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rlutterb Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2006 Posts: 1391 Location: Carrollton Ohio
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:54 am Post subject: |
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.................I gotta agree with some of the others though, those dash caps look like ass the fit and finish of them is shocking, I wouldn't say much better than a cracked stocker.
I've yet to see one that looks decent........... |
Yes, you are correct, this looks like total ass......not......unless I point it out, 99% of even VW people don't realize it's a cap.
_________________ 1973 Super Beetle
1978 Ford F-250
2020 GMC Sierra |
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19-VW-74 Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2009 Posts: 757 Location: Utah
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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rlutterb wrote: |
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.................I gotta agree with some of the others though, those dash caps look like ass the fit and finish of them is shocking, I wouldn't say much better than a cracked stocker.
I've yet to see one that looks decent........... |
Yes, you are correct, this looks like total ass......not......unless I point it out, 99% of even VW people don't realize it's a cap.
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Looks very well done. _________________ -Austin
My 1974 Standard Beetle Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=492617 |
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Joel Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2006 Posts: 11099 Location: NSW Australia
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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As long as you're happy with it that's all that matters.
The view from the backseat just doesn't show well the exposed edge of the dash cap around the inside of speedo binnacle.
That would just bug the shit out of me as the driver is getting a constant close up view of it. _________________ Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle |
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Dwayne1m Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011 Posts: 3538 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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That cap does look very good. Much better than I thought it would. How thick is the cap? Did you have to modify it at all to fit? How about the color match? It's hard to tell from the picture. |
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Scott Gray Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2008 Posts: 181 Location: Flat Lick,Ky.
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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My super has that cap on it.I didn't realize it was a cap for over a year.I thought it was made that way.I went to look at a parts super and that's when I noticed the difference.The cap is hard plastic and the stock dash is foam. |
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shakers73 Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2011 Posts: 820 Location: Saltville, Va
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BenJAMin Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2004 Posts: 461 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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I restored my car years ago and used the cover. But, that fiberglass dash intrigues me, has anybody ever seen one? |
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hellthorne Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2010 Posts: 42 Location: Orlando, FL
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rlutterb Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2006 Posts: 1391 Location: Carrollton Ohio
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:18 am Post subject: |
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Joel wrote: |
As long as you're happy with it that's all that matters.
The view from the backseat just doesn't show well the exposed edge of the dash cap around the inside of speedo binnacle.
That would just bug the shit out of me as the driver is getting a constant close up view of it. |
.....and I guess you have to be happy with that cheesy looking dashmat that screams 'hey everybody, check me out, I'm hiding an f'd up dash under me and my owner is too cheap to fix it' _________________ 1973 Super Beetle
1978 Ford F-250
2020 GMC Sierra |
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rlutterb Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2006 Posts: 1391 Location: Carrollton Ohio
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:23 am Post subject: |
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Dwayne1m wrote: |
That cap does look very good. Much better than I thought it would. How thick is the cap? Did you have to modify it at all to fit? How about the color match? It's hard to tell from the picture. |
I don't know the specific guage thickness of the cap, but it is quite thick enough to be durable and hold it's shape. I did have to shave the cap where it goes under the existing metal trim up under the windshield. I just kept slowly trimming a bit off at a time till it lines up correcty, then I used rivits to anchor it before using the contact cement.
The finish of the cap is not an exact match to what was under it, but I have seen some super clean later model verts with the original dash where that finish was very similar to what my cap looks like. It's a good compramise to spending $500 for a perfect used one, or trying to see if that new Jbugs fiberglass one will work. _________________ 1973 Super Beetle
1978 Ford F-250
2020 GMC Sierra |
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rlutterb Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2006 Posts: 1391 Location: Carrollton Ohio
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:28 am Post subject: |
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BenJAMin wrote: |
I restored my car years ago and used the cover. But, that fiberglass dash intrigues me, has anybody ever seen one? |
I agree that the jbugs dash is intrigueing, but it concerns me that it has no metal in it. The metal in the structure under the factory dash gives support for all the switches, radio, and glove box. I guess if the fiberglass is thick enough, it would be OK. We'll have to wait to hear from a few folks that have installed one. For $499, I would probably just troll the classifieds till you find that rare mint factory dash that comes up every so often. It will fit and won't have to be trimmed, likely making the installation much more simple. One mans opinion _________________ 1973 Super Beetle
1978 Ford F-250
2020 GMC Sierra |
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bgprest Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 158 Location: Plano, TX
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:14 am Post subject: |
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rlutterb wrote:
I agree that the jbugs dash is intrigueing, but it concerns me that it has no metal in it. The metal in the structure under the factory dash gives support for all the switches, radio, and glove box. I guess if the fiberglass is thick enough, it would be OK. We'll have to wait to hear from a few folks that have installed one. For $499, I would probably just troll the classifieds till you find that rare mint factory dash that comes up every so often. It will fit and won't have to be trimmed, likely making the installation much more simple. One mans opinion.
