Nice job. When I did mine (in black vinyl) a helpful upholsterer (who I could not afford to hire but was willing to impart some advice) told me to measure from the farthest points on either end and then add 10% to that number. Then go down to the fabric store and measure the fabric on the roll on the bias (diagonally) to figure out how much to buy (it will vary depending on the width of the roll). Then when applying it to the dash don't cut it. Lay your piece out on it (diagonally) to make sure you have enough, and then start gluing the adhesive at one end, making sure to stretch it as you go, and moving slowly, taking care to really stretch it over corners and into nooks and crannies. Then when you're done just trim off the excess. Took me about two hours once I started gluing and stretching and you can't tell the difference from factory original, until you touch it. Some might be wondering why I'm writing such a long comment, and it's because I learned a lot about this and other things from videos like this one and from reading comments by others, and I figure I should pass it on. Good luck!
Man, you just gave me an idea. I've got the same issue with my Chevy dash. I built a guitar amp a while back and covered it in black Tolex so I'm thinking I might try some on my 74. My dash is in such bad shape I don't think I have anyway to but up. Nice job. Covering is a pain.
Instead of recovering, with fabric, what I've found that works really well, is after smoothing the foam, laying down Bondo and sanding smooth before painting with spray paint in a color you like. I typically respray with flat colors to avoid sun glare
@@GodsCountry i had people ask me to do the textured paint. While it looks ok at first, after a few weeks the Dust begins to collect and it's just horrible after a month or so.
Try this. After you have foam filled and smoothed as well as you can, use some kitty hair filler where needed, sand smooth again and final coat with body filler. Use a plastic spray bonding primer and then spray entire area with dupli color bed liner. After dry, prime again and paint any color you like. I have done this a few times with perfect results. I have attempted a GMC like this one and had difficult fabric coverage as you did. Nice job. Thanks.
Great Job! It amazes me how and why people would thumbs you down for sharing information. You, just like me and every one else here are just average people saving money through Self-Help. Today I was at Lowes parked well away from everyone doing a little body work when this guy with 2 kid's walks up well over 500 feet well out of his way from his car just to tell me I'm doing it all wrong and that he was a mechanic / body man. WTF? Another time I was at a Lowes doing work on my RV when Joe Blow nobody walks up to give advice. I don't know who's worse, the Homeless bumming or Know It Alls that don't even know you. Both times I simply got in my vehicle without saying a word and drove away as they threw their hand's up in the air in disgust. I wonder if they felt stupid as I drove away.
+steve murphy Thank's Steve. I think most of the detractors don't understand that I never claimed this dash recover was like new or show quality. It's just much better now than the original stock cracked and falling apart dash pad.
+steve murphy I hate to hear that you stopped making videos. You should consider just turning the comments off all together or at least requiring them to be approved before posting. Also, the thumbs down are not something to be proud of but it does not hurt the ranking of the video.
+God's Country The Trolls and Nay Sayers got so bad that I now just use an alias so no one can follow me back. Even the Religious channel's I follow have their share of Trolls too.
great information here as my gmc (1973) dash has allot of cracks. thanks for posting this. Got allot of good ideas from watching this.....not sure what I will use but seeing you do it paves the way and tqkes allot of the unknowns out.
That is very true. I think similar techniques could still be used for the older style dash though. My goal was to show that you can make your cracked dash pad a little less ugly for not much money.
Man I got lucky the other day at the junkyard and found a perfect dash for my 84 c10! It was a different color but painted it 2day and it a be dry 2maro. Caint wait to throw it in!
Man that is lucky! I've never seen a nice one at the junk yard. I'd still like to replace mine but it's not so high on my priority list since I recovered it.
Well. I found your video, THANK YOU, and it gave me the courage to tackle my 85 k10. I've just started, it's out and foamed..I'm finding that the sanding is pretty time consuming, but I'm waayyy past the point of no return..lol so ahead I forge. Oh and incidentally the new dash from LMC for this truck is 559 without the brushed metal front, or 619 with. Def worth trying for the wrap
@@GodsCountry one question, and it may be in the vid..but did you seam any of it, or it's just one piece of vinyl? And did you install it? Howd it go if you did? Thanks
Thanks exactly the video I was looking for. I'm gonna army camo my k10 and I'm gonna do exactly this except I'm gonna use a olive grab army tarp for my fabric.
