How about the soft feel paint? Superformance uses this on the GT40 dashes and it looks good, cleans easy and gives a nice matte black finish. There is a thread here somewhere that talks about it and lists the suppliers.
What should I do with the dash?
- Thread starter EFNFAST
- Start date
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
This is the source I know about; they're in Los Angeles:
Alsa Corp | Soft Feeling Paint
Apparently it has to be force dried: <TABLE class=tableEntry border=1 cellSpacing=0 borderColor=#f7f7f7 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD borderColor=#f7f7f7 width=206>Forced Drying:</TD><TD borderColor=#f7f7f7 width=221>30-40 minutes at 150°F.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
See above - from a detailing perspective I"m not really familiar with them. I have no idea how easy it is to correct (polish) them should the need occur, and how easily they can micro-marr. I'd rather stick w/ traditional paint if going that route.
I did some research and spoke w/ some people from Alsa - apparently the softfeel paint is not recommended if it's going to be exposed to UV. Go figure, let's show pictures of it on vehicles and then say that's not a recommend use :laugh::laugh:
Alacantara is also out - I called around and to do a quality job on it would cost around $2300-$2900! My no likey that very much!!!!
Bodyshop doesn't want to skin it in carbon because they arn't convinced the job will be flawless because of how the dash is.
So basically my choices are either leather/vinyl (?which may look out of place?) or paint it black .... not going to wrap it because I have some carbon fiber scotchprint and (a) it looks like crap against the real thing and (b) wraps look really fake and out of place ... don't think I want to stare at that on my dash, heh.
Alacantara is also out - I called around and to do a quality job on it would cost around $2300-$2900! My no likey that very much!!!!
Bodyshop doesn't want to skin it in carbon because they arn't convinced the job will be flawless because of how the dash is.
So basically my choices are either leather/vinyl (?which may look out of place?) or paint it black .... not going to wrap it because I have some carbon fiber scotchprint and (a) it looks like crap against the real thing and (b) wraps look really fake and out of place ... don't think I want to stare at that on my dash, heh.
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
How about wrinkle black? It'd be a little 50s/60s looking but it has a way of looking purposeful.
Yes we do...if you dont have a mould of the dash how would you make one...an overlay?
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What do you guys think about alcantara is terms of wear&tear maintenance (for a dash, not seats)?
I got 2 quotes today from shops ranging in the $2k range, then a 3rd one came in for $700. That is more palatable to me, so I'm going to explore that option tomorrow and see the quality of their work.
I wouldn't mind paying that price to get it properly covered, but it makes me question why it's 1/3 the price of the first 2 quotes....were the first two raping me, trying to turn away my business, or is the third going to do a crappy job at that pricing point. Hmmmm.
I got 2 quotes today from shops ranging in the $2k range, then a 3rd one came in for $700. That is more palatable to me, so I'm going to explore that option tomorrow and see the quality of their work.
I wouldn't mind paying that price to get it properly covered, but it makes me question why it's 1/3 the price of the first 2 quotes....were the first two raping me, trying to turn away my business, or is the third going to do a crappy job at that pricing point. Hmmmm.
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
I'd be concerned about keeping it clean, that is, free of light-colored dust. And of course if you scrape any of the "suededness" you're going to be really sorry. But if you vacuum it and nobody rubs on it it'll probaby be OK.
My Land Rover has tan alcantara on the top edge of the door where I rest my elbows fore-arm sometimes and it got very dirty very quickly and also "pilled" like a sweater so that now it looks really crappy.
My other concern with black fabric is fading, but I don't imagine you'll leave your beauty out in the sun much....
$2k :stunned:. I don't know the price of a matt carbon fibre one from Fran (minus your old dash), but I would think it worth asking.
I'd just paint it matt black (perhaps the soft feel stuff, if I had the car ..). Why not try a paint finish - at worst, a bit of sanding should allow it to be covered, if you don't like it. If not, it's $495 for a new dash, so not that big a mistake.
Two words: Crushed Velvet (Purple).
