seat upholstery and dashboard repair.

Post Sat May 26, 2012 7:31 am

I have now only 2 things to do on my restoration and they are going to be the hardest to complete. I really dont want to go to the trouble of ripping out the dash to replace with one that wont be any better..if I could even get one that is and I dont want to spend a grand on seats that wont be much newer either. I have approached a mobile repairers in my area who have replied. They didnt say they couldnt do the crack repair in the dash but stressed they couldnt guarantee it. I think its a risk worth taking just to make it look better on the short term. The seats may just have to go down the taylor -made cover route. The hole is on the drivers side seat and caused by 25yrs of sliding in and out. Its about 2"x 1" .
Any advice or opinions on this is much appreciated.

Post Sat May 26, 2012 8:08 am

A dashboard swap doesnt look too difficult

http://home.comcast.net/~cdeegan9/dashb ... ard_1.html

Post Sat May 26, 2012 8:12 am

Dashboard swap is a pig to do but you should be able to pick up an un-cracked one for around £50.

I got my drivers seat bolster repaired by giving it to a trimmer together with another spare seat in the same cloth - he made a repair panel up, repaired the foam and re-did it with new black piping - job jobbed.

Prices will vary depending on the quality of the job - probably around £75 - £100 is about right for this.

Seat covers always looks shite - if you've restored the rest of the car get the seat repaired

Post Sat May 26, 2012 8:28 am

Dashboard swap is greeeaaaaat fun.....

But well worth it. It is the only way to do it properly. I can guarantee the 'repair' will be some sort of gobbo in the crack in the usual place and will look sh1t.

Post Sat May 26, 2012 6:56 pm

As usual I suppose you are all probably right.
Ok..who,s got a dash for a 320i saloon...and some info on procedure to do the job cos I dont want to take out 100 screws when I could have done it with 50!!

Post Sat May 26, 2012 7:12 pm

Ok forget my last..just clicked on the link. Any info from someone who,s done one would be helpful though. More info the better.

Post Sat May 26, 2012 8:26 pm

Info :

Don't attempt it on a hot day
Take your time
No special tools required - just spanners, sockets, extensions & screwdrivers
You may need to order the foam seal which connects the heater box to the dash vents - mine disintegrated when I took the old dash out.
IIRC there are 4 bolts that hold the dash to the car bodywork, but there are loads of other bits screwed/bolted to it - ECU's, glovebox, instrument panel, heater panel etc
Take photos as you undo it if you're not sure.
Take your time ( worth saying twice )

If you feel yourself getting wound up getting it out or more likely getting the new fooker in take a break, have a brew and try again.

Its all nuts and bolts - its just fiddly.

Good luck.

Post Sun May 27, 2012 12:19 pm

adit removed the dash in mine, looked quite fiddly but he knew what he was doing, best thing about it...is you can then remove the deadening also and fully inspect the bulkhead- which is great for the long term and sort any issues out and waxoil it all or whatever before putting it all back together, worth doing sod a repair rick-that will always still play on your mind where it doesnt look 100% right

Post Sun May 27, 2012 4:22 pm

my first dash came out in about an hour, use loads fo ziplock bags (not for drugs but for the screws/bolts etc) and you need any E30 dash as they are all the same with exception of cabs that have a notch cut out for the under screen bracing.

you can use any foam for the air vents, B&Q or similar should have it.

this site as posted above makes life very easy..

http://home.comcast.net/~cdeegan9/dashb ... ard_1.html

my best tip is to remove the dash from the donor car first, and second best tip is to cover the upper cowl of your steering wheeel in gaffer tape to avoid scratches, last tip is to use white paper tape to hold the vinyl cover onto youtr inner A-pillars so again you dont scratch it.

IF you have the donor car side by side with your good car, the i woudl:
A remove dash from donor car, bagging all the parts.
B remove dash from your car, bagging all the parts.
C fit the cracked dash back into the donor car, at least to feel how it slides in and fits to the clips on the lower A pillar (the only tricky part)
D fit new dash to your car using what ever bag has more clips

enjoy.

can be done alone but hard, with two the whole thing should be two hours first time round

Post Sun May 27, 2012 5:23 pm

mrLEE30 wrote: second best tip is to cover the upper cowl of your steering wheeel in gaffer tape to avoid scratches,

I went one further and took out two of the steering column sheer bolts, allowing the column to drop down. Makes reinstallation of the dash oh so much easier.

Just remember to put the upper column cowl back on BEFORE you swing it back into place and bolt it back up, otherwise you'll be dropping it again, like I did !

To be honest though, it's not that bad of a job.

Post Sun May 27, 2012 5:57 pm

Very good guide that, should be linked in the wiki or copied with permission!

If I'd seen it before, I wouldn't have taken the dash out with the heater switches attached and snapped bits off

Post Sun May 27, 2012 6:49 pm

Thank you all..Its not my everyday car so time isnt a problem and I have lots of patience and Im methodical. Im an engineer by day anyway-get used to pulling apart and rebuilding again. I think I should be alright. Just need to source a replacement now so if any of you know of one, get back to me.

Post Mon May 28, 2012 5:29 am

I went one further and took out two of the steering column sheer bolts, allowing the column to drop down. Makes reinstallation of the dash oh so much easier.

that is a good idea, but requires some slightly special tools to remove the bolts, ie a grinder or something to cut a slot in the head. i found just taping the upper cowl up worked fine and i also removed the steering wheel (not sure if that in the guide) and i removed the seats and did a spring clean at the same time, i did have help to do mine but to be honest she just left a load of hair on the seats and mainly watched.

Post Mon May 28, 2012 9:43 am

Last dash out job I did I not only dropped the column but had the 'screen out as well!

Makes the lifting of the thing off the heater and that central stud thingy so much easier.

Screen out does sound to be overkill,but it's only a 5 minute job,it's re-fitting that locking strip going back without the proper tool that takes the time.It also enables you to make sure that the strip of fabric that loops over the lower scuttle frame is not blocking the drain hole for the 'screen rubber.....

Post Mon May 28, 2012 12:37 pm

daimlerman wrote:Last dash out job I did I not only dropped the column but had the 'screen out as well!

Makes the lifting of the thing off the heater and that central stud thingy so much easier.

Screen out does sound to be overkill,but it's only a 5 minute job,it's re-fitting that locking strip going back without the proper tool that takes the time.It also enables you to make sure that the strip of fabric that loops over the lower scuttle frame is not blocking the drain hole for the 'screen rubber.....

LOL I remeber thinking as I refitted my dash that the next time I'd take the screen out, but as I didn't have the weather strip tool I didn't do it. Doesn't sound like overkill to me, anything that mahes the job easier is welcome, like Lee says, seats out is a godsend.