Awesome job bud. I'm lucky that my older Toyota Hilux hasn't got the cluster as part of the dash. I'm going to go have a go at doing a restore on my dash in the next few weeks thanks again for an informative video
Thanks for sharing man! I can see it didn't dome out perfect but I wouldn't expect any better from the job you took on. That is MASSIVELY difficult to get right. My dash still has cracks all in it just because I'm too much of a coward to try and do what you did XD. Congrats though man!! If you're anything like me you'll have a round two with this thing and I'm sure that one will be PERFECT!! Gotta learn somehow. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thanks! You're right that it's far from perfect but it's amazing how much better I feel about the interior since I recovered the terrible original dash... Thanks again!
God's Country No problem man! Have any plans for a second attempt in the future? I know sometimes I tell myself I'll do it again later and for some reason I say screw it because I like the craptastic job I did. lol. Yours came out WAY better than my headrests did, still loved it though XD
nezerac Honestly I bet the dash will stay this way for a while. It's nice enough to not look totally out of place and I have other more important things to do on the truck. I'm going to gradually change the interior to tan (it's red now). Even more important than that are things like brakes, bearings, fuel system, etc, etc, etc. You probably know what I mean! It's never ending but fun.
God's Country Ya I know EXACTLY what you mean. lol. I plan on hoarding a bunch of parts and spending a week or so and replacing EVERYTHING! Well almost everything. lol. Brakes are getting overhauled, p/s, a/c, heat's already done, need bushings, shocks, and I wanna swap all of my wheel bearings for new timkens at all 4 corners. After that cv axles, carpet, dash cap, and lastly a spare engine and trans for hooning it up on the weekends :D
Good prep work, the final result is not what one would expect though. My recommendation, next time use a stretch material, that can adjust better to the changes in shape, and when you apply the material, plan ahead, and pay it before you apply the glue so you can see where the liner is going to fall in place.
Eleazar Huerta Thanks Eleazar. It's not show quality but like you said, it is WAY better than it was. It's a temporary fix until I feel like spending the money on a good dash pad.
To keep vinyl from cracking, spray Lemon Pledge or Orange Glow on a soft towel and wipe that on / all over the vinyl. That imparts a slight oil in the vinyl. Looks great afterwards. Some people usr baby oil on everything but that attracts too much dirt.
Thanks for the tip Mike. I wish my dash pad would have been crack free when I bought the truck but that's good advice for when I replace it with a quality one.
My 77 Blazer that I bought last October is all original. The dash and other areas is crack free. From using Lemon Pledge on it, I hope it will stay that way. Now about the engine and transmission, will need to replace them when my wallet allows. Some body rust here and there.
I am the second owner. The original owners did no mtce on it at all. Anti - freeze was as thick as house paint and a tan color. Power steering fluid was burned. Leaks everywhere. Suspension was shot. Filthy all over. Inside was dirty from never being vacuumed. Broken glass from a window that no one vacuumed up. The list goes in and on. Now when I drive it anywhere, people stare at it. I was driving thru' the center of town and some city workers were doing something next to the street and someone saw me in it and yelled out "holy shit - look at that Blazer" - that made me smile because anything worthwhile takes awhile, and my work on it is quite noticeable.
If anyone’s looking for a solution that’s relatively cost effective and less effort, I put a plastic dash cap on mine. You can use SEM colorcoat to get it whatever color you like. You just sand the underside of the Dash cap And sand your actual dash and clean both in rubbing alcohol. It comes with its own glue
I've enjoyed watching your progress. If you ever do a lift on a 2wd Square, I'd be interested in seeing how you do it. I've been told that the GMT400 88-98 spindles are what's required to lift a 2wd. I'm about to go that route as I don't need a 4wd at all but Houston floods often enough to necessitate a lift
@@GodsCountry I'm trying lol. The guy I bought her from sold her as an 85 ¾ton Silverado Suburban with only 86k actual miles and a blueprinted 350. What I got was exactly what he said, only the odometer had rolled at least once in 34yrs, which I didnt mind, but the motor was just junk. Blew the head gasket after doing a complete tune up... 🤯. It gives me an excuse to drop an actual blueprinted motor in her now and swap out the transmission. My debate now is whether to replace it with a gas guzzling 350 or something more banal like an I6. Ive really been tossing around the idea of a 12v Chummins swap, but budget is an issue, I won't deny. I think that I could get by with a generic 6cyl gas engine as I never tow more than a 12' Uhaul trailer.