Edit: Even better a furry one, then you can pet it at the stop lights.
Edit: Even better a furry one, then you can pet it at the stop lights.
Odd ... my 04 cobra's seats have alcantara inserts in the centre (that you're sitting on and your back is resting against) and they still look brand new? From that I always assumed it would wear okay?
Fran, you know what Alex is like..... a couple of well placed pictures of a carbon dash would probably get him on the phone 
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
It may be the fact that in my case it's wrapped around a hard surface, whereas on a seat the forces get distributed evenly due the padding. Also, you (generally) don't have bare skin contacting your seats. And I will say no more on that last subject.
Did some travelling around today and I guess the $2k+ quotes were from shops who just wanted to dick me over or didn't want my project.
The $700 quote seemed accurate and the quality of the shop work was excellent. I also liked the fact when I mentioned I was thinking of painting it the owner asked how I planned to polish it every few years when the surface marrs up (as it will inevitably do because of how awkward some portions of it are to clean) ..... gave him the bert stare because I thought I was the only person who cared about proper paint care (no micromarring), lol.
They showed me several alternatives, and I'm (if I decide to cover it) torn between alcantara or leather.
W/ the alcantara it looks nice but he cautioned me I will probably not be happy with the maintenance of it and how it will trap stubborn deposits (I mentioned that I wanted material that was easy to maintain) - my dash is covered with fiberglass dust at the moment and he said it would look like ass and take a while to clean if I let it get to that condition because of how much it will trap.
W/ the leather (there wouldn't be any padding, just a thin layer of it) it looks nice, is easy to clean , buuuuuut I wonder if it goes with the look of the car.
*sigh* choices choices
Paint
+ : Looks good
- : Harder to maintain (again, I'm a detailing nut - if anybody even touched my dash I would freak the f*k out because they'd probably induce marring by rubbing the layer of dust on it)
Alacantara
+ : Looks good
- : Harder to maintain. Not to mention my windshield (if I stick w/ the plastic route) wouldn't be sealed so when I was the car water will drip on it and probably be a pain to dry)
Leather
+ : Easy to maintain
??+/-?? : Looks good but does it go with the look of the car. Hmmm.
The $700 quote seemed accurate and the quality of the shop work was excellent. I also liked the fact when I mentioned I was thinking of painting it the owner asked how I planned to polish it every few years when the surface marrs up (as it will inevitably do because of how awkward some portions of it are to clean) ..... gave him the bert stare because I thought I was the only person who cared about proper paint care (no micromarring), lol.
They showed me several alternatives, and I'm (if I decide to cover it) torn between alcantara or leather.
W/ the alcantara it looks nice but he cautioned me I will probably not be happy with the maintenance of it and how it will trap stubborn deposits (I mentioned that I wanted material that was easy to maintain) - my dash is covered with fiberglass dust at the moment and he said it would look like ass and take a while to clean if I let it get to that condition because of how much it will trap.
W/ the leather (there wouldn't be any padding, just a thin layer of it) it looks nice, is easy to clean , buuuuuut I wonder if it goes with the look of the car.
*sigh* choices choices
Paint
+ : Looks good
- : Harder to maintain (again, I'm a detailing nut - if anybody even touched my dash I would freak the f*k out because they'd probably induce marring by rubbing the layer of dust on it)
Alacantara
+ : Looks good
- : Harder to maintain. Not to mention my windshield (if I stick w/ the plastic route) wouldn't be sealed so when I was the car water will drip on it and probably be a pain to dry)
Leather
+ : Easy to maintain
??+/-?? : Looks good but does it go with the look of the car. Hmmm.
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
Seems to me that "Looks good but does it go with the look of the car" is just a way of saying "looks bad". Something looks good only if it does so in the context.
Why isn't "carbon fiber" on your list?
No, that's my way of saying I have some samples but have been too lazy to tape them onto the dash and look at how it would look =)
I was initially visioning it like my transmission tunnel in the cobra - nice leather but very 'poofy' (from the foam underneath)...poofy dash be bad. But he said he wouldn't use any padding underneath, just the thin layer of leather.
