

continued...

11.JPG 108.77K 101 downloads

12.JPG 109.2K 101 downloads

13.JPG 132.74K 114 downloads

14.JPG 126.07K 99 downloads

15.JPG 84.77K 90 downloads

finished01.JPG 117.65K 89 downloads

finished02.JPG 95.12K 89 downloads

finished03.JPG 133.08K 101 downloads

Graphic1.jpg 239.52K 77 downloads

Edited by Eedman, 14 August 2010 - 06:03 PM.

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#2 TerrA LX

Fulcrum Fixture

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Posted 14 August 2010 - 06:08 PM

Very nice. How dod you get the F/glass to adhere to the dash?

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#3 _Eedman_

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Posted 14 August 2010 - 06:14 PM

Very nice. How dod you get the F/glass to adhere to the dash?

the tissue is really porous, so its almost like putting just resin on it with the strength of fibreglass. just made sure it was spotless clean before any glassing was done.

the resin adheres to anything, the tissue is wrapped around the underside of the dash slightly by about 20mm.

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#4 TerrA LX

Fulcrum Fixture

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Posted 14 August 2010 - 06:40 PM

And the resin is surfboard resin?

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#5 _Eedman_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 11:47 AM

just standard resin mate.

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#6 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 12:27 PM

Excellent, i might do that to mine to. LJ should be even easyer.

You do realize though that that is now most likely illegal....Its supposed to be a soft impact zone....

But oh well :tease:

Cheers.

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#7 rodomo

To advertise here, call 13TORANA

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 12:39 PM

You do realize though that that is now most likely illegal....Its supposed to be a soft impact zone...

Foam Fill? :dontknow:

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#8 _tyre fryer_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 01:22 PM

Bomber, I talked to Ian and he seems to think it's firm but softer than original with the glass on there.
I will be doing this very soon, might even get you to guide me through, have you thought about doing this and selling them online? you'd stand to make a pretty profit (I wouldn't be suprised if you got $300 C/O).
when you painted it, did you use gun or pressure pack and was it a vinyl spray?

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#9 _Quagmire_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 01:48 PM

mmmm if you used "a expanding foam"
under it could you shape it to however you wanted?

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#10 _Eedman_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 02:53 PM

Bomber, it still is flexible but firm, its not like thick fibre glass. i also think due to the thinness of the glass it will have enough flex so it wont crack in summer.

LJ would be easier cause it doesnt have that valley in the middle like LC.

Matt, i used just a good quality satin spray pack, not vinyl spray because you arent actually painting vinyl you painting primed fibreglass , painted it under lights in a few light coats giving it time to dry between coats.

wouldnt be hard to do them for others, just dont have time to make it a little business. I imagine it could be done to pretty much any dash for any car.

Foam fill instead of bog would probably be a better option too, just didnt consider it, next time i would though. Great idea.

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#11 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 03:12 PM

Bomber, it still is flexible but firm, its not like thick fibre glass. i also think due to the thinness of the glass it will have enough flex so it wont crack in summer.

Aha, fair enough.

Standard ones arnt that squishy anyway.

Sounds like a go mate!!!

Cheers.

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#12 _judgelj_

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Posted 23 August 2010 - 07:01 PM

This is actually a good guide even for those who are not required to repair cracks, which is a situation i am currently in. I was looking to repaint the dash however i was thrown off by the vinyl cover on the dash? For the parts that weren't filled in, how did they match up with the smooth fiberglass surface?

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#13 _Mega Trim_

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:53 AM

Thats a pretty good home made job! We charge $385 to re-trim LC Torana Dash's so you have saved yourself a few bucks. Not sure how it will last in the long run but worth the effort you put in to save a few bucks (stuff it!! Posted Image

)

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#14 _Eedman_

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 10:26 AM

This is actually a good guide even for those who are not required to repair cracks, which is a situation i am currently in. I was looking to repaint the dash however i was thrown off by the vinyl cover on the dash? For the parts that weren't filled in, how did they match up with the smooth fiberglass surface?

The only part that have to match up are the ashtray , fits in perfectly cause the glass is so thin.

Thats a pretty good home made job! We charge $385 to re-trim LC Torana Dash's so you have saved yourself a few bucks. Not sure how it will last in the long run but worth the effort you put in to save a few bucks (stuff it!! )

Cheers, initially it was gonna get thrown away and a new one bought, thought i have nothing to loose and some knowledge to gain.
definately saved a few dollars indeed.

