My dash had some nasty cracks. I pretty much admitted to myself that ill probably need to buy a new one. So I thought that I would at least have some fun trying to fix it and maybe repaint it a cool color.
Cracks before: Theres a few decent ones further down that are not pictured
So I went to Harbor fright and Advanced Auto Parts and bought the following:
Green High Temp paint. I know I don't need high temp paint, but its what I bought for my calipers, (yes I know I don't need high temp paint for my calipers, but it's what Advanced Auto Parts had!)
Plastic Welding kit: basically like a soldering Iron but with a big triangle head, and some plastic rod like things to melt.
Epoxy (not used) for gluing on the metal rod.
Metal rod (not used): it's not really a metal rod, its flat, and long, I was going to use it for reinforcement but it was a tad to thick, so I dropped the idea.
Here are some pictures of the plastic welding: I don't think they're in order so be prepared.
For the most part that went pretty well.
BUT OH NO
It seems that I melted it a tad too much and caused BUBBLES on the top!! :doh:
So I decided to melt the top in hopes I can smooth it out with sandpaper later, (this plastic is unbelievably hard to make smooth)
I added a bit more plastic for reinforcement and to help sort out the edges
(turns out that this stuff does NOT sand down real well , you'll see further down)
(these pics are not sanded yet)
Next I sanded it down lightly with not low enough grit sandpaper; terribly smooth stuff. but oh well. It didn't smooth the fixes much, so I didn't take pictures of it.
Then I put down some primer.
Then I started the nerve wracking part! ( I ended up painting my glove compartment as well.
Heres the first coat on the glove compartment (after primer)
THEN THE FINISHED PRODUCT
Since I'm going for a lime green type of theme, I thought it would be appropriate, These pictures do not do this green justice, man, this is some bright lime green...
now, I wish I wasn't so impatient and got some different sandpaper and working on sanding down the cracks a little bit longer because this is what happens when you're lazy..
There's about three of these little blotches. But oh well! overall I think it came out pretty great, so I'm happy. I didn't have to buy a new boring one and I now have a more so green interior!
Cracks before: Theres a few decent ones further down that are not pictured
So I went to Harbor fright and Advanced Auto Parts and bought the following:
Green High Temp paint. I know I don't need high temp paint, but its what I bought for my calipers, (yes I know I don't need high temp paint for my calipers, but it's what Advanced Auto Parts had!)
Plastic Welding kit: basically like a soldering Iron but with a big triangle head, and some plastic rod like things to melt.
Epoxy (not used) for gluing on the metal rod.
Metal rod (not used): it's not really a metal rod, its flat, and long, I was going to use it for reinforcement but it was a tad to thick, so I dropped the idea.
Here are some pictures of the plastic welding: I don't think they're in order so be prepared.
For the most part that went pretty well.
BUT OH NO
It seems that I melted it a tad too much and caused BUBBLES on the top!! :doh:
So I decided to melt the top in hopes I can smooth it out with sandpaper later, (this plastic is unbelievably hard to make smooth)
I added a bit more plastic for reinforcement and to help sort out the edges
(turns out that this stuff does NOT sand down real well , you'll see further down)
(these pics are not sanded yet)
Next I sanded it down lightly with not low enough grit sandpaper; terribly smooth stuff. but oh well. It didn't smooth the fixes much, so I didn't take pictures of it.
Then I put down some primer.
Then I started the nerve wracking part! ( I ended up painting my glove compartment as well.
Heres the first coat on the glove compartment (after primer)
THEN THE FINISHED PRODUCT
Since I'm going for a lime green type of theme, I thought it would be appropriate, These pictures do not do this green justice, man, this is some bright lime green...
now, I wish I wasn't so impatient and got some different sandpaper and working on sanding down the cracks a little bit longer because this is what happens when you're lazy..
There's about three of these little blotches. But oh well! overall I think it came out pretty great, so I'm happy. I didn't have to buy a new boring one and I now have a more so green interior!