Bought a used dash...not sure I'm gonna use it.

[someotherguy]

So the dash in my '93 is obliterated. I mean, 100% unsavable, there's hardly anything left on top, it's so brittle it has shattered into millions of pieces. I have a cheap cover on top of it but the whole dash shakes while driving since it's not attached at the top at all.

Really having a tough time shelling out $600 for the LMC repro (that's about what it costs once it arrives with tax and shipping included - dash is $450, tax 44.76, shipping 92.50 = $587.21) then still gotta prep and paint it and move ALL my parts over to it after prepping and painting them as well, so it'll all match.

Instead, I bought a used dash.. paid less, but not enough less to feel happy about it. It's got some damage. Broken at the top right next to the edge of the driver speaker grille (very common spot I've seen these dashes break) and broken behind the center A/C vent/stereo panel, will probably be hidden by that panel. Has a few spiderweb cracks around various screws. Overall the top looks good, I'm just concerned about its overall "health" and have my doubts about how long it might last.

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I can probably live with the worn color areas and scuffs/scratches it has without bothering to repaint it. It "matches" my beater of a truck, ya know? But I'm wondering what is the best path for me to take in attempting to repair the break by the speaker, and the break below the center A/C vent panel since that's also a "support" area.

Or just say F it and spend $600 on an LMC dash and sell this one along, yet more accurately described than by the dude I got it from..

Richard

 

[scott2093]

Doesn't look too shabby...
I'd probably try to repair it... But yeah the longevity of these things at this age....
Wonder if there's some kind of treatment to breathe new life into them.

Don't feel bad, I bought a perfect dash years ago and stored it in my Florida attic like a dumb@%$ and random empty boxes laying on it every now and then destroyed it...
It's still waiting to be taken to the landfill. It was pretty aged to start with so I'm guessing the many 120* days up there didn't help....

 

[fancyTBI]

For the speaker area that seems like a great candidate for a piece of L channel to make a bracket. Or use other ABS plastic that you’d plasti-weld to the dash. I’ve also seen a ton that are broken there.

The AC panel… might could hack a piece from another dash and plasti-weld it in there? Not sure.

The rest, are you opposed to a carpet dash cover? They are tacky, yeah, and not everyone’s style. I got one for the ‘95 and ‘94. My dash in my ‘92 is in similar shape. It makes me sad.

 

[east302]

A coverlay style cover may be an option if you repair it but can’t quite hit the target on cosmetics. I’ve seen some brand (Dashskin, I think) advertising reasonably close matches to factory colors.

Of course that’s probably another $200…

 

[someotherguy]

The top is fine; no cover is needed. There's just that very fine crack at the leading edge. I'm mostly spitballing on ideas to fix the complete break next to the speaker grille, because that's a support area (the 5 screws across the top of the dash near the windshield) and you can't layer much into that area because it has to sit flat against the cab sheetmetal. Then the broken area at the bottom of the center A/C vent/stereo panel, that's a tough one because it shattered there.

Richard

 

[99xcss4]

what did you pay for it I see dashes for sale on ebay quite often and they all ways want crazy money for them imho

 

[Laredo]

Do it once, do it right. Or don't do it at all. I say pay the "stupid" tax on this one and proceed to purchase a replacement dash from LMC.
.

 

[Scooterwrench]

If there is still enough hole there for the center vent trim tabs to grab run it. I would use pieces of your old dash to reinforce the backside of the speaker crack. If you can use a backup piece under that little crack in the front edge that would be good but if it interferes with anything under that area then just work some cement into the crack from the underside. The best glue I've found for ABS is good ol PVC pipe cement. Clean the areas to be bonded and the pieces your going to glue on with acetone,carb cleaner or clear PVC pipe cleaner on a rag on the flat areas and a brush in the edges of the cracks. You will feel the surface of the plastic softening as you clean it. Paint the cement to both pieces repeatedly to actually melt the surface of the plastic. Try to glue the cracks together first then add a plate across. What you will be doing is solvent welding. Once you get your pieces cleaned and bonded clamp them for about an hour. Those metal squeeze clamps work good for that. The dauber in the lid is a little to big and would make a mess if you tried to use that so a better tool for applying the cleaner and glue would be an cheap artist brush.

 

[someotherguy]

Do it once, do it right. Or don't do it at all. I say pay the "stupid" tax on this one and proceed to purchase a replacement dash from LMC.

It sure is easy to spend other people's money, isn't it?

The best glue I've found for ABS is good ol PVC pipe cement.

Excellent - that's some helpful info, because choosing the right glue is gonna be critical here.

Richard

 

[Scooterwrench]

Excellent - that's some helpful info, because choosing the right glue is gonna be critical here.

Richard

You can solvent weld ABS with just acetone or carb cleaner(possibly lacquer thinner) but the cement makes it that much stronger.