PI Wooden Dash

[European Voyager]

Hi I need to fix the dash on my PI , The lacquer has separated and broke  off at the bottom of the instruments , What have others used to do this ? I want to repair it but I don't want it to look like a highly polished sideboard .

• I know it would need to be matt finish but if someone knows a product  and how it was done Id be very grateful.

 

Regards

EV 

[NonMember]

The complexity is all in the prep.

For the finish, I've used Rustin's Plastic Coating (a two-part lacquer which goes on nicely) applied in many coats. Once fully set, you can reduce the gloss by rubbing with sugar soap.

[Pete Lewis]

a good few on here have stained polished and re veneered  im sure there will be lots of ideas 

ive seen some where floor stain varnish gave a good depth and low sheen finish  and relatively cheap 

Pete

[European Voyager]

Hi 

The wood is perfect but it must have got split at some point and then burst away .  Thanks Nonmember Im going to waken up mr google in a bit .

 

EV

[ed.h]

The original finish is very tenacious, and the veneer very thin and fragile in places.  If you have no experience with this kind of thing, removing the finish without damaging the veneer will be difficult.  Trying to repair the finish will likely end with color variations.

Reveneering would likely give better results.

Ed

[Dick Twitchen]

11 hours ago, European Voyager said:

waken up mr google in a bit

A quick search on the forum will also produce lots of practical advice from those 'Triumpheros' who have been down this route already, many of the threads also have photos to compare damage.

Dick

[PeteH]

11 hours ago, European Voyager said:

The wood is perfect but it must have got split at some point and then burst away

Is the Wood split or just the Veneer lifted?. The latter can often be rectified by the use of a wood glue and a syringe injected under the venneer then placed under pressure until cured. Back in the 50`s and later, "fish" glues and later, Cascomite, where the adhesive of choice in may of these applications, but was susceptable to delamination in damp conditions. FIL (rest him) was a time served French polisher, to watch him bring back 200year old furniture was fascinating, Skill like that is sadly almost lost forever.

Pete

[Pete Lewis]

and heat from a iron can re adhere lifted  veneer /glue 

Pete

[Mjit]

If you're really lucky the veneer will be fine and it's just the lacquer that's peeling...and it will all peel off cleanly.  Having done this some bits will peel of easilly/others will stick like s**t to a shovel - and no matter how careful you are trying to use a heat gun to soften/separate it you'll end up with some singed veneer/some that comes off with the lacquer.  Or you'll try to sand the lacquer and end up sanding through the veneer somewhere - played that game too.

Either way you'll probaly ending up with a reveneer job at which point it's eBay for a good length of "American Walnut Veneer" (non-burr for original look + easier to work with) then follow the instructions at https://www.frost.co.uk/how-do-i-re-veneer-my-cars-wood-trim/ - for the original/non-gloss finish at step 11, rather then "Polish the veneer to a high shine" you go over it with very fine (0000 grade) steel wool, lubricated with clear wax polish.

Having done this on a big saloon:

1. While not technically difficult by god does it take an age, working through all the sanding steps!
2. It's hard to clamp some of the curved dash parts evenly so tend to get the odd area that doesn't stick - but you can usually work some PVA glue in with a craft knife and just clamp those areas till it's all stuck.
3. For gauge holes I found cutting through the hole, across the grain first, then lots of cuts from the line to the edge with a craft knife, then roll/fold then in to the hole from the front with your fingers, before finally filing them from the front through the hold till they dropped off worked OK.
4. Sanding curved panels, especially those with thin areas around gauge holes is a real fiddely PITA, especially trying to alternate grades of sanding by 90 degrees!
5. With the Rustins just really slap it on rather than trying to brush a smooth surface as you would with paint.  It flows and self levels really well - and you'll end up sanding loads of it off anyway so might as well get to that point sooner rather than later.
6. Try to give the Rustins a week between last application and sanding so it's fully cured.
7. Try to buy a roll of veneer, or failing that multiple (and more than you think you'll need) sheets from the same auction so it's all the same bit of tree and all the same colour.

[European Voyager]

 Thanks for all the reply

Mijit

It's just the lacquer that's split . Thanks for the I  depth how to do . Time and patience seem the order of the day .

Thank

EV

[johny]

My Vitesse original woodwork was in pretty good shape but then it spend 5 days under fresh water (dont ask!) and nearly all the laquer fell off. The wood and veneer was pretty much undamaged and Ive had it redone in two pack which looks superb🙂

[European Voyager]

I hope it wasn't in the car at the time 🤪

 

EV

[johny]

Unfortunately it was😭

[European Voyager]

Now thats a story to go with a pint one night 

[ahebron]

On the good side be glad it wasn't salt water.

[johny]

yes would have been scrap with salt water....