Cummins would be awesome but have you looked into a LS swap? I'm not sure of the total expense but I believe LS motors are pretty easy to find these days. Should be better fuel mileage and still have the ability to make big power if you wanted to.
@@GodsCountry the guy I'm talking to owns a shop and he offered a TPI 5.7 I'm assuming that's an LS? Heck idk. Lol but I did think about it and I've only got about 2400 to invest in it.
I honestly want to stay carbureted in case, you know, apocalypse or what have you. I just know I can work on a non computer controlled engine a lot easier.
Good idea but I definitely would had been redoing it but I'm also a perfectionist.. Would had practiced on something then did the dash or redid it, idk. I do like that material though. I am going to redo mine I pulled it last night (90 Burban) and want to find that material in a dark blue to match the rest. Good prep job! The foam is a good idea for sure.
Thanks Ray. This was really just a stop gap measure until I decide to fully replace the dash pad. I have a ton of respect for the professionals. Upholstery is hard to do!
Brandon Ware Thanks Brandon! I did not use heat because the covering is a fabric and not a vinyl/rubber/plastic. I'm not sure heat will help but you could try it. The recover job has worked well for me. Instead of having a horrible, ugly dash greet me when I get in the truck, it's an easily tolerable dash that doesn't cost much.
looks great. I have a 79 that I'm doing this to but with different fabric. I'm trying to find a way to where I don't have to sew the fabric on the one part. I followed what u did with the foam. Already the dash looks better.
I just did the same thing but I used vinyl it stretches once it gets hot so I warmed it up with a hair dryer n it gets in those hard angles alot better i didn't have to sow anything i just sprayed the adhesive n hit it with the dryer as I stretched n held it down tight but I didn't fix all the cracks right so I had some lumps but not to bad
Thanks James! It's not show quality by any stretch but it can be much better than the old cracked dashes in many of these trucks. I'm sorry but it's been a long time since I've taken that dash apart so I don't really have any pointers that I can remember.
73-80 are different from 81-92 dash the 73 has a more round shape the 81 -92 has the squarish shape... looks awesome did the same thing to my 77 waay cheeper then replacing the dash and looks just as good 😱😱😱😱
good job!....next time try spraying the glue in increments...as you move so the fabric won't stick when you don't want it to. Also, try using a heat gun (if the fabric is stretchable...some fabric isn't) at those corners/angles. It is good to have another helper sometimes doing this....one heats the fabric while the other pulls/stretches the fabric into position. I'm going to try my luck at a 76 chevy pickup dash cover and will use a strong and thick marine grade stretchable vinyl ...wish me luck!
I think it might have come out a little nicer if you did use one piece and stretch it. A better brush on contact cement where you apply to both pieces then let it get tacky. Cover with wax paper to keep areas from sticking until your ready, removing the wax paper only from each area once you are ready to apply.
Thanks. I am keeping an eye out for used dash pads but have not found any good ones yet. They are fairly rare. If I could find a good one for $40 I would buy it in a heart beat! Thanks for watching.
aguilpa1 Exactly! Thank you. Obviously far from perfect but not cracked anymore. The burgundy would have matched better but I eventually want to change the interior to tan and that will probably include a real dash pad.
+sergio garcia Hi Sergio. I used less than one can of spray expanding foam that might use to seal gaps on a house. You should be able to find this at a hardware store. I do not remember the brand but there should be several brands to chose from.
caps87 Thanks! I think original parts are hard to find and I don't really have a source for them except to look on ebay and look on message boards/online forums that specialize in the years/make/model that you are looking for. Also, new original parts can be crazy expensive. Thanks again!
They sell dash cap shell it comes black. I did mine in Bondo fiberglass and painted it . I just shaped and sanded on my time off. You can cheat by using stetchest material check out fabric stores even wal mart. My friend sews seam across the top lip. Heat gun and super glue are your friends
That is very true. I think similar techniques could still be used for the older style dash though. My goal was to show that you can make your dash pad a little less ugly for not much money.
Well done bro, how can contact you for more consultation about, actually wanna send you my now working on car dashboard and interior plastic surfaces. Regards
mikey32112346 Thanks Mikey. Generally speaking, LMC does not have original, GM built parts. Once in a while they may have some NOS (new old stock) parts but almost everything they sell is a reproduction. The quality of reproduction parts varies wildly from better than factory GM (rarely) to so terrible that people refuse to use the part. There are also other parts warehouses that specialize in these trucks: Classic Parts, Classic Industries, Brother's, etc. Thanks for watching!
