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Hi all. Quick question. I’ve got a CMC car here that’s undergoing the build to put it on the road.

Its going to upholstery next week and just wondering if there is an alternative method of fixing the dash pads to the dash other than what  it states in the manual (Glueing).

Rich


Are we ever finished ;-)

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I've done the same (screwing it to the dash from the backside), but I cut small grooves into the front (cockpit side) of the dash rubber bumpers using a Dremel and cut-off wheel and pushed small wing nuts into the grooves and then screwed into those from behind the dash after the vinyl was covering the bumper.  Couldn't think of a better way to anchor it securely.

Screws thru the vinyl covering is visible tacky.  I was going to position bare rubber, drill hole thru rubber and FG dash then drill countersunk hole size of a small carriage bolt, apply RTV/silicon goop to hold carriage bolt and fill in over the head -- then finally cover with the vinyl and apply trim pieces.  The square bit on the head and the RTV should keep bolt from twisting.  I like Gordon's wing nut idea too.

Ok you guys gave me something to think about and  I’ve come up with this. 3mm stainless bar as it’s all l had in the workshop. Bent to the dash profile and threaded the ends. Dremeled out a chanel half the thickness of the foam/rubber pad, to sink the threaded bar. I’ll do the same with the bigger pad another night as it’s getting late here in the UK.

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Last edited by RichardMaxwell

Ok you guys gave me something to think about and  I’ve come up with this. 3mm stainless bar as it’s all l had in the workshop. Bent to the dash profile and threaded the ends. Dremeled out a chanel half the thickness of the foam/rubber pad, to sink the threaded bar. I’ll do the same with the bigger pad another night as it’s getting late here in the UK.

Clever fix. The two ends being joined will keep it all from twisting as you tightened it all up.

@Stan Galat posted:

Complete aside-- but where can a guy get a set of those rubber dash-pad bumpers?

You may be interested in these pics that I have saved from the internet.

356-speedster-dash2bour1_bbour2bour4bour5

I had considered the method above because I wanted a thinner, more original looking dash pad.  However, I ended up ripping the original CMC rubber in half on a band saw to reduce the thickness.  Then I embedded some T-bolts (made from elevator bolts) into the rubber for attaching (see below).  The pics above may be an even better and easier solution.

Carpet2Windshield Install2IMG_0636

I didn't really answer your question, but maybe this is useful info. 

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Last edited by James
@James posted:

You may be interested in these pics that I have saved from the internet.

356-speedster-dash2bour1_bbour2bour4bour5

I had considered the method above because I wanted a thinner, more original looking dash pad.  However, I ended up ripping the original CMC rubber in half on a band saw to reduce the thickness.  Then I embedded some T-bolts (made from elevator bolts) into the rubber for attaching (see below).  The pics above may be an even better and easier solution.

Carpet2Windshield Install2IMG_0636

I didn't really answer your question, but maybe this is useful info. 

I was looking for the CMC pieces, I guess. I know the thinner/flatter pieces are more original, but I really like the Intermeccanica/CMC semi-circular trim pieces.

@Stan Galat posted:

I was looking for the CMC pieces, I guess. I know the thinner/flatter pieces are more original, but I really like the Intermeccanica/CMC semi-circular trim pieces.

If I had not butchered mine I would let you have them and then tried making some!  But, probably better that I just used what I had because I tend to get off track with details and projects move reallllllly slowwww.

James

Last edited by James

Hi all. Quick question. I’ve got a CMC car here that’s undergoing the build to put it on the road.

Its going to upholstery next week and just wondering if there is an alternative method of fixing the dash pads to the dash other than what  it states in the manual (Glueing).

@RichardMaxwell did you just buy the pads or came with car. Was looking for them as well as the ones on top of the door panels. if you recently bought... where. Thanks

The rubber dash pads came with the car. Sorry can’t help.

If you struggle to find some. Here in the uk a few 356 car brands use a 1/4” hardboard strip and cover one side with foam and shape. They use something similar to the escalator bolt mentioned  but it being a nut to fix to on the foam side of the hardboard. If that makes any sense.

Door tops, again here in the uk are either fibreglass or routed from some hardwood. Bit like the dash brows being wood.

Just an FYI for those who've never held one of those pads and might be missing them in their build, they are made by pouring an expanding (artificial) rubber foam into a mold.  The foam then expands through a chemical reaction and fills the mold.  They don't look as though they've been trimmed of any excess out of the mold along the dash side, so I would guess that it is a closed mold that ejects excess out of a port somewhere, which is then trimmed off after curing, or they knew how much stuff to pour in to hit the top of the mold.  If you look closely at them, they're not straight towards the ends - they have a gentle curve that is molded in, but they would take the shape of the dash with the right positioning of fasteners.  

Some version of "Foam-iT" would work, but I don't have enough experience with it to recommend one AND the stuff can be expensive (like $30 - $50 to make a set).

Lacking a mold to work with, everyone we've heard of on here has either made their bumpers out of wood or some other material that will hold the shape and is able to take the shape of the curved dash and which is also able to be stapled to from the rear.

You could also look at Polyethylene foam sheets, say, 1-1/2"- 2" thick and 54" X 24" and cut what you want out of that.  The stuff is easily cut with an electric carving knife and it can be shaped either with wood working tools or with a wire knife ( a short length of wire connected to a power source (12 volt battery).  When it heats up it slices through the foam like Buttah.  You can make one using a decent soldering gun, or buy one of these:

https://www.micromark.com/Free...XvCpi04aAr-kEALw_wcB

Last edited by Gordon Nichols
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