How To Repair a Cracked Dashboard

When restoring older cars, it is often too expensive to replace a cracked dashboard. And, that is assuming a new dash board is available. In cases where new parts are too expensive, too difficult to find, or, impossible to find, you will need to restore what is already there. The padded dashboard on this 1971 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a good example.

Step 1: As you can see, this dashboard has a hole that needs to be repaired. Most old cars and some new cars have dashboards made from vinyl over urethane foam. Over time in the sun, the vinyl gets brittle and the dash board gets cracks. Many newer dashboard don't have any foam at all. Instead, they are made from injection molded TPO or ABS. But, these dashboards can also get cracked or get holes from exposure to the sun.		Step 2: Use 80 grit or 180 grit sandpaper to bevel into the damage. Make sure that you sand out any dried-out and crusty foam, too.
Step 3: Use Plastic Welder to melt some of the polyurethane welding rod into the void that was created when you sanded out the crusty, dried out foam. The urethane rod is very flexible and closely simulates the urethane foam. Turn the temperature all of the way up and the melted rod come out bubbly. Some of the bubbles remain encapsulated within the polyurethane and simulates the foam even more. Overfill the hole slighly. You will be sanding it down and it is better to overfill slightly than having to find out that you need to melt more polyurethane rod into the hole after you have sanded it. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have one of the newer dashboards that don't have any foam, you may skip this step.		Step 4: This is what it looks like after filling the hole.
Step 5: Use 80 grit sandpaper to sand the urethane level with the surrounding area. The urethane is very stretchy and elastic so, if you use really short strokes when you sand, it may just stretch back and forth rather than getting ground away. A good way to prevent the back-and-forth stretching is to put your thumb on top of the sandpaper over the area that you need to sand. Then, pull the sandpaper while maintaining downward pressure with your thumb over the urethane.		Step 6: This is what the damaged area looks like after the urethane welding rod was sanded down.
Step 7: Mix some Padded Dash Filler with the cream hardener according to the instructions. Use a spreader to apply the Padded Dash Filler to the damaged area.		Step 8: Allow time for the Padded Dash Filler to cure. Sand it smooth starting with 180 grit sandpaper and then 320 grit sand paper.
Step 9: This is how it looks after sanding smooth the Padded Dash Filler.		Step 10: Spray on texture coating. You may want to spray the texture coating on something else first. You will get different size texture depending on your spray gun settings and how much you reduce (dilute) the texture paint with lacquer thinner.
Step 11: Lightly scuff the texture coating with a scuff pad to remove any high spots. Sometimes the texture coating can be a little bit rough after it is applied.		Step 12: This is how the dash pad looks before the top coat is applied.
Step 13: A topcoat was applied to match the original color.		Step 14: Here is the finished dash repair and restoration. As you can see, the dashboard looks great. Now, for the rest of the car.

Motorcycle Restoration

Are you considering undertaking a motorcycle restoration or maybe you have already started your 'project'. Whatever your motivation you are probably about to become involved in a labour of love.
Once you have become enamored to restoring motorbikes, it is a passion which stays with you for life - even when the practicalities of day-to-day life mean you have to swap two roaring wheels for four more sedate ones.
A wedding ring and the patter of tiny feet would, once, have meant packing the bike leathers away for good. But over the last 20 years, the number of ‘mature motorcyclists’ has rocketed - and the popularity of motorcycle restoration is greater than ever.
When embarking on bike restoration, it is important to consider the following: Pick a motorbike you know you will be able to restore - taking a look around our website will give you a feel for the sort of products around to help you.
Like any restoration project, make your goals achievable: decide how much work you are prepared to do, how often you intend to use the bike and what you really want out of the bike.
There are many motorcycle fan clubs out there, and a quick look through local ‘what’s on’ columns during the summer inevitably throws up bike events when dozens, if not hundreds, of pristine two-wheelers will be on show. It is also recommended to join online communities and forums and Facebook groups to extend your network of support.
Once you have chosen the motorcycle to restore - and that really can be the fun part with so many different places to look - a hints and tips book or car manual is an invaluable companion for when you reach frustrating moments during your labours.
There will be times when you may feel stumped by a problem you had not expected - and that’s where we at Frost can help. We pride ourselves on being able to give advice and scouring the UK looking for the right restoration tools and accessories to help make your labour of love that little bit easier. Be it the Yamaha 500 V4 from more recent times, or an Ariel Huntmaster from the decades which went before, here at Frost we can help you.
We also stock the equipment and products you need to make sure that once complete, your bike remains in the condition you have lovingly restored it to.
We know what it means to feel the thrill of the open road on a restored motorcycle - and that thrill only gets better when you know it’s thanks to you that the bike you’re riding is only back on the roads because of you and your efforts.