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Car Dashboard: compound curves & cracking finish

11/10/20       
James Wilson  Member

I’m an absolute beginner, but I want to restore/build a veneered dash for my cars.

First up is my 1988 TVR280S that came with a factory “wrap-around” veneered dash. The first photo shows the whole dash with a lot of compound curves. There are no obvious cuts or wedges visible. How could this be done?

Second, as shown in the other photos the finish is starting to crack a little. Could I fill these with something like 1. acrylic glue, 2. Casting acrylic resin 3. Epoxy or 4. Something else. I have no desire to refinish the whole unless it gets far, far worse.

So, two questions:

how could I produce a small item like a cover for the indicator stalks that is rounded and has compound curves?

And what would be best for filling or repairing small cracks in a veneer finish?


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11/10/20       #2: Car Dashboard: compound curves & ...
TonyF

James Wilson:

It looks like plastic.

TonyF

11/11/20       #3: Car Dashboard: compound curves & ...
James Wilson  Member

Tony F:

I was told that it was veneer, and it cost £4-500 in 1988 ~$7-900 roughly.

The attached brochure seems to say it’s Brazilian mahogany.

But it is very thin. The second attachment is a photo of the glovebox door. This looks to me like a mdf/fiberboard substrate to a veneer surface.

The third photo is the edge of the dash pulled away from the dash top cover, these edges feel like wood.

The finish certainly looks plastic-y, that’s why I asked about repairing it with acrylic or epoxy. The car has a Fiberglass body, and photos of the back of the dash look like Fiberglass mat.

Could veneer be steam formed over a shaped Fiberglass substrate?

Note: the company has been reorganized since the car was made so I doubt any company contact would know.

I understand that this option was very rare, in the authoritative manual for the car, an expert says he’s seen only 2 examples, with a little over 500 cars of this model built.

I’d like to make a shaped pod using veneer over a Fiberglass (easy to make) or wooden (harder to fabricate) form. But the TVR’s looks seamless while I could only see doing it with radial wedges, or a flat front with wings curved around the sides?

11/11/20       #4: Car Dashboard: compound curves & ...
James Wilson  Member

The section from the sales brochure as a photo since the .pdf wasn’t accessible.


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11/11/20       #5: Car Dashboard: compound curves & ...
Tom Gardiner

The substrate is mahogany. The burl looks to me to be walnut veneer. The veneer is applied with a silicone membrane in a vacuum press. Moist veneer has the ability to stretch around compound curves and tight radii if it is supported by the membrane. If you want to attempt anything like this buy a bundle of cheap veneer and google vacuum pressing. Start simple with pressing flat veneer in small sizes. Progress through simple curves before attempting any complex pieces with expensive veneer. Paper backed veneer will not be suitable for compound curve work because it resists stretching.
There are videos of McLaren veneering dashboards online as well as other manufacturers.
Repairing the finish should be left to the pros. You will end up with a mess trying to fill or blend in any product to that finish. Try talking to car or boat restorers. The "lacquer" is likely polyester.


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