Refurbishing dash panels

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crazy4557

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I have a Targa 43 with a dash that looks tired and is starting to flake paint, corrode and generally deteriorate.
Currently 2 panels are painted grey and one panel (Central one) is a poor fake looking carbon fibre.
My question is what's available on the market to replace my current panels?

I can go the fake wood look, maybe painted a colour of my choice or wrap in carbon fibre but are there other alternatives?

Carbon fibre wrap looks good and would be my current favourite but maybe you might suggest a better one?
BTW the ally panels will be cleaned and reused to keep costs sensible.
 
crazy4557 said:
I have a Targa 43 with a dash that looks tired and is starting to flake paint, corrode and generally deteriorate.
Currently 2 panels are painted grey and one panel (Central one) is a poor fake looking carbon fibre.
My question is what's available on the market to replace my current panels?

I can go the fake wood look, maybe painted a colour of my choice or wrap in carbon fibre but are there other alternatives?

Carbon fibre wrap looks good and would be my current favourite but maybe you might suggest a better one?
BTW the ally panels will be cleaned and reused to keep costs sensible.
Click to expand...

Try Brian Ward electrical, they do a good job http://www.brianwards.co.uk/ or Axon http://www.axoncomponents.com/
you can send yours in as a pattern to either have recovered or new made
 
Tender_aft said:
There are firms that do laser cut replacement of your fascia. I can't find the one I was looking for (perhaps someone else can), but here is an example...http://carbonweasel.com/marine.html

Depends how much you want to spend though. (do you want plastic copy or the real thing?)
Click to expand...

That stuff looks good but maybe very expensive? I've pinged them an email and will let you know if they are affordable.

Thanks for the link.
 
we did our dash which was in exactly the same state by sanding off the coating & laminating with 2 pack epoxy with a formica type laminate then re cutting the holes using the original holes as a guide the raw edge was merely brushed in to look like the edge of a wood laminate then (or black if you want carbon fibre look) once dry I sprayed the whole thing with a clear 2k automotive laquer

there is an endless choice of colours of wood or plain or metallic finishes & once lacquered it looks like a factory finish I think we looked at formica & egger & another but I cant remember the name we got samples sent from both companies which I used as test pieces

if you don't have access to painting facilities you should be able to find a small bodyshop who will laquer the panel while they put the clear on a car for sensible money
 
Car styling shops also offer self-adhesive fakewood sheets, if you like:
44501_0_m_800_1200.jpg


21x75 cm, 2 mm thick
 
crazy4557 said:
That stuff looks good but maybe very expensive? I've pinged them an email and will let you know if they are affordable.

Thanks for the link.
Click to expand...

Just had a quote back from these guys and for 3 dash panels in carbon fibre the cost is £1300 plus the vat. Just a bit too rich when you can get a wrap that looks 90% as good for about £100 - 150.00.
Very helpful and speedy quote from them so no problems with the firm just the price.
 
re - taking out the instruments - I only removed the raymarine stuff which is easy to do if you remove the fibreglass panel just below the helm. I left all the engine instruments in place but I did unscrew the panels so they are loose enought to fold the film around the back so the edges are covered. To go around the edge gently heat the film and stretch it a bit as you go around the edge. You put the film over the engine instruments and warm it carefullly with a hot air gun whilst pressing with a clean soft cloth into all the little gaps. A lolly pop stick helps too. The film stretches and shrinks accordingly. then you cut around instruments with a very sharp knife (craft knife, scapel etc) and peel off the unwanted bits. I did remove the large panel that has the radar/plotter etc mounted on it as its very easy to remove completely, and the little crescent shaped panel over the companion way - thats a good place to start and have a bit of a practice first.

To do around the steering mounting I undid the mounting bolts so I could lift the whole assembly clear by @ 2cm. In this way you do not have to undo all the hydraulic pipes etc. Then its like wallpapering around a light switch. apply the film over most off the panel and cut out a hole for the steering bits but make sure the film goes under the steering mount. You end up with a small join below the steering mount but again smooth it all down carefully and stick a small rectangular strip over any slight gap. The carbon fibre film has a grain in the surface so match the rectangle to the main panel and you will never see it. If you go on the sealine costa blanca website my old t43 is for sale and there is a good photo of the dash. Make sure you abrade the aluminium first with wire wool and de-grease it with meths before you stick the film on.
 
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crazy4557 said:
Just had a quote back from these guys and for 3 dash panels in carbon fibre the cost is £1300 plus the vat. Just a bit too rich when you can get a wrap that looks 90% as good for about £100 - 150.00.
Very helpful and speedy quote from them so no problems with the firm just the price.
Click to expand...

Have you tried Axon? That's the first place I'd go.
 
petem said:
Have you tried Axon? That's the first place I'd go.
Click to expand...

I've used Axon a couple of times and they always deliver a great job. I'll contact them and see what they can offer.
Does anyone know if the removal of the hydraulic pipes for the steering wheel is a small/PITA job? I'm going to have to remove the panel underneath the steering wheel whatever happens unless I do what Kashurst has suggested but I don't like joins/patches. Rather get it done correctly.:)
 
I considered this too, however the join you end up with is about an insch long under the steering mount. Very hard to see once everythings back together as the steering assembly shades it and you have to squeeze betwen the seat and the wheel to get even close to it.
 
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