So, my car came with an aftermarket dash. The only reason I say it's
an aftermarket is because (and correct me if I am wrong) Porsche didn't
offer a wooden dash in the 912 as an option, only in the 911. Any images
I have seen of the 912s in my books have never had a wooden dash that
was "stock." And I guess the biggest issue is I didn't like the wooden
dash my vehicle came with, and yearned for the stock brushed aluminum
to replace it. So begins the process.
Start by taking all the removable items off the dash - ignition ring,
headlight adjuster, cigarette lighter and ashtray. The ignition ring
and headlight adjuster just unscrew from the front, while the cigarette
lighter unscrews from the back (which removes a retaining bracket).
The ashtray just pulls out (duh).
Remove the dash in question by carefully peeling it off of the vehicle.
My actual dash is painted, and I wanted to try and keep the paint from
chipping, so I was very careful pulling all the pieces off (4, in all).
Clean off the old glue with a rag, some glue remover, and in my case
a putty knife. I only used the knife sparingly, since I didn't want
to damage the painted dash. The cleaner the surface, the better it's
going to accept the new glue. Mine wasn't pristine once I was done with
it, but pretty smooth.
Next,
I took my 4 new/old aluminum pieces (which I acquired from EASY Auto
Salvage in CA) and traced duplicates onto very thin 3x5/16x32 pieces
of wood. See, with the setup of the old dashboard, my ignition and headlights
had been spaced to fit the thickness of the wooden dash, so If I had
just slapped the aluminum on there, I would have had flop. So, I created
a very thin wooden back for my aluminum.
I
used a utility knife, straight edge, and my Dremil for the holes and
cleanup of the tight edges. After I had them cut and cleaned, I sanded
them all down with 220-grit sandpaper.
Once
the 4 pieces were clean, I sprayed them all down with flat black spray-paint.
This hides the wood and acts as a shadow almost, so the dash doesn't
look too raised.
Then
it was time to tape the car. I like painters blue masking tape because
I can get it thick, it's easy to pull off, and sticks very well to almost
any surface. I made sure to cover the holes in back as well. No need
to spray your wires behind the dash.
One
final cleaning of the aluminum parts now is a good idea while the wooden
pieces are drying. I like to use a toothpick on those real tight spots.
I dig out the dirt and then douse the object in cleaner.
Now
is the fun part. With the adhesive I purchased, you have to (A) spray
both the back of the aluminum AND the back of the matching wooden piece
(B) wait one minute (C) press pieces together to attach. Easy. The first
3 pieces were easy. Just like that. Then, on the biggest piece (center
dash with the cigarette lighter and radio cut-out) I slipped. I cocked
the press off center. NOT VERY HAPPY. I was able to get it 90% close
without damage to the aluminum. All I had to do after was break out
the Dremil, sand down about 4 spots to match, and then re-spray those
sections with the flat black again. My only words of advice here are
- be very, very patient and careful. Do not loose your head, and you'll
be fine.
With
all 4 pieces I started left to right all the way down so I could attempt
to stay as level as possible. When I sprayed a section of dash with
the adhesive I also removed that section of tape (just something to
not forget). This process was the easiest, and most rewarding. Watching
the dash come alive piece-by-piece was very cool.
Next is dry time. After an hour or so, I went back a cleaned up glue
I had over sprayed, original glue I had missed; general clean up.
Once
all was clean and ready, I re-attached all the items I had removed,
and took a seat in my new vehicle. The only other thing I did (which
is a good idea) was adjusting the magnetic strip that holds the glove
box closed. It was sitting a bit deep, and by moving it forward (loosening
2 allen screws), now the dash lines up perfectly.
All in the entire project took about 6 hours from start to finish. Materials,
including the dash itself, cost just over $100. Now, if I can just find
that Blaupunkt to finish the deal!
