Well my dash has started to lift around the vent and I'm looking at pulling and repairing it but come across this on flee bay ,has anyone got one of here and how did it fit ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-STITCH-DASH-DASHBOARD-LEATHER-COVER-FITS-NISSAN-300ZX-Z32-1990-1996-/351217409217?fits=Model%3A300+ZX&hash=item51c6305cc1:g:Rg0AAOSw54xUW1LH

Hmmm. Have fun!!

 

There's a very good reason that trimmers (myself included) charge considerably more than that to make and fit a leather dashboard...

Mondo would you like to come round and have a cup of tea and a bacon sarny lol

It's a kind offer :lol: but I wouldn't fit someone else's work anyway, I'm afraid.

Fit yours and I might get Jaffa cakes to :lol:

I am really interested what this would look like although bit concerned that it fits over the current leather rather than removing it first... Whenever I think about a dashboard retrim it fills me with fear.

I am really interested what this would look like although bit concerned that it fits over the current leather rather than removing it first... Whenever I think about a dashboard retrim it fills me with fear.

 

The ONLY way to successfully trim a dashboard in leather is to remove the original vinyl first.

I say buy it and pay a couple hundred to get it fitted to your dash...

Probably safer to have Mondo build and fit one rather than risking the cover being poor quality, specially if paying to have it fit... their feedback has mixed reviews for the quality

Probably safer to have Mondo build and fit one rather than risking the cover being poor quality, specially if paying to have it fit... their feedback has mixed reviews for the quality

Great point! I let him down.... Because on every purchase I make I always research the sellers feedback religiously for myself and didn't show you love! LOL

Edited April 4, 20169 yr by The_Ikon

I say this not because it's my line of business but simply because there are minute variations in panels, even from the same model, spec and year of car; it's usually easier to have something made bespoke than to buy something "off the shelf" and then have it fitted.

 

The most recent dashboard I've trimmed was out of a Toyota Celica and it was labour-intensive, to say the least!

 

I made a pattern:

 

 

Then I spent a few hours removing the original vinyl covering:

 

 

Then I made the new cover and fitted it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole process took about 4 days to complete, and they were long days! As I've said before, when trim is fitted in the factory, it usually involves a fair amount of heat and a bloody big press - that ensures there are no wrinkles or creases in the vinyl.

 

For someone like me to make a cover and fit it, there's no access to anything like that so I have to use an accurate pattern, a decent eye and a lot of glue...

 

They look nice but they're a lot of hard work.... :surrender:

Nice job ,so how much ?

Looks brilliant though Si, must have been satisfying putting it back together

Soooooooo how much as asked above? Haha

would a steamer or an iron help with the wrinkles? Obviously you have to be careful not to melt the glue or get the timing right while the glue is still wet enough to move the material

would a steamer or an iron help with the wrinkles? Obviously you have to be careful not to melt the glue or get the timing right while the glue is still wet enough to move the material

 

What wrinkles...?

 

The glue is a contact adhesive so it has to be "dry" before the two surfaces are pressed together. Once that's done, it's hard work to separate them again! Also, I'd NEVER advocate using steam on leather - as leather is basically treated animal skin, the last thing you should subject it to is boiling water... think of what it'd do to your own skin... ;)

 

As for how much a leather-trimmed dash costs, made and fitted: around the £500 mark.

I remember seeing Ish on West coast customs using a steamer on some seats lol, thought it was a possibility. Im talking generally, not on your dash lol

I remember seeing Ish on West coast customs using a steamer on some seats lol, thought it was a possibility. Im talking generally, not on your dash lol

 

Proper automotive leather can handle limited exposure to high heat, but steam will quite simply ruin it. It soaks through the surface to the hide underneath and then, when it all dries again, it gets harder and significantly reduces both the feel of the leather and its' lifespan.

 

Terrible idea......

The dash looks top drawer craftwork!

No sign of wrinkles!!

 

I would gues ( poorly?) 4 days work + cost of material for that dash as 1.2k !

The dash looks top drawer craftwork!

No sign of wrinkles!!

 

I would gues ( poorly?) 4 days work + cost of material for that dash as 1.2k !

 

Oh, how I wish I could charge £1.2k for a dash retrim! :(

 

There's a lot of hours goes into something like this, but I don't get to charge a decent rate for that sadly...