New walnut dash fit in a 4A

[shuggie159]

Quite a while ago I bought a new walnut dash from a private seller (so I can't return it) and I'm having trouble fitting it.

 

Essentially the cut outs for the tacho and speedo constrain the alignment, and thus it doesn't fit nicely along the top and the screw holes don't line up.

 

Qu. Do i just file the speedo and tacho openings so that it all goes together, or is there some bigger picture that means the instrument holes need a precise location? I guess I'm going to need to lift the two major instruments 1/4 of an inch or so (that's 5-6mm in euro blar blar). I can always modify the littlelocating clips so that they have a leg to grip the metal sub-dash.

 

It's a bit of a pain, whatever I'm going to have to take it all apart again!!!!

 

Thanks guys

[Mark1965TR4aBRG]

Might be an idea to offer up another dash that is known to be correct from one of the main TR suppliers and just check the whole alignment and centres etc. I'm sure if you wondered into TRGB they'd be happy to help.

[shuggie159]

Thanks for the reply mark, but unfortunately that knowledge doesn't help.

I can't return the one I've got, but I could make it fit; but at what cost to the car's integrity.

I was hoping somebody could just tell me if enlarging the holes for the speedo and tacho is stupid idea....or not.

[RogerH]

Apart from the speedo and tacho do the other items fit?

 

I assume yoiu do not have the original dash to compare to.

 

There should be no reason why the gauges can't be a little higher. The feet may still fit even with some metal removed.

 

However don't cut anything until you're absolutely sure!!!!!

 

Roger

[AlanT]

I have just been through this exact problem.

 

Its the red and green warning lights that are about to screw you up. Remember that they fit on the metal and "grin-through" the wood.

So you can mess with this unless you want half a green light showing.

 

If you inssist on using this wood you may have to file the metal to suit it.

 

If you still have the original I'll tell you how to refinish it. This is a slow job becaus eyou got to build but lots of lacquer.

 

Al.

[shuggie159]

Al. Good shout I hadn't thought of the little lights. Bugger there goes the easy option.

 

I had also considered refinishing the original dash, but it's difficult to believe that it's going to come up anything like the quality of the mal-fitting alternative.

 

I've seen the VTR article, and am well up for doing the job. I was proposing to use 2 pack floor seal which I am sure will build well. I'd be delighted to hear how you progressed. One step forward about two weeks of steps back.

 

The only concollation is the new one(that doesn't fit) can stay where it is, in the dash, and remind me what I need to do to make good, until the time comes to swap them again.

[RogerH]

Rustins do a very good 2 pack lacquer. When set, it is rock hard.

 

Roger

[AlanT]

Its always better to refinish an old part thats serviceable, than fit a repro thats a bit wrong.

 

I forgot the lights too and was fortunate that I used the original and the positioning was pretty good. This was lucky because when I rebuilt the "black-bits" that go around it I didnt pay much attention the the fit of these lights.

 

I finished mine with a yacht varnish intended for the kind of cappings and stuff you find around the deck.

 

But the basic problem is that paint finishes work best on impermeable surfaces. The wood grain on mine is quite "open" in places. Each succeeding layer softens the previous a bit and as it hardens the grain shows in the surface.

 

So you need many thin coats and if you are spraying outside then accidents, like flies landing, means you need to rub back a bit. So it goes slowly.

 

You also get build up around the holes and the gauges wont go in. So its good if they fit loosely before you start.

And you need to be really sure the veneer is well stuck down or bits can lift under the influence of the solvents.

 

This was one of the tricky things, mainly because I am not used to anything connected with wood.

 

However the final result is good if not superb. I met a guy at a car show who had done all the wood on a Jag. He had a mirror finish. He had put on one coat every day for 2-months. Retired of course.

 

Al.

[AlanG]

Mine has a some discolouration around the instrument hole cutouts and dash edges. Is this in the veneer or the varnish and will stripping and sanding get rid of it?

 

Alan.

[AlanT]

A photo would help.

 

The veneer is not very thick. There is only a limited amount of sanding you could do.

 

The veneer was probably stained originally and the sun fades them. So rather than trying to sand it back to an even colour, which may mean you run out of wood, I'd re-stain it using a darker shade. Will fade again anyway of course.

 

I guess I would chip off a bit of the varnish, somewhere not very obvious. to find out whats happened.

I would suspect that water has got into the edge of the veneer and messed with the stain.

 

Al.

[shuggie159]

OK guys it goes like this. I've just found out and have now got the Tee shirt..

The discolouration around cracks and instruments is the laqueur breaking down. I presume the laqueur was clear when it was first applied. After 40 years, it is the colour of tea (no milk), and quite milky where the atmosphere has got behind it.

