Hi Tom,
I saw your question to Art on the Triumph list. If you aren't a member try
it out in digest mode.
Anyway, I have some tips I sent to another list member a while back about
how I did mine. Here they are.
--------------------------------------------------------------------Hi Noah,
Did you buy the $5k TR-4 that needed some work? If so good move!! You'll
never avoid having to put some work into these cars so you might as well
save some money for the inevitable expenses. Besides, I don't really think
you are really a Triumph owner until you've swapped a tranny or two;^)
As for reveneering a dash it's a pretty straightforward process. First you
remove the dash from the car, take your time and mark everything. Then you
need to check your existing dash for warpage, rot, etc. As long as the base
material is solid you can start removing varnish or vaneer. If the vaneer is
still good but the varnish is cracked you can try to just remove it using
scrapers and a heat source. On my Herald I used a heat gun, but I've heard
of people using hairdryers and heat lamps. If the vaneer itself is shot
you'll need to remove it using razor blades or scrapers, go slow!!
If you can save your vaneer then just give it a very light sanding using
very fine sandpaper or steel wool, then spray with marine spar varnish.
If you need to replace the vaneer you'll have to sand everything smooth
first. Do this by hand with a sanding block!! Select your vaneer from a
lumber yard, I chose African Mahognay. Cut a piece large enough to cover the
whole dash and glue it down with good outdoor grade wood glue. Coat the
vaneer and place the dash on top of it then press it all together. Try not
to have any excess glue seeping out where it could get on the vaneer. I used
two pieces of heavy press board to sandwich the dash and vaneer together.
Then I walked on top of them to make sure everything was good and stuck
together.
Once everything was dry I used an exacto knife to carefully cut out the
piece where the glovebox goes. I could have used a different piece, but I
wanted to at least try to have matching grain. After this you just use a
router to trim the edges and holes for the instruments. I bought a router
attachemnt for my dremmel tool so I could cut out the smallest holes.
Carefully sand and finish and you're done!!!
If you've never done any woodworking you should see if you can get a friend
to help with this project. Woodworking is even more popular a hobby than
restoring cars so you should be able to find someone. Failing that you could
take a class at the local Jr. College. I predict though you'll leave this
task till at least next winter, this spring you should concentrate on
getting the tranny fixed and brakes working right.
Go out to Sears and buy yourself a set of hand tools, get a shop manual and
check in with the list often. You'll do just fine.
Oh, I almost forgot.
JOIN YOUR LOCAL CLUB!!!
Chances are someone there will have done whatever you need to do before and
they can help with tools, expertise and that extra set of hands.
Cheers,
John Matthews
From: "Freeman, Noah" <Noah.Freeman@Bain.com>
To: "'john__matthews@hotmail.com'" <john__matthews@hotmail.com>
Subject: reveneering
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 16:11:23 -0500
I got your email forwarded to me from Stephen-
How do you reveneer a dash? WHere do you get the new veneer? How do you
take the old one off? How do you do this whole thing (woodworking
newbie)...are there directions somewhere?
Thanks a ton!
Noah
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