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Spitfire Wood Spitfire dash

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BritishCarMan

BritishCarMan

Senior Member
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After just reaquiring my old 1979 Spitfire I went over it to see what all it needed to be driveable again. I noticed the wood dash's lamination is peeling and bubbling. Is there a simple way to fix this? Also this dash is from a 1976. Is there much difference between a 76 and a 79 dash?
 
I'm an MG guy just visiting, but on the Mercedes forums some people have rec'd removing the wood pieces and refinishing them yourself. New dashes or used replacements may not fit just right and you may need to modify them anyway.
 
I will be tacking the same problem on my 78 Spit soon. I saw some oak veneer at Lowes that might do. There are two versions. One is attached using glue and one has a heat activated adhesive already applied which you heat with an iron. Looks like you just iron the veneer onto the old surface. Of course, the old surface must be clean and smooth. I haven't tried this yet and Lowes only has oak but it looks like it may work.
Good luck!
 
As with any project, the prep is the key. If you have not dealt with veneer before, be prepared to learn that it is very, very thin. The preparation of the substrate is of paramount importance. Any imperfection or the smallest piece of trash or grit will "telegraph" through and be visible. Sand with high grit paper and clean, clean, clean.
The more time you spend on surface prep the better result you will have. It also helps to have some way to exert constant pressure until the adhesive cures.
If you are careful and take your time you can achieve a good result.
 
Thanks for the advice on refurbishing the dash. I'm sure it will turn out good. But there is one thing I'm still not sure about. Is the 76 dash and 79 dash different or are they exactly the same.
 
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