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Oysterpirate Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2015 Posts: 5 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:34 am Post subject: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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Hello,
I have a 1969 Karmann Ghia that I am restoring. I have noticed some people taking off the plastic wood cover on the dash and just painting it the color of their car. I thought this looked pretty slick but wasn't sure how to worked out. Does it affect the stock value of the car? I assume I could always just glue on a new dash if I changed my mind. Any opinions?
Thanks. |
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sactojesse Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2006 Posts: 2655 Location: Sacramento, California, USA
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:55 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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I did it to my former 1969 ghia coupe back in 1990-91. The dash is already painted underneath the woodgrain plastic dash face, but mine had dried glue residue. Also, there are holes and indentations that will need to be filled if you want the smooth look. I prefer the painted dash look to the original faux woodgrain, but it won't be original. As you mentioned, you can always glue a plastic woodgrain dash over it if you change your mind later. _________________ 1966 Karmann-Ghia convertible |
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CiderGuy Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013 Posts: 1351 Location: Bucks County, Pa
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:10 pm Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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Oysterpirate wrote: |
Hello,
I have a 1969 Karmann Ghia that I am restoring. I have noticed some people taking off the plastic wood cover on the dash and just painting it the color of their car. I thought this looked pretty slick but wasn't sure how to worked out. Does it affect the stock value of the car? I assume I could always just glue on a new dash if I changed my mind. Any opinions?
Thanks. |
Getting the dried glue off for me has been a bitch, but I do plan on painting the dash on my 70 convertible. I personally think the fake wood grain cheapens the look of the car. _________________ ----------------------
Cars Currently Owned:
1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)
Timing is everything |
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selwood Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2008 Posts: 44
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:58 pm Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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I painted mine because it looked better with the slight mods done to the car. Took a lot of prep work (stripping/sanding) to get it right, but it was worth it.
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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Tim Donahoe Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012 Posts: 11739 Location: Redding, CA
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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In 1969, I bought my first car--a 1969 Karmann Ghia. The only thing that bugged me about the car was the faux wood grain dash face. It looked chincy. To hell with keeping it stock. Paint it.
Tim _________________ Let's do the Time Warp again!
Richard O'Brien |
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NOVA Airhead Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005 Posts: 5221 Location: Richmond, VA
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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I think the painted look is better if you fill in all of the holes, etc. I had a car where the PO painted the dash but did not fill in the holes. In that case the wood grain looked better. _________________ Ghia Owner Emeritus |
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bhartwell59 Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2014 Posts: 788 Location: dallas, tx
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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NOVA Airhead wrote: |
I think the painted look is better if you fill in all of the holes, etc. I had a car where the PO painted the dash but did not fill in the holes. In that case the wood grain looked better. |
Hmm... I was thinking about pulling the black pebble grain and going painted dash. But dealing with the holes might be more than I bargained for, however, I guess Bondo is your friend in this case. _________________ '74 Zambezi green Ghia vert, autostick, 101k
'87 Jeep Wrangler, 4.2, 330k |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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J1 Samba Member
Joined: February 10, 2014 Posts: 698 Location: SoCal
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 12:43 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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I've been wanting to paint too since it's the part you see the most! But the preferred technique would be....?
Just cut sheetmetal to fit each hole, weld, grind, filler? Or are there more efficient tricks like welding one long strip from the back and using more filler than one might admit? _________________ 1971 Ghia coupe. Assume I know nothing and you'll be pretty darn close to the truth. |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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kiwighia68 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013 Posts: 2867 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:21 pm Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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NOVA Airhead wrote: |
I think the painted look is better if you fill in all of the holes, etc... |
I followed the advice you give here. Woodgrain is not available for RHD, but just as well, since a poor quality woodgrain dash could never compete with a good painted dash (with the holes filled in). _________________ Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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jarnarcos Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2020 Posts: 14 Location: CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 6:13 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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How about getting thin sheet of plexiglass or acrylic. Trim to fit, drill out the holes for the speedo clock and controls and then paint the back surface...the one that is in contact with the dash. Anybody tried/heard of this? |
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KGCoupe Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005 Posts: 3580 Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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Several members here have been very successful in improving the look of their dash by applying 3M's DI-NOC product on the dash face.
I think everyone that has done it so far has used a woodgrain pattern of some sort, and there are quite a few to choose from that are much nicer and more realistic looking than what VW originally used.
However, I believe the DI-NOC is also available in a myriad of solid colors as well.
Although it's highly unlikely that you'll find a perfect color match, perhaps you could find a solid color that compliments or contrasts the color of your Ghia.
You could even do something completely different and try something like the stainless steel or carbon fiber look DI-NOC. |
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Frelly Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2021 Posts: 5 Location: Prescott, AZ
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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:50 am Post subject: Re: Should I paint the dash on my 1969 Karmann Ghia? |
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c21darrel wrote: |
I painted mine too. It will be a lot of work filling all the holes in a 69 to prep for paint. Dont expect an afternoon of stripping and paint by evening.
Love the tach selwood^^^ hard to find a 52mm tach!
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What are the red and green circles above your gauges? We have a painted 67 dash and have two holes in that location we need to be creative with. Thank you. |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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