Re: "Dash Cap" Adhesive ?? (74 Spider)

[Scott Fisher <sfisher71@domain.elided>]

--- Tim Sheridan <tds6599@domain.elided> wrote:
> Wilmington NC -- Jan 31, 2002
> 
> Hey Cats:

My God!  He's channeling Stefano! :-)

> 2 questions:
> 
> 1:  best way to remove this goopy crud that was the
> old adhesive 

The trick is to get the goop off without dissolving
the dash cap.  I'd start with something gentle like
Goo-Gone (wonderful stuff, took a 10-year-old or older
swatch of old tape residue off the dash of the 356),
knowing it wouldn't hurt the dash cap.  If that didn't
work, then I'd try small quantities of acetone, after
CAREFULLY ascertaining whether or not it dissolved the
dash cap (as they say about hair color, "test in an
inconspicuous location.")

And if THAT doesn't work... leve the black goop in
place, then fill in the low spots with the answer to
#2 to level it out.

> 2:  what kind of adhesive is recommended when
> installing the "new" dash cap 

3M brand Trim Adhesive is your friend.  Lots of
"fiddle time" in case you have to move or adjust the
piece you're gluing down.  Only problem: it's an
ochre-yellow, so you have to be very careful at the
edges.  

I've dash-capped several non-Alfa sports cars, and
found that you will need a couple of other things to
do a good job:

1.  A sharp knife.  You may need to trim corners or
edges of the dash cap (though as this has been
installed once, chances are it's not going to need
this done to it).  You may also need to trim flat some
of the worse cracks in the dash that you're covering;
maybe your car hasn't developed the sunburned curled
edges at the crack, but I had to do this on all three
of the M.G.s on which I repaired the dashes.  Just cut
them off flat with the rest of the dash.

2.  A selection of bricks, oversize books, cans of
pomidoro pelati con basilico, or other heavy objects
to weight the dash cap down while the glue dries.  You
*may* be tempted to use duct tape/racer's tape to hold
the dash cap down.  There are two problems with this:
a) the tape won't want to stick to the vinyl of the
original dash, and you'll waste a lot and get very
frustrated finding a place where it'll stick; b) when
it comes time to peel the tape off, you run the very
real risk of delaminating your newly glued dash cap.

3.  A weekend or more for the glue to dry.  The most
frustrating thing that can happen is that you fiddle
with the dash cap too early and it all peels off
because the glue hasn't really set yet (see 2b).

4.  Some black silicone RTV (room-temperature
vulcanizing) sealer.  Used sparingly, it makes a
passable filler for any really visible gaps between
the dash and the dash cap.  A tip I've used after
reading it in a hot-rod magazine: use an ice cube to
smooth over the surface of the RTV.  The ice melts
rather than sticking to the RTV, meaning it doesn't
pull it up into a lumpy, wavy surface.  Also useful if
you use RTV to seal windscreen-rubber gaps.  Not
sufficient as an adhesive to hold down a dash cap for
very long (BTDT).

5.  Patience.  See 2b again.  Take your time fitting
it "dry" -- before you put any glue anywhere -- and
pay particular attention to any places where the cap
has warped or curved, as you'll need to fit those with
great care.  Watch out for places where the glue might
ooze out, too -- not as big an issue with the original
black goop, but a potential problem with the 3M.  And
in addition to letting the dash cure for most of a
weekend, plan to check it from time to time in case
the bricks/books/pomidoro cans have slid out of place,
leaving the dash cap to dry at an ungainly angle.

All in all, it's not difficult to do a good job with
these products, and they really dress up an eyesore
without too much work.  As with everything, the amount
of care you put into the job will reward you in the
outcome.

Best,

--Scott Fisher
  Tualatin, Oregon
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