Finishing the dash

Bill D · 01-04-08, 02:22 PM

I am hoping to have a local company vacuum apply leather to my dash. However, it if can't be done or is too expensive, what are other ways of making it look good?

Thanks
Bill

Jonathan S · 01-04-08, 02:51 PM

I just used automotive satin black paint. It looks pretty good. I need to get all the dust off of it to shoot some good pictures.

rrandall · 01-13-08, 09:59 PM

Another option is what Mark Reid did, heres a picture of his RCR dash, the fiberglass was aluminum plated and painted by Metal-Morphous INC - Home

Big-Foot · 01-13-08, 10:16 PM

PM Coming...

Bill Musarra · 01-14-08, 09:05 AM

Bill,
Leather can't be vacuumed on. It's characteristics are such that it won't work. It behaves differently from other products that can. You have to have a good "seamstress". It is particularly difficult to get the "horns" covered. The stitching along the edges is difficult to line up. It is double or triple stitched. If you have a friend with an old Turbo Esprit, check it out. That is just a flat dash. The patterns that have to be made will use up about $600+ in leather alone. Very hard to do with just one skin. Otherwise tough to match. Then add the labor. I know.

Bill

Steve C · 01-14-08, 09:39 AM

Bill,

Your leather dash looks FANTASTIC! So where did you find the "seamstress...is she up for more..I'll bet others are interested.

Steve P2125

rich10 · 01-24-08, 02:47 PM

That dash of Mark Reids is hands down the most beautiful and unique GT dash I have evey seen.
GREAT JOB!!!

Bill D · 01-24-08, 03:29 PM

I decided to paint the dash satin black

Bill D

Bill Musarra · 01-24-08, 09:50 PM

My seamstress is Jeff Henderson of the same upholstery. He has a shop in
Sugar Hill just up from the Mall of Georgia. His prime business is doing boat interiors. Year One uses his talents to do their cars that are sent to Barrett Jackson. He recently did "The Bandit" from Smokey and .... Made several of the hotrod mags. Brought in around 150K. I am fortunate in that he lives three blocks from my hospital. He is so busy that he doesn't even have a computer. When I email him, it goes to his daughter who drops by the house almost on a daily basis.
He recently did an insulated convertible top on a 64 Chevy impala. He knows his stuff. He has made preliminary patterns for my doors and is waiting on me to finish the mechanicals so he can have the car to his shop. Should have all the work done by spring(Another deadline to be held to!!).

Bill

rrandall · 01-25-08, 09:26 PM

Thanks Rich but it was Marks idea to have the polished aluminum back plates. I was working on his cobro coupe when he decided to have me plate the dash. He has seen the work we have done on the cobra roadsters so he was familiar with the process. I have attached a picture of a finished fiberglass cobra hood.

[IMG]http://www.gt40s.com/forum/attachment.php?

Ron