# 1966 dash pad HELP!!!!!



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

well after having a few places quote doing my dash pad (250-500) I have decided to give it a shot myself, problem is my backer panel was stripped when i got the car and i have no idea what the profile was for the foam bumper on the front of passenger side, i will have to glue closed cell foam up and shape it before stretching the new vinyl, i was also wondering if the rest of the cover had any padding underneath. also the far right side of my backer panel looks to be dented, around where the through bolt goes through the under dash does anyone have a stripped one and or a original one they can send me some pics of for reference any help is greatly appreciated...thanks in advance guys 

s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g372/instg8ter/1966 Tempest/?start=0


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I have one in my stash.....Can't check it until Wednesday. I will dig it out and send pics. Eric


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

thanks Eric, think i figured it out, GTO resto book shows profile and was looking for a padding that would rebound back to shape, heres what i came up with:

Foam plumbing pipe insulation for 3/8" copper for pad radius (not perfect but will save a ton of time shaping)

Fill with expanding window foam for density (let expand and dry)
Filet in half with the Ginsu knife (don't tell my wife)
Shape ends and Glue to panel front with OSI rubber siding caulk and smooth into gaps with a little solvent (done to this point will post some pics on my photobucket)

Stretch over entire panel with 1/8" headliner foam tacked down with 3M 468 spray adhesive

Stretch over headliner foam with thin stretchable vinyl (Joann Fabrics)

Material cost: $50.00 enough to do two

A padded leather-like dash pad: PRICELESS!!!!


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Instg8ter said:


> thanks Eric, think i figured it out, GTO resto book shows profile and was looking for a padding that would rebound back to shape, heres what i came up with:
> 
> Foam plumbing pipe insulation for 3/8" copper for pad radius (not perfect but will save a ton of time shaping)
> 
> ...


Or you could buy a reproduction dash pad from OPGI


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Like i said in the first post Randy can't see spending $250 for something i can do for 25.00 in materials and a few hours of my time and i don't care for the look of the Molded plastic covers, besides all my padding is gone and it needs to be padded for the covers to fit.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

A buddy does his street rods with dense foam- insulation board, widdles out flames, covers with burlap and that's door panels. It's called custom work. You can do it. My thought was to buy one off ebay, but try your idea and see how it goes, it may look really good! Or it may look bad, but you learn and can redo and end up with something really cool! You can buy the insulation board for $10 for a 4X8 sheet, lots of room for errors. Good luck!


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

have enough material to do it twice if needed for under $50.00, have pad on and it looks good and smooth, will stretch headliner foam tonight, pictures posted. The vinyl i found is satin and like glove leather (lots of stretch and supple), checked the grain to my original armrests and it looks good


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Pictures posted where??? Congrats, sounds like nice work. I've tried to do vinyl work on boat seats and stuff and it always looks like crap, I can't get the creases out..


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I'm with Jetstang on that one! And the creases are always in the most visible spot, too. Easier to stick with mechanical work! I can't imagine rebuilding a dash pad.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

1966 Tempest pictures by instg8ter - Photobucket

sorry forgot was not n my signature of this post, stretched the vinyl looks pretty good for a first shot will be acceptable only one bad spot where the contour is from passenger to driver hump but thats the transition from pad to metal not a crease, am gonna find another backer and do a custom one with logo enbeded in dash and take a little more time smoothing the transitions, anyone have an extra backer from a parts car they wanna get rid of?


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## 68GTO4004Spd (Jun 19, 2008)

If you can't get the vinyl to look right, take it to your local furnature upolsterer, probably do it fairly cheap.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

finished product, looks pretty good


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

and installed...


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Instg8ter said:


> 1966 Tempest pictures by instg8ter - Photobucket
> 
> sorry forgot was not n my signature of this post, stretched the vinyl looks pretty good for a first shot will be acceptable only one bad spot where the contour is from passenger to driver hump but thats the transition from pad to metal not a crease, am gonna find another backer and do a custom one with logo enbeded in dash and take a little more time smoothing the transitions, anyone have an extra backer from a parts car they wanna get rid of?


I'll post a pic of the one I have...tonight.


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