The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support STM Tuned

First step of the dash repair is done (the easy part)

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Delta2Echo

10+ Year Contributor
90
0
Mar 25, 2012
Middletown, Delaware
Ok, first part of Operation F*CK a Dash Swap is complete. We did the easy part today, and after running a new vacuum line for my boost gauge, we didn't have time to do much else.

We just used a piece of aluminum L bar or whatever you wanna call it. The shorter part went under and grabbed the lip of the vinyl perfectly. We used a self-tapping screw to start the holes. They were too short to grab thread because of the thicker foam on the bottom, so we swapped them out for longer screws the same thread. I took care in not pulling them in so tight it warped and bowed the aluminum. It's nice and straight.

It didn't turn out exactly like I wanted, but still better than expected. We didn't align the bolts quite right...but what's done is done. The next stage is the top. It will start right behind the gauge cluster and run over, around the curve, and down to the end of the bottom piece. After all of that is done, it will all be powder coated black.

Before:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


After:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


You must be logged in to view this image or video.


You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 
I like it! It has a fit to the 1G cars, that shows it has a rough and straight attitude.
 
If you pull the dash, you can actually unbolt that whole vinyl cover piece. Then scuff up the steel and use epoxy to glue the dash down (holding it with an assortment of clamps)
 
Ok not to hijack your thread but here is what I did to fix my dash problems which are very similar to yours. I took the offending piece off, cleaned underneath it the best I could. Then I liberally applied gorilla glue( the kind that foams up) the used painters tape to tape the crap out of it and hold the vinyl down. Once it looks good and in place I just let it set for a day to dry, pulled the tape off carefully and it looks brand new again. Mine was doing that where yours is and under my steering wheel.
 
The vinyl shrunk. It will never go down and mate up like it did before, period. Even the upholstery shop would not touch it because they know once they glue it down again, it's not going to hold.

Short of a dash swap, there isn't much else I can do. It is what it is. And I must repeat myself when I say it is NOT done yet.
 
Look man, I know what you're trying to do but short of replacing that peice or finding another route, what you did there is just horrible.

This is my OWN opinion.

I've been researching ways to fix this problem myself (not nearly as bad as yours) but that is definitely NOT the answer.

Another option along the same lines is to do what you did. But fold the ends of the "L" brace in to factory mold like the vinyl and then EVENLY space out the screws. Use some tapered stainless steel and screw it down with the screws flush with the aluminum brace.

Honestly, I give you props for trying something, but that is disgusting. It looked better all screwed up. At least then people would say "Damn, that's nasty but it is a 22 year old car" versus saying "Damn, that dude messed up that dash."

There are other options. Check into shops that can completely recover the bad parts with some gray leather or a NEW type of vinyl.
 
sorry but it's ugly as hell!!! If it was done with rivets maybe instead of metal screw and if the spaces between metal screw was the same everywhere and if the metal plate had some round edges the yes it could be good
 
:hmm: .... ummmm ..... yeah. I don't think I like it. If I were in your shoes, I'd take that piece off and have it professionally redone. Interiors are a bit of a mystery. Unless you really know what you're doing, messing with them generally doesn't look good.
 
It looks like he has no choice now.... I would round corners, and redo that L bracket so the screws are evenly spaced. At the minimum. At the maximum spectrum..... I would pull the dash, use a heat gun and stretch the vinyl to fit. Scuff the metal. Glue that SOB down. Sew the edges down. Wrap it all in new suede/vinyl/CF/leopardskin or whatever. End the day with a new dash.

But for real. If you are going to do what you are hard set on doing... Please do it right. Make it as clean as you can. It could look OK, if you put the effort in.
 
Well if anyone would like to donate to the funds to have it redone, I'll send you my paypal account. I don't have the money for it, period. Once everything else is done with the car, and I have some money to blow, I'll get the interior done. That or I hit the lottery.

Today, after my 40 minute drive to work, the car died 4 blocks from my office. I had to spend $72 on a new battery to get me back home, then another $90 on the alternator. For some reason, my indicator light didn't come on to warn me the alternator wasn't charging. While I was under the car cleaning stuff, I found out that my slave cylinder is bad. So that needs to be replaced. All of this is in addition to new exhaust from the turbo back, of which I only have the down pipe and test pipe. I may need a new manifold as well.

My priorities are where they need to be, and I'm happy with the results so far. I'm nowhere near done with the dash, so what you see is only temporary, anyway.
 
I had good results with Dap contact cement. Brush it on the metal area and let it dry before trying to work the vinyl back on. Then, use a heat gun and work it back on the metal. You may have to use some super glue on the edges or some 3m VHB tape. A heat gun is a must to get decent results.

This is the same method used to turf jet skis, it holds up good on my Superjet.
 
Well Delta, seems like your priorities are straight.

Now, to remove insult, spend less time worrying about the dash cover and more time fixing things that need them.

The slave is easy but a total PITA to bleed so read up on that if you don't know about it already. Seriously, with a good vacuum bleeder, a buddy, and a TON of fluid, it still took me 3 days to get the air out. It's a shitty design but do it right the first time and be done with it.

Check your fuses to make sure all of the lights on your gauge panel light up. If they're not (battery light comes out with key on engine off) then you may need to pull your gauge panel and replace the bulbs.

An exhaust can be fixed temporarily. It's not super important unless you have emissions coming up or you're bleeding hot exhaust where it can cause a fire.

The manifold, if it's cracked, can be welded.

A cat back system can be had at a slavage yard for pennies. They probably will not give you the cat but you don't need that anyway.

If you're hard up and need help, shoot me a PM. I'll do my best.

Now stop doing things the wrong way and making more work for you later on. Leave the unimportant projects for when you have everything else going good and you can spare the cash/time to do them right.

Good luck.
 
Well Delta, seems like your priorities are straight.

Now, to remove insult, spend less time worrying about the dash cover and more time fixing things that need them.

The slave is easy but a total PITA to bleed so read up on that if you don't know about it already. Seriously, with a good vacuum bleeder, a buddy, and a TON of fluid, it still took me 3 days to get the air out. It's a shitty design but do it right the first time and be done with it.

Check your fuses to make sure all of the lights on your gauge panel light up. If they're not (battery light comes out with key on engine off) then you may need to pull your gauge panel and replace the bulbs.

An exhaust can be fixed temporarily. It's not super important unless you have emissions coming up or you're bleeding hot exhaust where it can cause a fire.

The manifold, if it's cracked, can be welded.

A cat back system can be had at a slavage yard for pennies. They probably will not give you the cat but you don't need that anyway.

If you're hard up and need help, shoot me a PM. I'll do my best.

Now stop doing things the wrong way and making more work for you later on. Leave the unimportant projects for when you have everything else going good and you can spare the cash/time to do them right.

Good luck.

What a ####ing boss. I feel so empowered reading that ROFL.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top