Dash Repair Photo Series

"Repairing rusted dash areas." Photos 1-6

 

Photo 1

Photo shows dash with this rusted area “opened” and trimmed or shaped for a new piece. The dash area has not yet been fully striped of all layers paint.

Photo 2

I sometimes use magnets to hold small replacement pieces of metal in place. Once the piece is "tack welded" the magnet is removed. Sometimes only one tack will do it.

Photo 3

Another troubled area on the dash. This one is slightly below the one in photo one. Again, it has been opened up to expose cleaner rust free metal on the edges. The tape is for a guide. This next piece of metal overlaps the top section of the dash and will be trimmed at the tapeline. Incidentally, the tape is over the previous welded piece.

Photo 4

Replacement piece set in place ready to be welded. Notice original dash hole is undisturbed. BTW, this entire area gets covered with vinyl material.

Photo 5

The new metal piece is welded in place. This piece overlaps the top section of the dash and is only tacked welded along the top just as the original lower section of the dash was.

Photo 6

All welds are ground and filed as smooth as possible. Fortunately this area is under the dash padding and isn't visible.

 

"Unwanted radio hole repairs." 1A-7G

 

Photo 1A

Photo shows holes made to allow fitting of a radio. Radio openings in dash as it appeared after removing the radio.

Photo 2B

Radio opening after trimming. I eliminated the rectangle and two knob shaft holes. I now have one clean whole to fit a replacement piece. Card stock can be placed behind the opening and simply traced. The card stock is then cut and traced on flat stock metal making the outline for the replacement piece. The metal could have been placed behind the opening and traced eliminating the card stock template.

Photo 3C

Magnets put in place behind opening. I sometimes use magnets to hold metal in place before tack welding if there is difficulty placing clamps.

Photo 4D

Replacement piece fitted and held in place by magnets awaiting tack welding. This piece was also hammered to the correct shape.

Photo 5E

Replacement piece Mig welded in place. All welds get ground flush. Care should be taken in grinding welds as not to remove metal on other areas along side of the welds. No point in thinning the surrounding metal.

Photo 6F

Lead has been applied in place over all welds. There's also another area that received the same application to the left near the gauge opening. The lead was quickly applied because my intention was to just cover the welded areas. Filler will be skimmed over the area before finishing. I use “All Metal.”

Photo 7G

Dash is beginning to look cleaner after just simply removing old layers of paint and the filing of the leaded areas.

 

At this point I will prime the dash even though it is awaiting more filler.

Headline, "Leaded areas on dash." Four labeled photos.

 

This particular corner required some minor welding. I finished in lead.
A replacement piece about 1” in diameter was fitted and welded in this area. Note, top corner, from the previous photo, has already been finished filed. This area is leaded and will be finished filed. This area will also receive a “skim” layer of filler.
Other small areas where lead has been applied. These small areas will be filed and finished.
Leaded areas filed. Filing makes a big difference.

 

These four photos show areas where small pieces of metal were welded in place. All welds were leaded and filed smooth.

 
"Welded hairline crack" This photo shows the welded hairline crack I found on both sides of the dash. I expect this to be not as common with Coupes. The weld was ground flush.

 

I also noticed a hairline crack on the front right wheel arch, which I also welded.