Dash Leather

[Kobialka]

My dash leather was installed poorly, and the hot Arizona sun has slowly softened the gum that they used to hold it down. Now the leather closest to the windshield has pulled away from the glass, leaving an ugly wound where the dash meets the body.

It appears to be impossible to fix the problem without removing the windshield, and without a replacement handy, I'm not daring enough to try it. I am considering a few options but they all require that I have a form or template to work with.

One thought was to make a carbon fiber trim piece that would wrap around the front of the dash. The second idea is to install a dash mat.

Can someone who is still working on their car, provide me with a template of the front curve of the dash? I have CAD if you have that ability, or if not, maybe you could trace it onto paper and scan it with some point of reference so that the dimensions are correct when I print it.

Or, if someone else has another idea, please let me know.

Shane
www.myultimagtr.blogspot.com

[robm3]

I have the same problem on mine, a local interior repairer has quoted me £80 to trim the old material and run a second piece around with the screen in, he's pretty sure he can blend it in okay but naturally says a screen out re-trim is the best solution.
Get a proffesional to give you a quote.

[Kobialka]

Thanks for the advice. I haven't taken it in to a professional yet.

[V8 Vum]

Must admit, I did wonder how sound any covering would be in this area in terms of longlevity!

It is inevitable that with the sun glaring through the screen that any covering is only as good as the strength of the glue and its ability to withstand high temperatures, especially as leather can soften expand and contract in extremes like this.

Anyone know of a high temp glue suitable for this kind of application? or is there a better solution?

Keith

[Captain Slog]

V8 Vum said:

Anyone know of a high temp glue suitable for this kind of application? or is there a better solution?

Groan!!, Nice Pun

[GTRMikie]

V8 Vum said:

or is there a better solution?

Keith

Mine is just painted satin black!

[ROWDYRENAULT]

Keith: There might be a lot of things to worry about in England but day afer day of intense sunshine?????? Besides how much time do any of these cars spend outside of a garage or not covered? To the fellow in Arizona who actually sees the sun every day. Pull the window a good window guy can do it without beaking it. Then get the top of the dash redone in a nice piece of leather and be happy. lee

[Kobialka]

Luckily, I get to share half of the garage with my wife, but I do like to drive the car a bit, and since most parking lots don't have covered parking, even a couple of minutes in the sun make the inside an oven. Even when driving it with the AC blowing the dash still gets remarkably hot when it is in direct sunlight.

Generally, I would have expected that the leather would have been pulled over the back of the dash and stapled into place, but since the dash comes pre-attached to the cockpit portion of the body, I guess that there was no way to get it underneath to securely fasten it.