You're free to feel that way but let me ask you this: Which dash cover is better? The stock, horribly cracked dash or the quick and dirty DIY recover that is only meant to be a cheap temporary solution?
![FIXING THE WORST DASH I'VE EVER SEEN [2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t_VLGYpVVX8/mqdefault.jpg)
![FIXING THE WORST DASH I'VE EVER SEEN [2]](/img/tr.png)
Nice job. When I did mine (in black vinyl) a helpful upholsterer (who I could not afford to hire but was willing to impart some advice) told me to measure from the farthest points on either end and then add 10% to that number. Then go down to the fabric store and measure the fabric on the roll on the bias (diagonally) to figure out how much to buy (it will vary depending on the width of the roll). Then when applying it to the dash don't cut it. Lay your piece out on it (diagonally) to make sure you have enough, and then start gluing the adhesive at one end, making sure to stretch it as you go, and moving slowly, taking care to really stretch it over corners and into nooks and crannies. Then when you're done just trim off the excess. Took me about two hours once I started gluing and stretching and you can't tell the difference from factory original, until you touch it. Some might be wondering why I'm writing such a long comment, and it's because I learned a lot about this and other things from videos like this one and from reading comments by others, and I figure I should pass it on. Good luck!
Thanks for the insight..def taking onto account, as I start my truck
I appreciate the tip as I comment 3 years after you posted it. Need to fix up my truck I just got, and this gives me more confidence
“ First time doing this” nice work, you have to start somewhere. Fine wines happen in time, just like people’s craft!
👍👍
Man, you just gave me an idea. I've got the same issue with my Chevy dash. I built a guitar amp a while back and covered it in black Tolex so I'm thinking I might try some on my 74. My dash is in such bad shape I don't think I have anyway to but up.
Nice job. Covering is a pain.
Thanks dude I got my grandpa's old 74 suburban this gives me some great ideas
They're great trucks! Have fun!
Instead of recovering, with fabric, what I've found that works really well, is after smoothing the foam, laying down Bondo and sanding smooth before painting with spray paint in a color you like. I typically respray with flat colors to avoid sun glare
Excellent feedback Jeremy. Thank you. Sounds like a great way to do it!
@@GodsCountry i had people ask me to do the textured paint. While it looks ok at first, after a few weeks the Dust begins to collect and it's just horrible after a month or so.
That makes total sense. Kind of like some rough texture spray on bedliners (in the bed, not on the dash haha).
Try this. After you have foam filled and smoothed as well as you can, use some kitty hair filler where needed, sand smooth again and final coat with body filler. Use a plastic spray bonding primer and then spray entire area with dupli color bed liner. After dry, prime again and paint any color you like. I have done this a few times with perfect results. I have attempted a GMC like this one and had difficult fabric coverage as you did. Nice job. Thanks.
Thanks for the suggestion Mike! I may try that some day.
God's Country Go on facebook to DestinationDetaail Heppner OR and you can see pics of the GMC I did like yours. Leave me a message.
Great Job! It amazes me how and why people would thumbs you down for sharing information. You, just like me and every one else here are just average people saving money through Self-Help.
Today I was at Lowes parked well away from everyone doing a little body work when this guy with 2 kid's walks up well over 500 feet well out of his way from his car just to tell me I'm doing it all wrong and that he was a mechanic / body man. WTF? Another time I was at a Lowes doing work on my RV when Joe Blow nobody walks up to give advice. I don't know who's worse, the Homeless bumming or Know It Alls that don't even know you. Both times I simply got in my vehicle without saying a word and drove away as they threw their hand's up in the air in disgust. I wonder if they felt stupid as I drove away.
+steve murphy Thank's Steve. I think most of the detractors don't understand that I never claimed this dash recover was like new or show quality. It's just much better now than the original stock cracked and falling apart dash pad.
+God's Country I use to make video's but not anymore. Too many ungrateful people and trolls.
+steve murphy I hate to hear that you stopped making videos. You should consider just turning the comments off all together or at least requiring them to be approved before posting. Also, the thumbs down are not something to be proud of but it does not hurt the ranking of the video.
