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BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

I stripped the vinyl off the whole dash. The vinyl on the lower portion peeled right off no problem, but the vinyl on the upper surface was shot and it took for ever to peel it off piece by little piece. Also the foam underneath the upper surface was shot to hell and had alot of low spots.

I used mud to fill in the large cracks in the foam and cardboard, but I needed to use something light and flexable that was also sandable. After a trip to lowes I found this stuff:

Shake well and spray:

I used WAAAAYYY too much. Really only needed to use about 1/5 of a can. I used the whole damn thing. This stuff expands alot. This means that after letting it cure for an hour... I got alot of sanding to do.

This stuff is like sandblasting... it gets F*%%* everywhere.

I used an angle grinder with a 30 grit disk to knock most of it off and I finished it with a DA using 80 grit. Now that I have it shaped, I have a roll of 1/8" thick foam that I am going to cut to shape and glue to whole thing. Then I am going to cover the whole thing in vinyl with french stitching.

This was my first time, and I learned alot of tricks for the next 2 dashes that I have to do ( my 931 and my 84 944).

1. You don't need to use much.
2. After spraying, you should use a spreader and spread it like you would mud. You've got about 5 minutes before it starts to kick.
3. Using that technique should cut down on the air bubbles ALOT.
4. With less air bubbles, there is no need to lay additional foam on top.
5. With less air bubbles, You can also use PlastiDip as you covering instead of vinyl which will save alot of time and money.
6. Make sure you tape up the vent holes, this stuff gets everywhere.

Thats all I can think of right now. I will post more pics as I progress.
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1980 924 NA
1982 931

ZODIAC · Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 342 Location: West Haven, Ct

keep up the good work. and pics and updates!

i'm most likely useing this same technique to recover mine.
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"Kraut cars, they know how to build 'em".
1977 924 N/A - Red with waterdamage interior
yes...waterdamage is now a color...

Mahatma Gadhni · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 162 Location: Croatia

Wow! I can't wait to see it finished.
Nice job.
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1984 924 2.0 NA

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

got the foam layed on the top. Started fabrication on vent trim piece out of aluminum. You may notice that I decided to shave the center speaker hole. I did this by fiberglassing the hole up and using some of that spray foam to blend it in. I did alittle more fiberglass and mud work around a few of the openings that had torn as well. next step is vinyl.

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1980 924 NA
1982 931

peterld · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:15 am Post subject:

Amazing work! Now for a fibreglass mould of it.......?

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

Ha, a fiberglass mould is possible, but there would have to be enough demand for one before I would consider doing it. Anyways, heres some pic from today. I got the vinyl back from the upholstery girl and did a quick dry fitting. Its fitting very nicely. French stitching down the entire horizontal plane and a single stitch around the gauge cluster. I may or may not need her to stitch some seams inside the gauge cluster. We will see tomorrow when I contact cement it all down. So far I only have about $130 invested so not too shabby considering 928leather wants like $700 for the same thing.
More pics tomorrow.

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1980 924 NA
1982 931

flosho · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

Is that thin layer of white foam just glued to the dash board? Or something else?
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[This Space For Rent]

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

It is a thin layer of white foam. The grey is the original foam, the orange is the spray foam, the white is the finishing foam. The orange stuff is great for sculpting, but it leaves too big of air pockets which in time will make the vinyl bubble. So I cut the white foam to size making sure that where I needed seams, I got them as closely matched as possible. Also using the white foam helped me more define the "step down" from top dash to bottom dash.
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1980 924 NA
1982 931

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

Ok got it mostly glued down today. Really wasnt nearly as bad I thought it would be. THe hardest part was betweent eh left corner and the gauge cluster. After some reglueing and some heat gun action, I got it to stay down. All in all, its not perfect but it is pretty damn good for my first time and looks a hell of alot better than the plastic cover that was on it before.

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1980 924 NA
1982 931

Rich H · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:07 am Post subject:

Looks good!
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1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

Two questions, who did the cover, and do you have another t-shirt that says, "YEAST?"
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Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Very nice!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

So, you took her the dash and she did the rest? Wow.
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Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

flosho · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

I'll take one in microsuade for $100. Where do I sign up?
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[This Space For Rent]