How to Restore/Fix/Repair a Cracked Vinyl Dash - Toyota Hilux Pickup/4Runner PART 1

Today I'm restoring an old cracked dash from a 1987 Toyota Pickup Truck using the following steps:
- grind the cracks into a V groove with a dremel
- enlarge vent openings
- fill cracks with long strand bondo
- fill smaller areas with regular bondo
- sand smooth
- apply adhesive to vinyl and dash
- wrap vinyl over dash
- trim excess vinyl

Products used:

Dash Cap Links:

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Here are some other Toyota videos you may find helpful:

[geolemon]

As a several-decade veteran of mobile audio fabrication, I can tell you - you WANT the thicker Marine-grade vinyl, and you want "so much heat my fingers are burning". There are tools that are made for rolling and pressing vinyl - you don't want to use your fingers.

The thin vinyl will just stretch-out, it's the extra material in the thick vinyl that allows you to stretch it. You could have avoided the seam on the side - thick vinyl stretches enough to pull right across that corner and not have a seam.

That dash recess is just a difficult stretch - your technique is fine with making a mold, and you were right to START with that recess. You didn't sand your mold smooth though, so you got texture. If you had sanded the texture out, you also would have created just enough clearance for the vinyl. Win/win.


Other than that - impressive to figure all this out on a first effort - really impressive. Great job.

[dan-andreichira]

This is by far the most sincere DIY video i've seen out there. For everyone of my projects I used to struggle afterwards because of selfdoubt due to the mistakes I made(most of the stuff was first time attempt) but this gives me confidence. Thank you very much for this very informative video!

[simonwoodward]

That's solved a 20 year old dilemma for me, I have a cracked dash to repair on a old 944, I currently have a spare which is also cracked so I will that first, cheers for the video.

[haroonaziz]

This is my first video of this channel and I'm amazed how much information one can put in one video I loved the fact that you showed how difficult a diy project can be and the mistakes to avoid when doing it yourself

[hugoaguilar]

Don't remember the time I clicked on a video so fast... thank you for all the hard work you put into these videos.

[benjaminwhitt]

Who else stuck around cause dudes just... this was oddly relaxing dude... was just so well made

[maurocont]

oh man...I know all the effort needed to get a result this good, I did this exact same work a couple years ago and made the same mistakes, It's really a lot of work. Great job!

[lovetrump]

Love it...thanks for showing how a DYI job actually works...the first time at least. Second time is better, third is the charm!!

[Bob]

Great video. It's one of those things that you don't know how to do until you've done it. Kudos for pulling off the first vinyl and redoing it instead of just accepting the results.
Thanks to all the comments that are constructive with advise. Cheers.

[panagiotisharos]

Congratulations... excellent... regards from Athens Greece..

[by_yotaguy]

Ok I watched entire video and you definitely deserve an A+ for effort! You demonstrated everything I want to try and more. I was rooting for you the entire time! If it wasn't for the top recess it would have turned out awesome at the beginning. VERY RESPECTABLE VIDEO THANK YOU!

[justindarnell]

You helped me out a lot I just bought my first father son project that we will be attempting this with just for the experience thanks

[Bruceanddenise]

Thanks for going through all the trouble for me. You've worked through all the ideas I had for wrecked, BMW E30 dashes.

Alcantara may be the solution.

[waqasahmed]

Now this is one original DIY project that is very natural in its making. Thats exactly how it works. You make a plan then you execute it and you come to know a lot of problems and you tackle them and makes you frustrated 😁😁
I love you man for what you were doing.

[lauramildon-clews]

I have a 1975 Toyota Crown. As I live in New Zealand it is right hand drive. It had cracks in the dash and I repaired it in a very similar manner. I used a fabric backed 4 way stretch vinyl. The adhesive used was made by a company in NZ called CRC. It is similar to the product that you used. This is a very angular dash, but it came out very well

[mfundenimthembu]

You've got some really nice viewers... That's all I can highlight.

[philgriswold]

Very good timing. I'm just starting on a 1988 single cab 4x4 and, of course the dash is cracked. I think I'll go with the replacement part versus home made. I have a grey interior, but I think I'll stay with the black for the contrast. That seems to be big in new cars. Most videos edit out all of they mistakes, thanks for keeping it real.

[nataliepotesta]

The fact that you kept all your mistakes in the video I have subscribed. Honesty pays off

[clyderasmussen]

Its a lot faster to use a can of spray foam insulation or sealant for filling the cracks instead of bono or fiber filler. Sets up rigid then block sand it down. Brush on liquid contact cement holds best. Use 4 way stretch textured vinyl and some gentle heat. Work from the center outward to the ends. Use lots of spring clamps along the edges. If possible staple the edges that extend around on the back side.

[markw]

You rock man.If I can see it done I can redo it. I was 20 and seen a man swap a motor. Went home and swapped the one I had knocking. Fired right up. That was 30 years ago in a apartment complex.Yeah they were mad but i had it done before some one could say no. Used the same truck to go get the motor given to me for free and borrowed a cherry picker.Pulled the old motor and set it in back, and got the new motor and put it in the truck. Because you dont skip like a lot of people do, and even tho it is fast forward i can see and reproduce what you do.Thanks man it helps a lot.