Tiny bump on my dash pad - need advice
05-13-2009, 08:43 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Tiny bump on my dash pad - need advice
I need a little guidance on the best way to address this. This bump has been there since I bought the car over 2 years ago and it’s got to go. I’m in the middle of several projects including painting the dash its original bright blue so I have the pads off. (BTW… removing the pads was an experience; I think I came up with a couple of new curse words). Anyway, I don’t know what caused the bump. There’s nothing directly behind it and if you press it there doesn’t seem to be anything very hard under it. A few of the dash clips were rusted (leaking windshield issues) so maybe it’s a bit of rusting metal.
Luckily, it’s close to the edge so my thinking is that I would slowly peal back the skin, see what’s there and smooth it out. Perhaps use a small vinyl iron (from a repair kit) to apply a little heat to the bump. Glue it all back.
I don’t what to screw this up and have to re-skin so I’m asking for a little guidance before I do anything.
Thanks
Luckily, it’s close to the edge so my thinking is that I would slowly peal back the skin, see what’s there and smooth it out. Perhaps use a small vinyl iron (from a repair kit) to apply a little heat to the bump. Glue it all back.
I don’t what to screw this up and have to re-skin so I’m asking for a little guidance before I do anything.
Thanks
05-13-2009, 09:19 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
Joe, I think the Vinyl is stretched and there is no way to Shrink it. A little Crazy Glue under it and hold it down till the Glue sets is about all I can offer. Al W.
05-13-2009, 11:32 PM
#3
Former Vendor
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The pad appears to have been dyed to the dark blue but the pimple is odd!
There is nothing in the pad made of metal that would cause this. (Unless a clip was under the pimple rusting) Is there a clip hole under this?
On the old reproduction dash pads we used to take a screw driver and clean out the foam area where the clip was to be placed, this was a risk if you were not careful since you could poke in the vinyl. What you have is not looking like anything like this and I’ve never seen a pad do this new or used.
You might try to remove the skin on the side and pull it downward but I doubt all of this dimple will come out! It may help it look a little better but it will still be there. If you try this you need to keep in mind that the pad vinyl has foam attached to it so when you peal it back only go to the edge where the foam is mated to the underside of the vinyl! If you separate the foam from the vinyl you will regret it.
Heat will not shrink the vinyl, but it will make it softer and more pliable should you try to pull this out from the lower edges. If you rub on the vinyl pad or need to rub something out, lay a towel on the vinyl pad and rub on top of the towel. Do not rub the pad with the towel or direct in any fashion, it will create a shinny spot on the pad.
Willcox Inc.
There is nothing in the pad made of metal that would cause this. (Unless a clip was under the pimple rusting) Is there a clip hole under this?
On the old reproduction dash pads we used to take a screw driver and clean out the foam area where the clip was to be placed, this was a risk if you were not careful since you could poke in the vinyl. What you have is not looking like anything like this and I’ve never seen a pad do this new or used.
You might try to remove the skin on the side and pull it downward but I doubt all of this dimple will come out! It may help it look a little better but it will still be there. If you try this you need to keep in mind that the pad vinyl has foam attached to it so when you peal it back only go to the edge where the foam is mated to the underside of the vinyl! If you separate the foam from the vinyl you will regret it.
Heat will not shrink the vinyl, but it will make it softer and more pliable should you try to pull this out from the lower edges. If you rub on the vinyl pad or need to rub something out, lay a towel on the vinyl pad and rub on top of the towel. Do not rub the pad with the towel or direct in any fashion, it will create a shinny spot on the pad.
Willcox Inc.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 05-13-2009 at 11:35 PM.
05-14-2009, 07:32 AM
#4
Drifting
I know that my dash pads were very dry and easy to crack (because I cracked 'em). I would give some serious thought to replacing them. It would be a shame to go through all that work a second time if one cracks in the near future.
Gerry
Gerry
05-14-2009, 08:11 AM
#5
Drifting
I would consider poking a very small hole directly in the middle, ensure that it now sits flat......get to where I could apply some adhesive via this tiny hole, and tack it back down.
Something has obviously stretched it a fraction in this area, if like a pizza bubble with nothing but air behind it, and now needs to have excess taken up.
I doubt it would be even close to visible, done carefully, even if you pointed folks at it.
JMHO,
RK
Something has obviously stretched it a fraction in this area, if like a pizza bubble with nothing but air behind it, and now needs to have excess taken up.
I doubt it would be even close to visible, done carefully, even if you pointed folks at it.
JMHO,
RK
Last edited by RoadKing96; 05-14-2009 at 08:16 AM.
