Anybody ever paint there dashboard?

**kickercivic1** · 01-06-2004, 11:33 AM

Hi i am installing sharp Lq10d421 in my center consoul and i have to cut some,fiberglass part of the dash and all that mess. I was figuring if am going to take that dash a part i might as well try to paint to look like outside of my car which is sliver, but i was wondering it is better to fiberglass the whole dash or just paint over the stock?

**StratusPh34r** · 01-06-2004, 11:57 AM

The best thing you can use for painting your dash is Vinyl Dye, it works great on any vinyl or plastic surface. I've been using this stuff for years for painting plastic PC parts like drive covers. Go to your local auto store, it will be located with the spray paint.

**wizardPC** · 01-06-2004, 01:07 PM

i painted my dashboard in my truck, and if i ever did it again I would use dye. I had like 7 coats of clear on top of the 4 coats of white and still, everytime somebody other than me got in the car--scratches.

I swear I painted that thing like 6 times in 6 months.

oh yeah, don't paint you dash a light color like white or silver. it looks cool and all, but at night the streetlights reflect off the dash and onto the front windshield, making it impossible to see whats in front of you!

**00CericaRuss** · 01-06-2004, 02:58 PM

are you planning on doing the entire dash or just a console portion?

I've done both dye my entire interior from grey to black, and painted my center console/air vents/gauge surround silver

**antimatter** · 02-29-2004, 02:54 AM

What about if there is some bondo. Would you have to primer it first. doesn't the dye just color the plastic not coat it with a color. If so wouldn;t it look diferent if you have areas on your dash that have been bondo's together such as a lilliput screen hacked into the dsh and bondo's / sanded?

**e_z_street** · 05-08-2004, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by antimatter

What about if there is some bondo. Would you have to primer it first. doesn't the dye just color the plastic not coat it with a color. If so wouldn;t it look diferent if you have areas on your dash that have been bondo's together such as a lilliput screen hacked into the dsh and bondo's / sanded?

BUMP

Can anybody validate the above quote? I have a dash part with some holes that I want to fill. I want to use vinyl dye, but I don't know if the areas with bondo will blend. I think there is also epoxy putty, which might work better with vinyl dye.

By the way, this is a good Guide/FAQ for applying vinyl dye:

http://www.gideontech.com/guides/vinyldye/

Thanks

**frodobaggins** · 05-08-2004, 11:38 PM

Vinyl dye bonds with the plastic. It would not match if part was covered with bondo.

**e_z_street** · 05-09-2004, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by frodobaggins

Vinyl dye bonds with the plastic. It would not match if part was covered with bondo.

Thanks Frodo. That's what I was afraid of. I guess I have to buy primer, paint, and clear-coat now. Hope it doesn't get all scratched up.

**Altimat** · 05-09-2004, 12:21 AM

The primer is necessary to fill the porous surface of the bondo before painting, much like a sanding sealer over raw wood. I fill pinholes with a thin squeegied on last coat of filler. Sand this lightly with 220 before priming. Spray several coats of primer allow each to flash off (solvents evaporate, primer becomes flat). Overlap onto the plastic some, but make sure you only spray over a border of plastic sanded for adhesion. I follow the last coat with a light mist coat of a contrasting color of paint. This allows you to better "see" when you are sanding. Allow to dry at least overnight in a warm dry location. If any pinholes remain, they can be filled with the cheap red spot filler in the toothpaste tube, but allow it to dry overnight too.

**chrislloyd** · 01-08-2008, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Altimat

The primer is necessary to fill the porous surface of the bondo before painting, much like a sanding sealer over raw wood. I fill pinholes with a thin squeegied on last coat of filler. Sand this lightly with 220 before priming. Spray several coats of primer allow each to flash off (solvents evaporate, primer becomes flat). Overlap onto the plastic some, but make sure you only spray over a border of plastic sanded for adhesion. I follow the last coat with a light mist coat of a contrasting color of paint. This allows you to better "see" when you are sanding. Allow to dry at least overnight in a warm dry location. If any pinholes remain, they can be filled with the cheap red spot filler in the toothpaste tube, but allow it to dry overnight too.

I am curious how one would go about matching the texture of the dash on a smooth surface like bondo.
i am about finished with the fabrication of a custom center console for my truck... i am trying to determine if its best to try and cover with vinyl or paint to match. the vinyl would have the texture and be very close in color... but very difficult to wrap. the paint would match, be easier to apply, but would be painted on a smooth surface. the console connects the lower center part of the dash to the existing center console between the bucket seats. i think the lack of texture would stick out like a sore thumb.