+God's Country
The Trolls and Nay Sayers got so bad that I now just use an alias so no one can follow me back. Even the Religious channel's I follow have their share of Trolls too.
I actually used flex seal on mine, it looks like bedliner and actually turned out super good.
Thats a cool idea! Thanks for sharing.
great information here as my gmc (1973) dash has allot of cracks. thanks for posting this. Got allot of good ideas from watching this.....not sure what I will use but seeing you do it paves the way and tqkes allot of the unknowns out.
Thanks RJB! I'm glad you got some ideas from it.
73 to 87 dash are not the same 73-80 is one and 81-87 is another don't matter what you have under the hood
That is very true. I think similar techniques could still be used for the older style dash though. My goal was to show that you can make your cracked dash pad a little less ugly for not much money.
That turned out pretty good for it's being your first time doing it.
Thanks! Much better than the cracked original at least.
Man I got lucky the other day at the junkyard and found a perfect dash for my 84 c10! It was a different color but painted it 2day and it a be dry 2maro. Caint wait to throw it in!
Man that is lucky! I've never seen a nice one at the junk yard. I'd still like to replace mine but it's not so high on my priority list since I recovered it.
Well. I found your video, THANK YOU, and it gave me the courage to tackle my 85 k10. I've just started, it's out and foamed..I'm finding that the sanding is pretty time consuming, but I'm waayyy past the point of no return..lol so ahead I forge. Oh and incidentally the new dash from LMC for this truck is 559 without the brushed metal front, or 619 with. Def worth trying for the wrap
I'm glad you decided to try it! The replacements just keep getting higher and higher in price.
@@GodsCountry one question, and it may be in the vid..but did you seam any of it, or it's just one piece of vinyl? And did you install it? Howd it go if you did? Thanks
Thanks exactly the video I was looking for. I'm gonna army camo my k10 and I'm gonna do exactly this except I'm gonna use a olive grab army tarp for my fabric.
Chris Akins Thanks Chris! I'm glad it was helpful.
+Chris Akins thats not a half bad idea, i have a lot of my old acus i could use for mine.
Awesome job bud. I'm lucky that my older Toyota Hilux hasn't got the cluster as part of the dash. I'm going to go have a go at doing a restore on my dash in the next few weeks
thanks again for an informative video
Thanks Josh! I'm glad you found it useful and I hope your project goes smoothly.
Good job ! I haven't even thought of this till now... Who needs perfect ? looks great, new dash is $380 at LMC, ouch ! .🤔
Thanks! You understand the concept that this is not a show quality fix. Some people can't understand that.
Thanks for sharing man! I can see it didn't dome out perfect but I wouldn't expect any better from the job you took on. That is MASSIVELY difficult to get right. My dash still has cracks all in it just because I'm too much of a coward to try and do what you did XD. Congrats though man!! If you're anything like me you'll have a round two with this thing and I'm sure that one will be PERFECT!! Gotta learn somehow. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thanks! You're right that it's far from perfect but it's amazing how much better I feel about the interior since I recovered the terrible original dash... Thanks again!
God's Country
No problem man! Have any plans for a second attempt in the future? I know sometimes I tell myself I'll do it again later and for some reason I say screw it because I like the craptastic job I did. lol. Yours came out WAY better than my headrests did, still loved it though XD
nezerac Honestly I bet the dash will stay this way for a while. It's nice enough to not look totally out of place and I have other more important things to do on the truck. I'm going to gradually change the interior to tan (it's red now). Even more important than that are things like brakes, bearings, fuel system, etc, etc, etc. You probably know what I mean! It's never ending but fun.
God's Country
Ya I know EXACTLY what you mean. lol. I plan on hoarding a bunch of parts and spending a week or so and replacing EVERYTHING! Well almost everything. lol. Brakes are getting overhauled, p/s, a/c, heat's already done, need bushings, shocks, and I wanna swap all of my wheel bearings for new timkens at all 4 corners. After that cv axles, carpet, dash cap, and lastly a spare engine and trans for hooning it up on the weekends :D
Excellent videos and sweet results !!!! You have given me courage to tackle my mustang dash
Go for it! I hope it goes well!
Good prep work, the final result is not what one would expect though.
My recommendation, next time use a stretch material, that can adjust better to the changes in shape, and when you apply the material, plan ahead, and pay it before you apply the glue so you can see where the liner is going to fall in place.
