TR4/4A TR4A Wood Dash Refinishing

[Stinger]

Has anyone ever tried to refinish the wood dash on a TR4A without removing the dash? Thanks

 

[Kleykamp]

I would think you would still need to remove the guages and by the time you did that you would be almost home on removing the wood part of the dash. You would have to sand the dash which would be very problematic with the guages in place. If memory serves me the wood is just an overlay on the metal dash that should be fairly easy to remove once the guages were out.

 

[mtlman8]

Sanding at that angle would very tough. Why not take it out? Not to mention stain and laquer all over the place.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I assume you mean with the instruments in place since removing them is the major part of dash removal.

Sounds to me like a formula for disaster.

 

[karls59tr]

Although it's probably not the ideal way to refinish the dash I think it is doable. I'm going to try it this summer before I put new floors and Interior in etc. The gauges will have to be very carefully masked off with green painters tape and sanding will be a bit tricky maneuvering around the gauges but this can also be accomplished.Have to keep everything dust free between steps. I'm going to stain,use sanding sealer and put urethane or marine varnish on the woodwork instead of lacquer. I'd rather do it this way than take all the gauges out but to each his own.

 

[Rrbbeerrttoo]

I wish you success. However, the Tr4a small gauges can be removed quickest by small hands. Speed and Tach can be removed by anyone as they have the most room ( I did it recently in 30 min.) so you may wish to consider at least removing those two.

Robert
66' tr4a

 

[glemon]

The Dash is really pretty easy to take out, in the big picture I think you could do the re-finish faster and better taking it out, take some digital pics under the dash, use some masking tape (wrap a piace around the wire and identify where it goes with a pen) to identify where things go to make the reinstall easier.

 

[tomshobby]

I refinished the dash in my TR6 and re-veneered one also. I cannot imagine any circumstance that I would try it with the dash in place.

 

[TR6BobNF]

Has anyone ever tried to refinish the wood dash on a TR4A without removing the dash? Thanks

I did my old TR4A dash years ago and my TR6 dash more recently and I removed both from the cars. Using a 3-step process as you suggest, I applied stain, sanding sealer and urethane, sanding many times. It was not difficult to remove the gauges, switches and dash and to mark all the wires. In my personal opinion, a lot less hassle than trying to do the job with the dash and gauges in place. That's my experience but in the end it's your call. I found the original TR4A dash 20 years later in an old restorer's garage and bought it back for $20, including the four small gauges and ashtray. It was nice to see the refinish had held up. I had kept the original TR4 wheel as the car had a Nardi in it when I sold it in 1984. They are now "wall art" in my garage.
Cheers,

 

[Rrbbeerrttoo]

Another thought, consider that a dash positioned vertically will simplify the "law of gravity" doing its job, causing any applied fluids, varnish/urethane/stains/, to leave some runs.

 

[KSIS]

What about finding a used dash and refinishing that one then replacing the old. I think it would be very difficult and unsatisfying to do it in place.

 

[HerronScott]

I did my old TR4A dash years ago and my TR6 dash more recently and I removed both from the cars. Using a 3-step process as you suggest, I applied stain, sanding sealer and urethane, sanding many times. It was not difficult to remove the gauges, switches and dash and to mark all the wires. In my personal opinion, a lot less hassle than trying to do the job with the dash and gauges in place. That's my experience but in the end it's your call. I found the original TR4A dash 20 years later in an old restorer's garage and bought it back for $20, including the four small gauges and ashtray. It was nice to see the refinish had held up. I had kept the original TR4 wheel as the car had a Nardi in it when I sold it in 1984. They are now "wall art" in my garage.

Bob,

The important question is what happened to the rest of the car that the dash was attached to??

Scott

 

[TR6BobNF]

Scott:
Good story actually. Sold the car + a parts car and a truck load of parts for $400 in 1984 as had no garage, new baby, the usual. The guy swapped the TR4's for an Opel and the old guy took all the parts and created a restored TR4A, which he sold to a local dentist around 1987. After being driven only a couple of summers it sat in the dentist's garage covered with junk until about 2005 when my TR6 buddy's friend bought it for about $2500 and I got a chance to drive it again. The friend restored the car again, repainted it in the original BRG and sold it locally last summer for about $7500 so the 5 yr old '67 TR4A IRS that I bought in 1972 for $500 + trade of a very nice '66 Fairlane 2-door hardtop is still on the go. I was the third owner of the car, purchased in 1967 by a local architect and sold by him to his cousin, a friend of mine who only had it 1 year. He traded it on a new 340 Duster and I picked it up from the car lot. It's nice to see the car still around and I think it's cool to have my wall hanging as a memento of my time with the car. I knew it was my dash because I had glued the TR shift pattern disc (like you see on the top of a stock TR6 shift knob) to the dash above and between the fuel and water temp gauges. It was still there when I spotted the dash hanging on the old guy's wall. There were 4 or 5 dashes among the parts so he used one he liked better I guess. Still has the Nardi in it too!
Cheers,

 

[HerronScott]

Glad to hear that the car is still on the road. Was worried since the dash was no longer with it.

Scott

 

[Stinger]

Thanks for all the input. Removed the wood dash today and it wasn't as difficult as it looked. We'll try to refinish it this week. Is it best to replace the new lower and center dash padding first before installing the wood dash? Thanks

 

[KVH]

Glad you took it out. I've done two, and yes you just ought to take them out to work on them.

I bought a new one from Randy Keller in Santa Ana, and for my other I just re-used it after a good polishing, but often look at it and wish I'd replaced it with a deeper richer wood and grain. Some other day.

You should install the new upper dash pad first, if you are planning to do that. They are fairly cheap to buy, but you have to remove the windshield and that can be a hassle if the sleeves under the dash are bound up or rusty. The trick there is to remove the screws, then apply some oil, then grab the sleeves and rotate them back and forth. The windshield will slide right out.

Forget that if you already did it, or if you're not doing that at all. No big deal. Aesthetics and preference.

But the other crash pads all go on later. Last. After the dash is in. Otherwise a number of things can happen--you'll be forcing the fit, potentially damaging things, and they'll just be in the way.

Be careful not to force anything on the dash. You'll have to adjust a bit. The signal and ignition light may also require adjusting.

Also, careful not to damage or lose your backing plate for the grab bar on the passenger side, and be sure to lubricate and clean up all the nuts, washers and studs on the crash pads/grab bar. Also, if yours has it, don't forget to attach the side bolt that strengthens the switch plinth by securing it to the dash side structure. That gives better strength than merely the front screws that hold the plinth to the dash.

You may want to call around for new chrome screws as well. They'll look better. And use some "Mothers" on the chrome rings around the gauges, and maybe order new gauge gaskets--they cost 3 bucks.

If your steel dash frame has rust, I'd suggest you sand it all off and paint the frame before reinstalling it.

Good luck.

 

[sail]

new gauge gaskets--they cost 3 bucks.

Where did you find those? Thanks

 

[Stinger]

Thanks for the additional info. We just ordered a complete set of gauge gaskets from Moss. Large gauges 2.45ea and the small gauges are .95ea .

 

[Stinger]

Due to the veneer damage looks like were going to be looking for a replacement dash. Bob,interested in selling your "wall art"?