Author Topic: repair or replace dash wood / center console box  (Read 10796 times)

mrfatboy

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #25 on: May 03, 2018, 15:03:57 »
It sounds like you are making progress.  Try to posts pictures as you go👍
1969 280sl (Aug 1968 build)
Signal Red
4 Speed

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #26 on: May 07, 2018, 14:49:04 »
attached are some photos of the items stripped waiting on new veneer
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #27 on: May 07, 2018, 14:51:40 »
and here are some with the veneer ,    I had breakout on some of the curves,   I tried to use some water and go slow on the curves . some of the time it worked some of the time it did not.
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

dirkbalter

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #28 on: May 07, 2018, 20:07:45 »
Matt,
Following your reports with great interest. Keep posting please.
Dirk
66 230 SL
70 280 SEL
53 CHEVY 3100
18 C300 COUPE
05 HD FLSTNI

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #29 on: May 09, 2018, 21:08:23 »
everything ready for stain,  there is one veneer curve on the drivers bow i may trim the edge off and re do.   


Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

mrfatboy

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #30 on: May 10, 2018, 00:54:59 »
As a reference I used minwax "special walnut" for my stain.  Pick what you like👍
1969 280sl (Aug 1968 build)
Signal Red
4 Speed

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #31 on: May 11, 2018, 17:58:02 »
hello
below is the varnish i selected for this project
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #32 on: May 11, 2018, 17:59:40 »
project after first real coat of varnish,     the primer coat was cut  50% with mineral spirits.

I hope the varnish / urethane sets up so i can sand out any imperfections in the veneer edges
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

Benz Dr.

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #33 on: May 11, 2018, 22:57:46 »
Keep the final finish dull or you will regret ever doing this job. It will reflect like a mirror in the bright sun.
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #34 on: May 19, 2018, 19:29:14 »
here is a photo of the finished product.

the last coat of varnish was cut 20% with mineral spirits.

more photos to follow
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #35 on: May 19, 2018, 19:31:32 »
some various photos.

besides re veneering the wood,  new seat covers, dash re covered, new wheel skins on steering wheel and re covered horn pad
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

merrill

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #36 on: May 19, 2018, 19:39:31 »
some tips to this project

to gain more space to install the thumb bolt behind the center cluster position the windshield wipers all the way open. (picture)   its hard to see in the attached photo but with the wipers fully open you can get your hand in behind the center cluster and get that nut on.

also, i puts some electrical tape (yellow) on the knurled nut for the tach (or other gauges) to help me keep track of it if i drop it.       I learned this this hard way.  i have dripped the knurled nuts and sometimes they fall in the metal tray behind the instruments,  its a real pain to find the nut with out the tape.

another tip is , once the bracket is on the back of the gauge , I twist the ground wire before sliding it on the stud,  this puts a  little tension on the wire so it does not slide off the stud before i put on the knurled nut.

last tip.   you have to assemble the speaker grille before varnishing,   you will never get it back together if you varnish then try to re assemble.

overall not a bad project,  the veneer on the dash bows could be better.   if i were to do this again i would spend about twice the time gluing the veneer and i would spray the varnish and sand in between coats of varnish.
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

mbzse

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #37 on: May 19, 2018, 20:57:41 »
Quote from: merrill
.../...the ground wire.../...so it does not slide off the stud before i put on the knurled nut.../...
To fit the grounding wire with its eyelet behind the instruments can be fiddly...
One tip is to drill and tap an M4 screw hole in the bracket; and conveniently fit the ground wire onto the bracket before it goes into the hard to reach area, inside the dash.
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=23851.msg170727#msg170727
« Last Edit: May 21, 2018, 11:43:16 by mbzse »
/Hans S

66andBlue

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #38 on: May 20, 2018, 04:58:12 »
You can also elongate the ground wire and push its eyelet over the threaded stem at the back of the instrument and fix it between two nuts.
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

specracer

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Re: repair or replace dash wood / center console box
« Reply #39 on: May 20, 2018, 11:32:17 »
Guess I was lucky (sort of) I decided to refinish the wood when the gauges (cleaning and fuel gauge replacement), heater controls and glove box were all out.