I agree with your line of thinking but you also have to be a little wary of the mint factory dash. The thing is that they are still 30+ years old even if "new in box". I heard of one guy putting one in and it developed cracks within the first week. Now that would be heart breaking! |
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thechief86 Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2012 Posts: 860 Location: middle tn
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:35 am Post subject: |
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bgprest wrote: |
I researched and found a good way to fix small cracks... using a combination of super glue and baking soda. Super glue is an acid and baking soda is a base so it acts like a catylist and together they form kind of a super glue filler. What I did was to carefully sprinkle baking soda into the crack (using a magnifying glass and a tooth pick). Once I filled the crack, I then put some super glue into a hypodermic syringe so I could squeeze out very small drops. With the magnifying glass, I dropped tiny beads of superglue onto the crack and the baking soda did a great job of soaking it right up (capillary action) so I didn't end up with any glue on the surface. After it cured, which is basically immediately, I used a very fine paint brush to paint the crack black (since the super glue / backing soda combination dries kind of a beige color). Anyway, I was very impressed with the results. The spot looks like a faint old scar on your skin rather than a crack now and it sealed the crack from gettting bigger or curling.
I recommend trying this for small cracks. I don't think it would work very well if the crack has already curled up though. You need to catch the cracks when they are fairly new and uncurled. |
this sounds really cool. can we get a pic of how that turned out? |
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bgprest Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 158 Location: Plano, TX
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:57 am Post subject: |
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thechief86 wrote: |
this sounds really cool. can we get a pic of how that turned out? |
I'll see what I can do. It may be kind of hard to capture in a picture. |
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rlutterb Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2006 Posts: 1391 Location: Carrollton Ohio
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:55 am Post subject: |
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bgprest wrote: |
I agree with your line of thinking but you also have to be a little wary of the mint factory dash. The thing is that they are still 30+ years old even if "new in box". I heard of one guy putting one in and it developed cracks within the first week. Now that would be heart breaking! |
Tru dat' _________________ 1973 Super Beetle
1978 Ford F-250
2020 GMC Sierra |
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Joel Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2006 Posts: 11099 Location: NSW Australia
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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rlutterb wrote: |
Joel wrote: |
As long as you're happy with it that's all that matters.
The view from the backseat just doesn't show well the exposed edge of the dash cap around the inside of speedo binnacle.
That would just bug the shit out of me as the driver is getting a constant close up view of it. |
.....and I guess you have to be happy with that cheesy looking dashmat that screams 'hey everybody, check me out, I'm hiding an f'd up dash under me and my owner is too cheap to fix it' |
Oop hit a nerve,
eh, you get that.
My bug is built for go not show, I don't fuss about visual stuff that doesn't add performance or comfort so yes I'm quite happy with my cheap shitty dash fix, serves it's purpose well.
Has anyone seen one of these in the flesh?
I'm wondering if it's the case of catalog and website photos being flattering, you can't fake vinyl texture well with fibreglass. _________________ Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle |
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sunbugone Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2005 Posts: 85 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:48 am Post subject: |
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This place restores them.
http://www.justdashes.com/index.html
I have two 74' supers. I am the original owner of one of them and the other has had the dash restored. My hardtop is developing more cracks and it is too nice of a car to put on some crappy band aid. I called and was quoted $750 to restore it. My convertible with the restored dash isn't quite factory looking but way better than cracks or any other remedy. I'm not sure who did the work on that one....I will find out. It's worth the money to me _________________ 1974 Sunbug
1974 Sunbug Convertible
1970 Westfalia |
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