I tried 'Stripit' varnish remover, which didn't seem to trouble it at all; so resorted to a sharp chisle and a cabinate scraper. I found that I could ease the sharpened edge of the chisel under the varnish and gently prize the varnish away from the veneer. Keep it very sharp work as near to parallel with the surface and I found keep the chisel firmly pressed against the veneer. My heart was in my mouth when I started, but you know how is goes you develop a technique and before you know it your done. I did have a very minor chip off of the veneer around the ashtray but just superglued it back on. I do have minor chisle marks and some light scratching, but I reason that the laqueur will cover these surface inperfections up. That said I notice that the veneer was far from perfect from the outset, and the old boys at Triumph just put a bit of dark filler in. Because of the swirlly pattern you can't tell. The test is to see how I perform applying the Rustins Plastic Coat, which I happen to have 'in stock' from some previous project.

I did scrape the stripped surface with a cabinate scraper and then swabbed it down with alcohol. There was a noticable red discolouration comming off, which I presume was an old wood dye. The new exposed colour is much redder than I expected, especially compared with the Moss product, but I like it and am comfortyed that it is original.

 

First coat of Rustins on. I wanted to buy a foam brushy thing, but had to settle for a mini-roller. So far so good.

 

Usual disclaimers apply:-

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[AlanT]

Oh I had forgotten how hard it was to get that stuff off. Cant remember how I did it. Sanded it I expect. Chemical attacks failed.

 

Al.

[AlanG]

This is what mine is like. Hope it comes up all right.

 

 

 

Alan.

[AlanT]

Looks as if the lacquer is actually separating from the wood. If this is the case it means you should be able to peel a lot of it off.

 

Must post a pic of my finished one.

 

This really is a job that anyone can do and its almost certain to look better afterwards.

 

Al.

[RogerH]

Hi Alan,

as Al said the lacquer is lifting and has got moisture within it. Don't get excited about the lifting lacquer, as that that has not lifted will be a bugger to get off.

I used a rotary sanding disc - very carefully. When you get down to a very thin layer you will find it will try to peel off.

 

Roger

[shuggie159]

It's pretty obvious, any dink you make in the wood will require filled with laqueur. I've been painting the epoxy on and sanding it down with 600 wet and dry the best part of the day. Now I realise there are a few tricks - fill dinks in the wood with small amounts of the laqueur locally applied to the hole, and brush the edges out to level the dimple. As for applying the finish, it doesn't matter that you don't get a fantastic smooth finish, because your going to sand it and polish it. Obviously the smoother the applied finish the better. For me, a a roller was better than a brush. Forget about a spray/air brush. The Rustins is fantastic - dry in two hoursi I've had 5 coats on today! Don't be lulled into the assumption putting it on thick fills the holes. It just means it stays tacky for much longer and prevents you cracking on. When you've leveled the whole surface and got it preped with wet and dry, the next step is cutting paste AKA T-cut, brings it up a treat. I've raced at it, but I think slower is better.

Sorry everybody - I'm lost without a spellcheck

[RogerH]

...you forgot the disclaimer - best part.

 

Roger

[shuggie159]

Ooh crikey!

Yes. My standard trade terms apply.

Thanks Roger that was a close shave.....

[TRE]

Hi- in the past I've used a hot air paint stripper to remove polyurathane lacquer. I have an old 4A dash in the barn & if I can find a hot air gun,we're packing everything ready to move house, I'll have a go at it tomorrow & report back.

 

regards

 

Richard

[TR NIALL]

Go easy with the Hot Air Gun cos you'll lift the Veneer as well as the Lacquer,you've been Warned.

[AlanT]

I definitely would not machine sand this OR use a hot-air gun. Coarse wet-n-dry to start, medium to finish, work along the grain.

 

The whole idea is that the veneer is thin and vulnerable and not easy to put back so treating it gently will save time and trouble in the end.

 

I built up the layers by brush, flatted and sprayed to final finish.

 

Al.

Edited October 4, 2012 by alanjohnturner

[AlanT]

Sorry the net is v.slow here and I get tricked into posting twice.

Edited October 4, 2012 by alanjohnturner

[stuart]

Be careful applying too many coats too quickly as you arent allowing time for the solvents to evaporate and you may get shrinkage further on in time.

Stuart.

[shuggie159]

I'll second all that.

 

Veneer is traditionally stuck on with hide glue... heat it and it will pop off. It's actually thicker that I expected, poss 0.75mm. The glue underneath is white. If you expose the glue I believe you can paint it to hide the fault - but I'm not going there.

 

You put too much lacqueur on too quick and you get a sticky patch that won't sand and plucks up (all those hard applied layers lifting, sob...) I know. I was hoping to post a photo of a beautiful finished article. That's looking remote at present.

 

Yup. Although Rustin's is a two pack product it doesn't cure like Aradite. You can mix up a cupful of the stuff and use it all day; but in athinly applied layer, it cures in about 2 hours. I used a hairdrier to help it decide to cure and make it less suceptable to anything nasty landing in it when it was wet wet, but I was aware of not heating the surface up, just encouraging it abit.

 

I say again you don't need to spray a final perfect coat. Look at the Rustin's literature. Sand it and polish it with cutting compund. Get enough layers on and you stand a good chance of getting a well bling finish.

[RogerH]

If you mix too much Rustin's for your current item, place the remainder in the fridge covered with a sandwich bag and it will stay liquid for much longer.

 

Roger

Edited October 5, 2012 by RogerH