So I've got to tape my samples on and consider it. Also, I have 0 sense about style, so I have no idea if it would look good or not since I don't trust my opinion.
Skinning it with cf would be too hard, cf dash is just the barnacles, so I'd have to paint the rest (and since mine is already drilled and whatnot, it's probably just easier to stick with mine). That leaves hydrographics, but I've studied the samples and it doesn't look like real cf to me - looks too fakish for my tastes. Not to mention you're still back at square 1 with the polishing bit if you go carbon/hydrographics (i.e., very difficultto maintain a marr-free finish)
Here's my cobra's dash. Look good, eh?
I absolutely hate it with a passion because it takes me 20minutes to clean it when I wash the car - I have to do so very carefully as to not induce marring (because it's virtually impossible to get a polisher in there), and anytime anybody gets in the car I scream at them if it looks like they're going to come within 10'' of the dash with their hand (why people feel the need to touch it, I don't know). So basically if I paint it I'm going back to that situation, which isn't what I wanted with this car =(
I've banged around the gelcoat dash and it shows in person (marring - most people would give it a 10/10 for finish as is because I wetsanded and polished it last year when I was bored, but I'd give it's actual condition a 6.5 from my detailing perspective) .... however, up to this point I've enjoyed being able to touch it and put my steering wheel on it (for example) and not care. I'd liek to continue that...
I was initially visioning it like my transmission tunnel in the cobra - nice leather but very 'poofy' (from the foam underneath)...poofy dash be bad. But he said he wouldn't use any padding underneath, just the thin layer of leather.
So I've got to tape my samples on and consider it. Also, I have 0 sense about style, so I have no idea if it would look good or not since I don't trust my opinion.
Skinning it with cf would be too hard, cf dash is just the barnacles, so I'd have to paint the rest (and since mine is already drilled and whatnot, it's probably just easier to stick with mine). That leaves hydrographics, but I've studied the samples and it doesn't look like real cf to me - looks too fakish for my tastes. Not to mention you're still back at square 1 with the polishing bit if you go carbon/hydrographics (i.e., very difficultto maintain a marr-free finish)
Here's my cobra's dash. Look good, eh?
I absolutely hate it with a passion because it takes me 20minutes to clean it when I wash the car - I have to do so very carefully as to not induce marring (because it's virtually impossible to get a polisher in there), and anytime anybody gets in the car I scream at them if it looks like they're going to come within 10'' of the dash with their hand (why people feel the need to touch it, I don't know). So basically if I paint it I'm going back to that situation, which isn't what I wanted with this car =(
I've banged around the gelcoat dash and it shows in person (marring - most people would give it a 10/10 for finish as is because I wetsanded and polished it last year when I was bored, but I'd give it's actual condition a 6.5 from my detailing perspective) .... however, up to this point I've enjoyed being able to touch it and put my steering wheel on it (for example) and not care. I'd liek to continue that...
That's how it would be done - no foam, stich&glue
Buuuuuut Rapier cars are all interior'd. I have no interior. No top bulkhead to cover the roll bars....heck, I'm not even using the side interior pieces that do beneath the door (my obsessive compulsive nature demands I leave them open so I can study for leaks on the water pipes =) ). Transmission tunnel? Haha, nope, cables flapping around FTW (actually, I've secured them in place with a custom billet mount that you can see in the above picture)
So I don't know if it will look out of place in that situation? In a fully interior car it'd look absolutely terrific, but in a raw interior? Hmmm.
Part of my problem like I said is I have 0 sense of style. I rely upon others for styling. E.g., people say alcantara looks good. Googling it people like the look of it, so it must be good. Heh.
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
When I look at your picture http://www.gt40s.com/forum/slc-clubhouse/34729-what-should-i-do-dash.html#post338949 I can think of only two things in this order:
- It looks fine the way it is; just wipe the dust off.
- If that's not good enough, cover the dash in whatever the seat inserts are covered in.