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Recovering & repairing a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
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RickB
Yoda
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
Yes, that was for a radio.
Depends... do you ever want to put a radio in the car?
I have one (pos ground AM radio) that I need to test and see if it works, then I might put it in my MK2 Sprite that has the same dash as yours.
If you leave the hole and cover with vinyl then the hole will be visible at some angles of view and of course someone could poke their finger or something else in there...
Yes, that was for a radio.
Depends... do you ever want to put a radio in the car?
I have one (pos ground AM radio) that I need to test and see if it works, then I might put it in my MK2 Sprite that has the same dash as yours.
If you leave the hole and cover with vinyl then the hole will be visible at some angles of view and of course someone could poke their finger or something else in there...
Trevor Jessie
Yoda
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Trevor Jessie
Yoda
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
That is Drew's (tunebug) writeup.
That is Drew's (tunebug) writeup.
Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
Well, one down. Sort of anyway, I still need to dress these welds.
Cleaning and some weld through primer. My first timing using this stuff, but seemed to work OK.
On the back side, ugly welds but not a repair that is going to see much stress (gosh, it better not anyway!). The metal I used to patch was 22 gauge and my welding skills on that sort of metal was pretty lousy. Took a couple welds to get closer to the right power and wire speed.
Dash/cockpit facing side
Would you just primer and skim the remaining indentation and then primer/seal from there?
Well, one down. Sort of anyway, I still need to dress these welds.
Cleaning and some weld through primer. My first timing using this stuff, but seemed to work OK.
On the back side, ugly welds but not a repair that is going to see much stress (gosh, it better not anyway!). The metal I used to patch was 22 gauge and my welding skills on that sort of metal was pretty lousy. Took a couple welds to get closer to the right power and wire speed.
Dash/cockpit facing side
Would you just primer and skim the remaining indentation and then primer/seal from there?
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
I filled the holes that weren't original on my '63 Midget dash..then, I covered them with a skim coat & primed with a good 2-part epoxy & painted black before covering with black vinyl (backed by a thing layer of foam - maybe 1/8" or less)...I left the factory radio slots just in case I decide later on to add a radio.
I filled the holes that weren't original on my '63 Midget dash..then, I covered them with a skim coat & primed with a good 2-part epoxy & painted black before covering with black vinyl (backed by a thing layer of foam - maybe 1/8" or less)...I left the factory radio slots just in case I decide later on to add a radio.
Gray_Cat
Jedi Warrior
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
Right, I would not bother the cut outs for the radio just in case you want to install one later. The PO of my BE did a real hatchet job when they installed a radio. I ended up having to cut the entire radio opening out beyond the edges and then welded in a piece to fill, then blended the whole thing in smooth using lead. I'm not installing a radio but any future owner can and have a decent starting point now.
Roy
Right, I would not bother the cut outs for the radio just in case you want to install one later. The PO of my BE did a real hatchet job when they installed a radio. I ended up having to cut the entire radio opening out beyond the edges and then welded in a piece to fill, then blended the whole thing in smooth using lead. I'm not installing a radio but any future owner can and have a decent starting point now.
Roy
jvandyke
Luke Skywalker
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
Were they all vinyl covered? Were some crackled painted? I have one I might redo someday, same issue with the radio cut out, someone hacked it up. I also don't know how you go about refurbing the padded cowling along the top and bottom. I have a bottom piece on it but no top. Mine is currently made of wood and looks pretty nice but, well, not "correct" not that it matters much.
Were they all vinyl covered? Were some crackled painted? I have one I might redo someday, same issue with the radio cut out, someone hacked it up. I also don't know how you go about refurbing the padded cowling along the top and bottom. I have a bottom piece on it but no top. Mine is currently made of wood and looks pretty nice but, well, not "correct" not that it matters much.
RickB
Yoda
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Re: Recovering a Bugeye dashboard - tips?
My MK1 Midget dash and my MK2 Sprite dash are the same, vinyl covered steel dash.
My MK1 Midget is a very original specimen, the body is rusted underneath but the dash and many other things on it are priceless to have for reference purposes.
The dash on my Sprite was cut by some hacksaw wielding ape-man DPO in the past, the vinyl covers the hole but I'm afraid someone is going to out their hand (or a tool or ??) through it.
I'd kind of like to pull the dash from the Midget and put it in the Sprite if the radio still works. I need to take a battery out there & connect it up and see what happens. After sitting so long I don't have much hope that it still works but who knows?
My MK1 Midget dash and my MK2 Sprite dash are the same, vinyl covered steel dash.
My MK1 Midget is a very original specimen, the body is rusted underneath but the dash and many other things on it are priceless to have for reference purposes.
The dash on my Sprite was cut by some hacksaw wielding ape-man DPO in the past, the vinyl covers the hole but I'm afraid someone is going to out their hand (or a tool or ??) through it.
I'd kind of like to pull the dash from the Midget and put it in the Sprite if the radio still works. I need to take a battery out there & connect it up and see what happens. After sitting so long I don't have much hope that it still works but who knows?
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