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TR4/4A Ok - Now I Tore the Dash Apart - What's Next?

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rnpennington

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As the title says, I am redoing the dash of my TR4 - Primarily replace the dash pads and wood dash - but I hear there is a disease common to LBC Car Owners known as Shipwrights Disease. I am working on resisting, but I do have a few assembly questions:

1) Do you normally apply an adhesive to the top crash pad when replacing it. The one I just tore off had lots, but it seems to me that you can just as easily not apply the adhesive - which would be my choice unless good reasons exist to apply the adhesive.

2) I am also replacing the windshield seal. The PO had a LOT ( again a LOT) of sealer between the windshield seal and the body. I have taken off as much as I would like to without cutting into the paint there - however - it is not a very smooth surface. Pretty smooth, but not like a baby's butt (unless the baby had a small case of acne). How smooth should I make it. Again - it seems the windshield seal should be able to absorb small imperfections in smoothness - but I again await other opinions.

3) Without breaking the bank, I would like to clean up the chrome bezels on the instruments and the glass. Just twist them until I can take the Bezel off and then chrome polish and glass cleaner or are there other ideas?

Lastly - Are the carpets supposed to be glued down? I think from seeing other examples they should be fastened, but not glued. One of the next step will be replacing the carpet and it seems that fastened would be a better idea, so if (when) they get wet I can take them out to dry.

Let the comments begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Don't glue the pads down. That way they can shift around on bumpy roads and direct sunlight and look like your dash has a disease.
Be careful on those carpets. Gluing them down doubles the strength of the rusted out floor and sills.
Probably all that's holding it together.
 
Let's take this one at a time:

Shipwright's disease - After you get everything apart, check your vent ducts. They will never be easier to replace than right now. Ditto the cardboard glove box.

1 - You can get by with using a light coat of adhesive around the edges. Spray both surfaces, wait about 5 minutes then apply. Get it right the first time, you won't get a second.

2 - If you are going to use the existing windshield seal you definitely want to consider using some sealer as those rough surfaces are on the rubber as well and rain water loves little crevices. It gets harder with a new seal because they tend to roll under the window frame when you are assembling. It can be done but is a PITA.

3 - Chrome polish will do the trick. I like Simichrome.

Carpeting - should be attached with fasteners for the reasons you stated.
 
I would like to replace the vent ducts but cannot find them anywhere so I plan to reuse the existing ones. From what I can see, there are two screws at the front, but it looks as if they are attached at the back only by pressure. Any hints as to the best way to make sure they stay attached, as one of my issues was they were falling down in the back.
 
Hi Bob,

Relative to the Chrome Bezels & "ALL" your chrome parts. I`ve always used "1000 grit" Very Fine Steel Wool on all my chrome parts before putting on any polish. You`ll be amazed how good your chrome looks!! Them some polish to simply protect the finish.

You don`t have to press hard as well. The more times you lightly go over the chrome; The better the finish.

Have Fun,

Russ
 
As I recall, I used little or no glue on the dash pads, Maybe just a touch along the edge to hold it in place until the windscreen frame was installed -- then it is well clamped by that frame.

I did not use sealer on the glass grommet - but then I live in the desert so I seldom drive in the rain.

Oh wait - sometimes I do drive in the rain, but don't put the top up. That's why I do not glue the carpet (other than some vertical surfaces):

carpet_zps697c7fa2.jpg


Can't answer about the air vents although I did this and it seemed obvious at the time.
 
rnpennington said:
I would like to replace the vent ducts but cannot find them anywhere so I plan to reuse the existing ones. From what I can see, there are two screws at the front, but it looks as if they are attached at the back only by pressure. Any hints as to the best way to make sure they stay attached, as one of my issues was they were falling down in the back.
Click to expand...

They are available at The Roadster Factory. They attach at both ends with hose clamps.
 
Joe,
Are you talking about the heater ducts? That's not what I was referring to. I was referring to the fresh air vents that exit to the ends of the dashboard. On the TR4 (At least mine) there are two screws to the metal fascia in the front, but the back seems to be just attached by pressure to the firewall area. There are some rubber gaskets between the cardboard tube and the metal in the firewall area, but no hoses on either end to clamp to and I can't figure out how they attach in the back.
 
I wish my memory was better - that's why I take photos. When I removed the wood dash from mine the vents were still there:

metal-dash_zps47b3d370.jpg


Even after I had the metal dash removed, there they were:

dashmetal_zps9a7a0f3b.jpg


As for the forward end of the ducts - I'm thinking they just fit against the ductwork in the firewall (it's just air after all).
 
Geo,
I'm guessing that one of the reasons mine kept falling down was that after I removed the wooden dash, I found that each air outlet had only one screw used, and they were loose.

I'm hoping that once I put it all back together using all the screws - the problem will go away. I think I will use a silicone caulk on the end that goes against the firewall just in case - you know the belt and suspenders solution.

Thanks for the pictures - I like the way the carpet looks in your car. Did you do that or was it that way when you got it.

Oh no - Shipwrights disease coming on - new carpets will look so good - MUST STOP MUST STOP
 
The TR4 had its original carpet ( and original everything else) when I got it. I kept everything I could but 37 year-old-carpet was just too funky.

What you see in the photo was the replacement which looked good for a couple of years then turned into a weird orange color. The vendor sent me a replacement piece for the worst section (the tunnel, probably because it got the most sun) but that also turned orange.

I won't name the vendor cause usually they have really good stuff, but I will mention that the carpet I have now came from Moss and while it isn't quite as nicely stitched as the other supplier's, it has retained it's gray color quite well.
 
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