This is actually a good guide even for those who are not required to repair cracks, which is a situation i am currently in. I was looking to repaint the dash however i was thrown off by the vinyl cover on the dash? For the parts that weren't filled in, how did they match up with the smooth fiberglass surface?

just to clarify, i covered the entire top of dash pad with fibreglass tissue (like a surfboard blank) not just where the cracks where.

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#15 _judgelj_

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 11:00 AM

just to clarify, i covered the entire top of dash pad with fibreglass tissue (like a surfboard blank) not just where the cracks where.

oh so you covered the hole thing? so i would assume you were left with a pretty flat, untextured finish. i hope to restore my own soon so i was trying to figure out what to do when it came to the outer skin, i was reluctant to spray because it is coloured vinyl is it not? so my options are to remove vinyl (dont know what underneath), cover vinyl in filler and sand smooth (dont know if it will last) or sand back the vinyl in the hope that it is hard enough to remove the texture and spray that??

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#16 _Eedman_

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 03:39 PM

just to clarify, i covered the entire top of dash pad with fibreglass tissue (like a surfboard blank) not just where the cracks where.

oh so you covered the hole thing? so i would assume you were left with a pretty flat, untextured finish. i hope to restore my own soon so i was trying to figure out what to do when it came to the outer skin, i was reluctant to spray because it is coloured vinyl is it not? so my options are to remove vinyl (dont know what underneath), cover vinyl in filler and sand smooth (dont know if it will last) or sand back the vinyl in the hope that it is hard enough to remove the texture and spray that??

Yes it does turn out pretty smooth, however if you paint with satin finish it looks pretty nice (remembering you are no longer painting a vinyl surface, you are painting fibreglass), also i have heard of people spraying a texture on first before the final paint coat. something like tub liner for utes.

regarding your listed choices:
so my options are to remove vinyl (dont know what underneath), - It would have foam underneath, i wouldnt do that option
cover vinyl in filler and sand smooth (dont know if it will last) - high build primer would work better than filler.
sand back the vinyl in the hope that it is hard enough to remove the texture and spray that?? you would be removing the vinyl thickness if you do that.

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#17 _judgelj_

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Posted 26 August 2010 - 09:27 AM

I see what you're saying, i'm wondering if i can spray straight on to the vinyl with normal paint? or will i have to strip the vinyl/sand back.

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#18 _Eedman_

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Posted 27 August 2010 - 10:05 AM

I see what you're saying, i'm wondering if i can spray straight on to the vinyl with normal paint? or will i have to strip the vinyl/sand back.

not sure about that, id say you would have to give it a light sand to get it to bite in, your best ringing and automotive paint supplier for that info.

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#19 _judgelj_

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Posted 27 August 2010 - 04:27 PM

I see what you're saying, i'm wondering if i can spray straight on to the vinyl with normal paint? or will i have to strip the vinyl/sand back.

not sure about that, id say you would have to give it a light sand to get it to bite in, your best ringing and automotive paint supplier for that info.

Yeah ill give someone a call, i planned to sand it, just wasnt too sure if regular body paint would work.

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#20 _tyre fryer_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 12:21 PM

What was thatt stuff yyou said you used to clean it all first? the stuff you used before you vinyl sprayed/dyed the seats? prepsol?
I'm just about to embark on an enterior refurbish and I need some good quality stuff to clean all the vinyl.

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#21 _judgelj_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 12:43 PM

What was thatt stuff yyou said you used to clean it all first? the stuff you used before you vinyl sprayed/dyed the seats? prepsol?
I'm just about to embark on an enterior refurbish and I need some good quality stuff to clean all the vinyl.

Is it possible to vinyl dye the seats? I mean this sounds like a much cheaper alternative to re trimming but will it work?

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#22 _tyre fryer_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 11:51 PM

I've been told it works a treat according to Iain (Eedman).

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#23 _Eedman_

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Posted 10 September 2010 - 11:23 AM

once again preparation is the key.

nice sunny day to heat the vinyl
Prepsol everything first thoroughly,
then re wipe with a clean cloth.
use a good quality vinyl dye from a spray gun, not rattle cans.

Light coats and do it in a warm CLEAN environment and have the vinyl warm too.

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#24 _judgelj_

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Posted 10 September 2010 - 12:52 PM

i've never heard of this, would be good to see the finished product, for some reason i cant get my head around spraying the seats. it seems as though it would turn out blotchy and un even.