Cracked dash repair.

Post Sun Dec 08, 2019 5:05 pm

Hi, just thought I'd share this. I had a couple of cracks on the dashboard. Two small, each about an inch long. One around 3 inches going into the tray area. I drilled 'stop' holes either end of each crack. These should stop the cracks propagating! Took out the crack edges with a very small conical shaped grinder with a Dremel drill on slow speed. Cleaned areas with meths. Then filled cracks with black Plasti Dip. This is the stuff used for dipping hammer shafts and similar. You can get it online. I've used it many times and it stands up to a fair bit of use. And it's flexible so my thinking is it will expand and contract with the dash. Building up the gap gradually because the Dip shrinks when dry I then was able to trim the excess with a razor blade. Use a new blade as a blunt or even bluntish blade could pull at the Dip. This trimming leaves a matt finish and, in my opinion, not a bad repair. It's not perfect but a damn sight better than the cracks! Merry Christmas!

Post Sun Dec 08, 2019 7:24 pm

Nice idea. It will be interesting to see how the plastic dip works over time, with cold and hot fluctuations.

Do you have any before and after pictures?

Post Mon Dec 09, 2019 12:57 pm

Well it's b***** cold at the moment in my garage! The heat is at best a few months away. So I can't tell how it will bear up in summer. As always I live in hope. I have taken a photo but don't know how to place it on this forum. Sorry but I haven't any before pics. Lengths of the cracks are above. At worst the longest crack was around an eighth of an inch wide. The edges of any such crack will rise then you're left with the dilemma of how far to trim back those edges. My compromise was to do enough to, hopefully, ensure the cracks don't get any worse. I've also found that rubbing baby oil into the dash helps replace some of the elasticity.

Post Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:06 pm

viewtopic.php?f=114&t=277018

Check this out mate, it`s really simple , even I can do it and thats saying something !!!

Mart.

Post Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:31 pm

jmec wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 09, 2019 12:57 pm
Well it's b***** cold at the moment in my garage! The heat is at best a few months away. So I can't tell how it will bear up in summer. As always I live in hope. I have taken a photo but don't know how to place it on this forum. Sorry but I haven't any before pics. Lengths of the cracks are above. At worst the longest crack was around an eighth of an inch wide. The edges of any such crack will rise then you're left with the dilemma of how far to trim back those edges. My compromise was to do enough to, hopefully, ensure the cracks don't get any worse. I've also found that rubbing baby oil into the dash helps replace some of the elasticity.

would like to see pictures. My dash was completely screwed as PO covered it with fake leather, when I peeled it off, it was horrific!

I managed to source another dash, with just a few cracks, but would rather that then what I had!!

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:31 pm

E30 Dash 1.jpg

E30 Dash 2.jpg

E30 Dash 3.jpg

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:36 pm

Hope the pics give you some idea. As mentioned it's not perfect but it ain't bad (i m o!) and better than the cracking. Hopefully the 'stop holes' drilled either end of the cracks before filling should help...

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:51 pm

Thats pretty darn cool mate, well done for that

Mart.

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:54 pm

Thanks Mart and thanks for the pic download info.

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 4:43 pm

That's a good job. I already replaced the dashboard some years ago which is a pain of a job and I'm looking at having to replace that one now. Saw a video on YouTube where the repair made the dash look a lot worse. Yours looks presentable.

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 5:21 pm

jmec wrote: ↑
Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:54 pm
Thanks Mart and thanks for the pic download info.

No Sweat mate, my Baur is what it is and OEM has not kissed her for years .LOL
Let me know how you did this and what exactly you used and this could very well be a sticky.
This could be VERY helpful for guy`s like me who don`t wish to go OEM but still love the E-30.

Many Many thanks

Mart.

Post Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:25 pm

jmec wrote: ↑
Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:36 pm
Hope the pics give you some idea. As mentioned it's not perfect but it ain't bad (i m o!) and better than the cracking. Hopefully the 'stop holes' drilled either end of the cracks before filling should help...

Fair play, looks good!
Might give this a go myself, but on on endless list of things I have to do!!

Post Wed Dec 11, 2019 3:08 pm

Nice positive feedback thank you guys. Wish now I'd taken 'before' pics. Maybe it could be carried out with step by step pics with someone local. But maybe see what summer does to my dash before I can call it a success. PS I saw the You Tube videos... good try but no banana!