I've been tired of of looking at the cracked dash for awhile now. So a few days ago I pulled the dash out and started searching for a way to fix my cracked dash pad. In the process of doing that I read this thread, which opened up my eyes to the possibility of fiberglassing the thing over. Then I did a bit more searching and found several threads like this one which is only slightly more involved and includes modifying the original dash with gauge pods.

I've never worked with fiberglass before, but for my little project it doesn't look terribly difficult - worst case scenario, I bugger it up and have to spend a lot of time sanding to get it presentable. You'll note in the second link they started by peeling the old cover off and leaving the foam backing attached. I didn't do either, but I did re-glue the pad to the metal part of the dash where it had lifted and sanded down any high spots near the cracks.

Picked up some resin and fiberglass cloth for ~$20


Took the dremel to an a-pillar pod and then heat molded to it to fit the dash. Here it is glued in place with some precision bent "all thread" to build up the dash pocket a bit


dash all wrapped up like a mummy. This was a bit of a pain as the cloth kept coming apart and I'd get long threads stuck to my hands. I used a few dabs of glue in key spots to hold it in place on the dash - don't go nuts with the glue though because it'll prevent the resin from soaking through later.


The first coat's done. Now I gotta let this dry, then tomorrow it gets a second coat after some sanding. My understanding is that the bit covering the vents just get cut out and sanded to blend, I'll see how that works when I get there. See the white spots? That's where I used glue to hold the cloth in place.

 

I have the same crack in my dash. i was kickin around this idea too. Just was not sure how it would turn out! I am subscribing to this thread. Keep the pics coming!

 

Don't know if I'll ever get around to this, but subscribed! Might just get me to do it anyway.

 

Good work! I'm interested to see how this turns out! I might take this idea and use it on my '83..

 

Subscribed! I'm very interested to see how this all turns out. I also have a crack on my dash that has been killing me for years. I've never played with fiberglass before but, there is always a first time.

 

Subscribed. I might try this on my K5. When you sand your dash make sure you ware a mask, gloves and long
.

 

The fiberglass got sanded down with some 80 grit in a block, vent openings were cut out with a sharp razor and I knocked down the high spots in the first layer. Then I built up the edge around the pocket with some bondo just as it started to rain.


I'm hoping the rain stops so I lay the second, and probably final, layer of fiberglass on

 

Looks like a great idea!! I've got a massive crack in mine also and have been unable to source a new one (or old un-busted one) so I'll be watching to see how this turns out.

 

Unfortunately, the cloth in my second layer was kinda loose and started to fold and wrinkle when I applied the resin. I also mixed the resin too hot and it started to gel and harden before I could get it smoothed out and make it stick.

Somewhere in the midst of this, I asked Corey (Slacker) from Toyota Fiberglass for some advice and got this reply:
It kinda sounds like I didn't really need to wrap it in one piece and just made the project more difficult for myself . . . live and learn

So I used a sharp razor to cut out the bubbles and folds. I cut up some of the scrap cloth that I had left over into "patches" that I could use to fill the craters that were left. I also mixed the resin much cooler this time, in fact it took nearly 5 hrs to fully cure this time around instead of the usual 1-2 hrs. While I was at it I added another layer to the bottom and sides of the dash pocket and wrapped a layer over the gauge pod. The remaining resin got brushed over the front and top of the dash with a little bit used to "seal" the edges around the vent openings.

This morning (as soon as it stopped raining) I cut the frayed ends of fabric off and started sanding down all the patches. Here it is after the first coat of primer. I'm not done sanding and smoothing, but this will let me see where I need to work on yet. If I was flocking the dash it'd be done the way it sits since the flocking will cover bad sanding, but I'm painting it with Rustoleum Hammered finish so more sanding is in order.

 

Looks really clean man, it's awesome.

 

I test fit the dash and found that certain areas had to be trimmed for it to fit properly - all of the trim work was done with a sharp utility knife which made things easier.

The screw holes and edges here . . .

. . . sit on here. See the plastic slot under the screw tab that the dash slides into? I had to sand the fiberglass just a hair thinner than it was to get it to slide in properly


the fiberglass that I originally had wrapped around was cut along this line so the dash will sit on the forward shelf properly

I also had to cut small notches for these clips . . .

. . . . which slide into the dash here


so now that I know the dash fits with the fiberglass on it, it gets one very thin coat of bondo to fill any pin holes or irregularities before final sanding and paint

 

nice job!! I might pull mine and practice on it..

Off topic, but your rucksack collection looks familiar

 

if it comes out too good looking u might have other guys sending there dash to you to get theirs done... but it is looking good.

 

Subscribed

 

*laugh* You're going to love this. (a tad off topic but you'll understand)

I was looking through the pictures last night before bed and my lady (who thinks "trucks" are 3/4 ton and larger Chevy gassers) asked what I was looking at. I showed her the pics and she says.... wait for it...... "why would someone spend all that time on an old Toyota instead of just buying something new that doesn't have all those cracks, heck he could at least just go out an buy a new dash or something couldn't he?".


I damn near walked outside and gave my 1st gen a hug.

Can't wait to see the finished install so I can pull mine and do the same thing (and make my lady go nuts when she comes home to a fiberglassed 20+ year old dash drying on the dinning room table).

 

My dash is not cracked too bad, and I've used f'glass and resin to repair my whitewater boat several times...this might be a good weekend project to add a few gauges and "stuff" to the dash of mine...MORE PICS!!!

 

gotta have a separate bag for each job: tool sack, hiking day/hydration pack, recovery bag, compressor

slightly off topic: I'll be in Portland for a weekend at the end of April for the Oregon Trail rally, I think I'm working Course Marshall or radio comms

I've had one or two questions already, but I really only have this kind of patience for my own stuff.

completely understand. I could sell or trade in my rig for something newer with a nicer ride and power windows, but then I wouldn't have my trusty RN61 to cruise the zombie apocalypse in.

 

Yup. My ZAP (Zombie Action Plan) includes my 4runner, from this point on will be referred to as the RB4R-P, and it's carrying ability.

*laugh* I just had a mental picture of a convoy of 1st gen runners leading the way out of a Zombie assault..... I think we'll do well.

 

On the 1st gen 4runner, the hardest thing about yanking the dash is taking out the far side passenger vent to get to one of the mounting bolts. One of the quick things I did to make dash removal later easier is break off the locking tab on the dash vents, spring tension from the clip will keep it in place anyway.


3 coats of Rustoleum Hammered and I slid it back into place. It's a bit glossier than I wanted, so I'm gonna live with it for now and I might respray it with dark grey interior paint later - otherwise, the color match came out pretty good

View from the driver's seat

Passenger's side


Since the vents sit recessed in the dash a bit I want to wait 2-3 days for the paint to completely cure before I put them in to avoid scratching the paint.

 

Man that looks good. Thanks very much for posting this mod, now all I have to do is wait for some better weather, rip my out and have at 'er!