Thanks Alejandro.
Good stuuf man. Way better then how it was. Im going tio attempt it in my 84 maybe next week.
Eleazar Huerta Thanks Eleazar. It's not show quality but like you said, it is WAY better than it was. It's a temporary fix until I feel like spending the money on a good dash pad.
Awesome job I did my door handles myself but this gives me an great way to do my dash thanks.
+rod smith Thanks Rod!
To keep vinyl from cracking, spray Lemon Pledge or Orange Glow on a soft towel and wipe that on / all over the vinyl. That imparts a slight oil in the vinyl. Looks great afterwards. Some people usr baby oil on everything but that attracts too much dirt.
Thanks for the tip Mike. I wish my dash pad would have been crack free when I bought the truck but that's good advice for when I replace it with a quality one.
My 77 Blazer that I bought last October is all original. The dash and other areas is crack free. From using Lemon Pledge on it, I hope it will stay that way. Now about the engine and transmission, will need to replace them when my wallet allows. Some body rust here and there.
I am the second owner. The original owners did no mtce on it at all. Anti - freeze was as thick as house paint and a tan color. Power steering fluid was burned. Leaks everywhere. Suspension was shot. Filthy all over. Inside was dirty from never being vacuumed. Broken glass from a window that no one vacuumed up. The list goes in and on. Now when I drive it anywhere, people stare at it. I was driving thru' the center of town and some city workers were doing something next to the street and someone saw me in it and yelled out "holy shit - look at that Blazer" - that made me smile because anything worthwhile takes awhile, and my work on it is quite noticeable.
I know that feeling!!! My truck was (and somewhat still is) as basket case. It's so rewarding to fix things that have been neglected for years.
Keep working on it - the next thing you know it will be a head turner like mine became.
Good job looks 100% better
+Rodder Files Thanks RF!
Nice instructable. Thanks for sharing. I favorited this for when I buy another c10.
+Austin Smith Thanks Austin! It's not a prefect solution but it ends up being SO much better than a cracked stock dash.
Hows it holdin up? Looks great!
+Zomgdevil Thanks! It's holding up very well. It still looks the same as in this video.
I have a 84 buick skylark, same style dash and a amazing way for me to fix it thank you!
Thanks Devvon! I'm glad it was helpful.
I love that truck, same color combo as my first truck, red and white. i love it
HBMAN665420 Thanks HB! I'm enjoying the truck.
the dash looks 10x better then the original, mine looks about the same
+Garrett Owens Thanks Garrett!
good job. I'm gonna try mine. fun fact : 73 to 80 is the same dash . 81 to 87 and 90 91
+Mike Melcher Glad you liked the video Mike!
good job man seriously not bad at all for under $45.00
Thanks! Not to bad for a quick temporary recover.
If anyone’s looking for a solution that’s relatively cost effective and less effort, I put a plastic dash cap on mine. You can use SEM colorcoat to get it whatever color you like. You just sand the underside of the Dash cap And sand your actual dash and clean both in rubbing alcohol. It comes with its own glue
I've enjoyed watching your progress. If you ever do a lift on a 2wd Square, I'd be interested in seeing how you do it. I've been told that the GMT400 88-98 spindles are what's required to lift a 2wd. I'm about to go that route as I don't need a 4wd at all but Houston floods often enough to necessitate a lift
Thanks man! These have been fun projects. Love the old squares. Sounds like you've got a cool project going too.
@@GodsCountry I'm trying lol. The guy I bought her from sold her as an 85 ¾ton Silverado Suburban with only 86k actual miles and a blueprinted 350. What I got was exactly what he said, only the odometer had rolled at least once in 34yrs, which I didnt mind, but the motor was just junk. Blew the head gasket after doing a complete tune up... 🤯. It gives me an excuse to drop an actual blueprinted motor in her now and swap out the transmission. My debate now is whether to replace it with a gas guzzling 350 or something more banal like an I6. Ive really been tossing around the idea of a 12v Chummins swap, but budget is an issue, I won't deny. I think that I could get by with a generic 6cyl gas engine as I never tow more than a 12' Uhaul trailer.
Cummins would be awesome but have you looked into a LS swap? I'm not sure of the total expense but I believe LS motors are pretty easy to find these days. Should be better fuel mileage and still have the ability to make big power if you wanted to.
