Before and After of a Dash Restoration

[RB2929]

Cody, great job. 
The metal portion of the dash; there's a texture to the visable portion?
Yours looks great, I didnt know about the texture, though.
Can you expand, please?
- What is it?
- Where did you get it?
Hoping the texture paint is avail in rattle-can

Oh, and yes, a How-To section would be great.  Of course, I think this site is a how-to site, especially the girls with cars photos 

[Cuda Cody]

The pad was redone and the woodgrain overlays were purchased from David at Roseville.  The bend is easy.  Line up the new flat face with the old bent one and mark it with a pencil.  That tells you where to bend it.  Use conduit to make the bend.  I'll do a 'how to' on the next one.

The texture (not flattener) is the same as the factory.  The steering column and dash have it.  Not a rattle can, but instead an additive to the paint before you shoot it.  Takes some practice to get it right.  I'll include it in the 'how to'.

Thanks guys.

Did you restore the pad also?

[burdar]

At one point, I thought I read that 1970 used a different paint then the other years.  I know my dash frame and steering colom didn't have that much texture to them.  Maybe it's a 1970 thing.  When I redid the dash frame I used SEM Trim Black and sprayed it a little dry on the last coat to give it a very slight texture.

I think you will find a lot of factory variations with painted parts.  The workers weren't worried about every car being painted the same.  They just sprayed the paint very quickly and were onto the next one.

There is a company that sells the correct seude paints for the dash frames.  They have the paints listed over on Moparts.  I think they are quite spendy though.  For someone doing an OE restoration, those paints would have to be used.

   

[burdar]

If that is an UR dash pad, what did you do about the vinyl color.  Mine is more of a dark gray instead of a glossy black like the factory vinyl.  Did you redye the pad or just leave it as-is? 

[Cuda Cody]

I'll post a picture of the Texture paint can and code along with the tech sheet from Mopar from 1970 showing the color and codes for each part.  As for the dash, it's just as I received it.  The color was really good.

[hpe600rt]

 

[RB2929]

Cody, Thank you.  I always learn new stuff from this site. 

[brads70]

Cody was the pad supplied from Roseville too? If not where? How was the fit/ finish? Did it fit good around the radio side plastic trim?

[dodj]

Did you restore the pad also?

Or who did you get it from?

Thanks for the pics! Nice resto.

[1970 RT Challenger 1970]

Looks Good! How many hours of work involved?

[Cuda Cody]

Not sure on the hours.... I just work on things a little bit after work or on the weekends.  I would guess about 20 hours or so.

As for the pad, it was a new cover over a stock steel core that I picked it up from a swap meet.  Someone bought it, but didn't finish their car.  It was brand new, but I'm not sure who recovered it.  My guess would be UR, but that's only a guess.  The fit needed some work to make perfect.  Things like the trim and rallye light bar didn't fit until I trimmed the dash pad.  Really wasn't a problem to do, but had to be done to make it perfect.

[TreeFrog]

Man, you need to open shop, we will send ours to you!

[challengermaniac]

Man, you need to open shop, we will send ours to you!

I'll second that! 

Cody, let me know if you want another 70 Rallye dash to rebuild and I'll bring my down this fall from Seattle.

[Challenger6pak]

At one point, I thought I read that 1970 used a different paint then the other years.  I know my dash frame and steering colom didn't have that much texture to them.  Maybe it's a 1970 thing.  When I redid the dash frame I used SEM Trim Black and sprayed it a little dry on the last coat to give it a very slight texture.

I think you will find a lot of factory variations with painted parts.  The workers weren't worried about every car being painted the same.  They just sprayed the paint very quickly and were onto the next one.

There is a company that sells the correct seude paints for the dash frames.  They have the paints listed over on Moparts.  I think they are quite spendy though.  For someone doing an OE restoration, those paints would have to be used.

   

  I have several dash parts that I bought NOS. There is a slight difference in the texture of the paint.  It is only slight.  I bought them to get an idea of what the paint should look like. The paint is very easy to get.  Just go to any PPG paint supply house.  It is Ditzler paint code 9388 for the black.  I have the other codes for other colors if someone needs them.

Cory, the dash looks great.

[Road_Runner]

This is one of the many projects I've got facing me, and like you I'd like to get it as 'perfect' as possible.  I'll add my vote to those encouraging you to go forward with the 'how-to' web site.  Please include all the details possible because for a lot of us this will be the first time diggin into a dash, etc.

Later, Jim