help to ID wood on dash

[SLOSpider]

Thanks if I ever get it back together. Off to Wall mart for 3 more cans. I hope that will be enough.

Like everything else I went to install the new heater core and found out someone has done the typical Fiat fix and did some not so great repairs. The plastic upper box was broken for the intake metal flap so they pop riveted it on the cowl . Oncew the upper box was out the defroster duct was broken and brittle and if you don't already know, the dash has to come out to change that piece! ARGH! So out came the dash. Oh guess Ill use the dash that in better shape in the parts car now so remove that ....

Oh look the factory insulation is coming off and Im sure would be blowing in my eyes first top down drive...Better tear that off and get some kind of dyna matting for behind the dash and firewall....Oh look what a great Idea to mount the wiper and emergency relays behind the dash....not, relocate those to a spot below....

Remove kick panels and insulation, oh someone has cut speaker holes already, hum, should I put them here or in the map pockets were they have them already? I was missing door jam switch so took them off the parts car. The driver side has two? Havent looked at the book yet but guessing one is for the key and other for the light?

Hum seem to be missing the vent closer at the bottom of fresh air vent. Hoping there is a good one on one of the parts cars.

Project Creep LIVES

[RRoller123]

That dash is looking really nice!

[georgeramos]

It is indeed looking great! Really nice color.

I received my ebay steering wheel today and it already has a huge chunk of the faux wood missing. My first attempt at removal will simply be smashing it with a hammer as it looks kind of brittle. I may make a video but will certainly photograph the whole "wood steering wheel" debaucle.

[spidernut]

BTW. Once you have enough coats, you can do a final sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper and a sanding block to get out the minor imperfections and orange peel then buff it using a foam buffing wheel or buffing pad using Scratch and Swirl remover or mild polishing compound. It will look amazing when done.

[ososbob]

SLO, Dash is looking great, almost as good as mine! By the way are you up and running? If so we should take a cruise. Soon. I hear there is a weekly drive in 5 cities every Sunday. I know that guy in Grover with the X-19 drives it.

[SLOSpider]

Bob It is off the jack stands and running. No fourth gear though. I thought I would do a quick heater install but there is nothing quick about working on a fiat. Turns out I had a few issues to resolve with heater box and ducts. Unfortunately the whole dash is out right now, necessary to replace defroster duct.:

If you want to replace this piece, take out the dash



If your top vent is broken don't fix like this:



You thought you would just stab in a new heater core HAHAHAHAHA



Floor is good but might as well get some poor 15 and some dyna mat to replace the crappy shredded factory insulation I tore off the firewall

[ososbob]

You are were I was a few months ago, once you in that deep, you might as well fix it all the right way. By the is your dash all cracked? If so I have a great solution!

[SLOSpider]

You are were I was a few months ago, once you in that deep, you might as well fix it all the right way. By the is your dash all cracked? If so I have a great solution!

yes the dash I took out was horrible. Parts dash has two good cracks from booth vents towards windshield. I have a carpet dash cover but was thinking of filling with silicone. I installed a dash cap in last car and I thought it looked good but tried of spending money already

[81SPIDERMATT]

You are were I was a few months ago, once you in that deep, you might as well fix it all the right way. By the is your dash all cracked? If so I have a great solution!

?????? mine is cracked.. not wanting to hijack thread... can you pm me or point me in the right direction

[ososbob]

I will post a new thread with the details. I think anyone with a bit of patience and a willingness to try can do what I did.

[SLOSpider]

And the insanity continues.... Spray on sand off, over and over and over






The cluster part should be good to go with light sanding and a lot of finish coats. One of the center pieces too. The other I must have sanded too much and went through now have a dimple fish eye Ill have to work. The glove box would have been done but I messed that up and re building up the layers to fix some gouges in the lower layers. be ok if I was retired and could paly with it all day long. Luck for me Im single and like the smell as it drys inside in the warm house on the oven racks

[spidernut]

WOW! The hard work is paying off. Amazing gloss you got there!

[RRoller123]

Man that is nice, and I admit to not having even remotely enough patience to accomplish that shine.

[SLOSpider]

Well I stopped leaving good enough alone. Not quite how I wanted but I did a test sand with 2500 and could not polish it out by hand to shine back up. I will need to invest in a smaller polisher if I want the finish I was after. I used 4 cans already due to problems that kept having me sand back down pieces. Im over it anyways. I laid the final coat down on the cluster and glove box and leaving it as is.

[spidernut]

This is the best buffing pad I've ever used for doing a cut and buff on paint, buffing out lacquer on wood, buffing out chrome, brass, stainless, plastic, etc. It works on any drill. I buffed out my lacquer dash with one and a little polishing compound, followed by McGuire's Scratch and Swirl Remover. Be careful of the speed (use a variable speed drill). You can burn right through the lacquer if you're not careful. It works really quickly and leaves a great finish!!!

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... 26+bonnets