@@GodsCountry the guy I'm talking to owns a shop and he offered a TPI 5.7 I'm assuming that's an LS? Heck idk. Lol but I did think about it and I've only got about 2400 to invest in it.
I honestly want to stay carbureted in case, you know, apocalypse or what have you. I just know I can work on a non computer controlled engine a lot easier.
Good idea but I definitely would had been redoing it but I'm also a perfectionist.. Would had practiced on something then did the dash or redid it, idk. I do like that material though. I am going to redo mine I pulled it last night (90 Burban) and want to find that material in a dark blue to match the rest. Good prep job! The foam is a good idea for sure.
not bad I do upholstery for a living...some stuff is easy some ain't..these fall in the middle..requires stiching usually 8 pieces when I do them
Thanks Ray. This was really just a stop gap measure until I decide to fully replace the dash pad. I have a ton of respect for the professionals. Upholstery is hard to do!
How much would you charge to do my and my seat in my 83 Chevy truck
Awesome video. About to attempt this same recover on the type of truck. Did you use heat in the contours?
Brandon Ware Thanks Brandon! I did not use heat because the covering is a fabric and not a vinyl/rubber/plastic. I'm not sure heat will help but you could try it. The recover job has worked well for me. Instead of having a horrible, ugly dash greet me when I get in the truck, it's an easily tolerable dash that doesn't cost much.
looks great. I have a 79 that I'm doing this to but with different fabric. I'm trying to find a way to where I don't have to sew the fabric on the one part. I followed what u did with the foam. Already the dash looks better.
I just did the same thing but I used vinyl it stretches once it gets hot so I warmed it up with a hair dryer n it gets in those hard angles alot better i didn't have to sow anything i just sprayed the adhesive n hit it with the dryer as I stretched n held it down tight but I didn't fix all the cracks right so I had some lumps but not to bad
Awesome! Sounds like your project went well. Thanks for the feedback.
that color is a perfect match to my 86 Silverado Suburban
That's a nice coincidence. I believe it came from a Hancock Fabrics store.
Awesome video. I have an 88 suburban. Do you have any advice for getting the dash out? :)
Thanks James! It's not show quality by any stretch but it can be much better than the old cracked dashes in many of these trucks. I'm sorry but it's been a long time since I've taken that dash apart so I don't really have any pointers that I can remember.
73-80 are different from 81-92 dash the 73 has a more round shape the 81 -92 has the squarish shape... looks awesome did the same thing to my 77 waay cheeper then replacing the dash and looks just as good 😱😱😱😱
+Krflk92 Thanks for the comment K. I'm glad it worked for you too.
good job!....next time try spraying the glue in increments...as you move so the fabric won't stick when you don't want it to. Also, try using a heat gun (if the fabric is stretchable...some fabric isn't) at those corners/angles. It is good to have another helper sometimes doing this....one heats the fabric while the other pulls/stretches the fabric into position. I'm going to try my luck at a 76 chevy pickup dash cover and will use a strong and thick marine grade stretchable vinyl ...wish me luck!
Thanks for the comments and thanks for the tips!
Great job looked good to me for doing it for first time
Amy Jo Thanks Amy. It doesn't compare to a replacement dash but it's MUCH better than how it started out. Thanks for watching.
I think it might have come out a little nicer if you did use one piece and stretch it. A better brush on contact cement where you apply to both pieces then let it get tacky. Cover with wax paper to keep areas from sticking until your ready, removing the wax paper only from each area once you are ready to apply.
Good tips Jay. Thanks. This particular material that I used hardly stretched at all. Something like a vinyl may have been better for that.
I need to redo my dash, good video
Thanks!
Pretty good job, sir! My friend went down to the local pick'n'pull yard for a new dash. Paid only $40. Did you try to source a used one in good shape?
Thanks. I am keeping an eye out for used dash pads but have not found any good ones yet. They are fairly rare. If I could find a good one for $40 I would buy it in a heart beat! Thanks for watching.
Not perfect but a heck of a lot better than it was. A burgandy fabric would have made most of the wrinkles blend in and harder to see.
aguilpa1 Exactly! Thank you. Obviously far from perfect but not cracked anymore. The burgundy would have matched better but I eventually want to change the interior to tan and that will probably include a real dash pad.
looks like leather face
Bahaha
Thank you for this video bud!
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
What kind of foam did you use, brand and how much and where to buy, i wana fix my dash as well on my 94 chevy silverado
+sergio garcia Hi Sergio. I used less than one can of spray expanding foam that might use to seal gaps on a house. You should be able to find this at a hardware store. I do not remember the brand but there should be several brands to chose from.
Actually the dashboard is different in the older chevys.73- 79 are different
Yes, you are correct. This is meant more as an idea for a low budget recover to get by until you can buy a new dash pad.
Why were these dashes so bad about cracking? I have an '86 Chevy C10 and the cracks in the dash look very similar to this.
I've never heard an explanation about why they crack but these trucks are old and quite a few of them have sat out in the sun.
It's best to hold the foam can upside down to avoid those air sacks
+Vish J Interesting. I did not know that. Thanks for the tip.
That was good advice I got a 87
COLDHAWK56 Thanks!
Nice job!thanks for sharing!
+Sandra Newton Thanks Sandra!
I'm going with the dash caps that go right over the original
Hello, do you know where can i buy original parts for this type of trucks! Nice truck!
caps87 Thanks! I think original parts are hard to find and I don't really have a source for them except to look on ebay and look on message boards/online forums that specialize in the years/make/model that you are looking for. Also, new original parts can be crazy expensive. Thanks again!
I used vinyl, fiber glass the cracks and wrapped.
Sounds like your project went well!
Thanks for the video!
Mick's Page No problem Mick! Thanks for watching!
That’s not true,that dash cover was started in 1981 with the new body style the one before that was more lumpier.
They sell dash cap shell it comes black. I did mine in Bondo fiberglass and painted it . I just shaped and sanded on my time off. You can cheat by using stetchest material check out fabric stores even wal mart. My friend sews seam across the top lip. Heat gun and super glue are your friends
Thank you for your suggestions.
This for the average Joe. Hello my name is average Joe
Absolutely. Thanks Joe!
73-81 dash pads are a little different
That is very true. I think similar techniques could still be used for the older style dash though. My goal was to show that you can make your dash pad a little less ugly for not much money.
Well done bro, how can contact you for more consultation about, actually wanna send you my now working on car dashboard and interior plastic surfaces. Regards
Send you pics not the whole dashboard 😆
You can contact me through Facebook: facebook.com/godscountrychannel/
Good job
Thanks Ernest! It ended up being much better than the original. Not pro level but it was a temporary solution.
What's the name of the glue that you use for the parts of the dashboard
+nedi shala The video shows the glue at 4:33.
“Does it come in black” -Bruce Wayne
Any color you want!
Thanks!
Next time try steam, I watched a video, and the steam helps soften the fabric
Thanks for the tip!
Where did you get the defrost vents
+TheXV1CT0Rx The defrost vents are plastic and came out of the original dash pad. I painted them tan and put them back in after the recover.
If you want original parts go to lmctruck.com they have everything and beyond for these trucks there based outta missouri but they will ship
mikey32112346 Thanks Mikey. Generally speaking, LMC does not have original, GM built parts. Once in a while they may have some NOS (new old stock) parts but almost everything they sell is a reproduction. The quality of reproduction parts varies wildly from better than factory GM (rarely) to so terrible that people refuse to use the part. There are also other parts warehouses that specialize in these trucks: Classic Parts, Classic Industries, Brother's, etc. Thanks for watching!
They sell repops at about 300.00
Has anyone tried having the dash pad wrapped with a vinyl wrap ?
Could buy vinyl at the fabric shop plus contact cement
Looks good
Thanks Shane! For the amount of time and money, it looks way better than it did before.
Great job
can you make a video for a ford f150 1991
I wish I could but I don't have access to a F150. Sorry. Thanks for watching though.
Id use fiberglass over it and paint it
That would be a cool project.
thanx!
+JorEl Vaaz You're welcome!
nice
+Angel Lozano thanks
any time love the vidieo
Thanks!
Not bad 👍🏻
Thanks. Quite a bit better than the original dash for not much money.
ممتاز ممتاز ممتاز
iam so sry, but its ugly
You're free to feel that way but let me ask you this: Which dash cover is better? The stock, horribly cracked dash or the quick and dirty DIY recover that is only meant to be a cheap temporary solution?
God's Country : Temporary? Ok,temporary is ok. I know,work (specialized) is damn expensive in states. Iam from middle Europe,so that makes difference.
Looks good
Thanks!