05-14-2009, 08:32 AM
#6
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Go to a pharmacy and get a syringe, just tell them it is for a craft project. Then inject some 5 minute epoxy, just a little! Next, using your hand or small cloth covered clamp force the bubble down. The pressure may/will cause some epoxy to come out of the hole, so remove pressure after 10 minutes or so and clean any purged glue from the surface.
As mentioned above, I would consider having them re-skinned, by A. knoch or any other local interior company.
Good Luck!
As mentioned above, I would consider having them re-skinned, by A. knoch or any other local interior company.
Good Luck!
05-14-2009, 09:58 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
vinyl removal
A heat gun will loosen the bond between the vinyl and foam. Work from the back edge, heat it up and you should be able to peel up the vinyl off the foam. Once you get the edge up, direct the heat into the vinyl/foam interface. The bond will soften, allowing you to peel back the vinyl around the edge of the pad. Do not try to heat through the vinyl - get the heat UNDER the vinyl.
Now you should be close enough to brush some contact cement under your "outie" and press it down. All that's left is re-glueing the skin back down to the underside of the pad.
I used this method to completely de-skin some original pads without disturbing the foam.
Now you should be close enough to brush some contact cement under your "outie" and press it down. All that's left is re-glueing the skin back down to the underside of the pad.
I used this method to completely de-skin some original pads without disturbing the foam.
05-14-2009, 12:03 PM
#8
Drifting
1) The enemy of good is better! It looks O.K. Leave it alone.
2) Whatever you do will probably make it worse and require a reskinning. Leave it alone.
3) If you simply can't abide options 1 and 2, I second the small syringe approach, but would make entry from the side as the puncture will be less noticeable. By measuring the distance from the edge of the pad to the "bump" and transfering this distance to the catheter, you should be able to place the glue exactly where it is needed.
2) Whatever you do will probably make it worse and require a reskinning. Leave it alone.
3) If you simply can't abide options 1 and 2, I second the small syringe approach, but would make entry from the side as the puncture will be less noticeable. By measuring the distance from the edge of the pad to the "bump" and transfering this distance to the catheter, you should be able to place the glue exactly where it is needed.
05-14-2009, 12:14 PM
#9
Safety Car
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Too bad you can't beat on it with a shrinking hammer.
Since the vinyl is stretched, anywhing you try will probably just make it worse.
I'd repaint it, "warts and all".
Since the vinyl is stretched, anywhing you try will probably just make it worse.
I'd repaint it, "warts and all".
05-14-2009, 02:53 PM
#10
Team Owner
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I'd leave it alone. 
05-14-2009, 03:03 PM
#11
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Being that you already have the pad removed, you could try to get to the backside of the bump by carefully drilling/removing fiberglass from the backside of the bump then squirt in epoxy or glue and press on the bump from the topside. Neat and clean!
05-14-2009, 05:06 PM
#13
Race Director
1) The enemy of good is better! It looks O.K. Leave it alone.
2) Whatever you do will probably make it worse and require a reskinning. Leave it alone.
3) If you simply can't abide options 1 and 2, I second the small syringe approach, but would make entry from the side as the puncture will be less noticeable. By measuring the distance from the edge of the pad to the "bump" and transfering this distance to the catheter, you should be able to place the glue exactly where it is needed.
2) Whatever you do will probably make it worse and require a reskinning. Leave it alone.
3) If you simply can't abide options 1 and 2, I second the small syringe approach, but would make entry from the side as the puncture will be less noticeable. By measuring the distance from the edge of the pad to the "bump" and transfering this distance to the catheter, you should be able to place the glue exactly where it is needed.
The best advise is leave it alone.
05-14-2009, 07:23 PM
#15
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you could go at it from the underside too. drill a small hole just up to the skin and get at whatever it is (if anything) that is under the pad. then you can fill the hole back with some sort of foam or filler material.
Or leave it alone.
Or leave it alone.
05-14-2009, 07:47 PM
#16
Safety Car
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2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Try some heat from a heat gun, keep it at a distance, then put an ice cube on the bump to shrink it. When I was doing my dash on the 61 I had some ripples and the guy at Corvette America suggusted it.
05-14-2009, 08:12 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
First, thank you for all the feedback.
I’m up to my azz in ‘while I’m at it’ projects.
This started with what I thought was a substantial AC installation and cluster refurb with a little ‘sprucing’ up around the dash. There were some minor blemishes that I was going to fix (the pimple wasn’t one of them). So I also think I should replace the faded carpeting. Well I mention all this to my wife as I often do (… yeah I know) and she reminds me that I had wanted to change the interior color to the original bright blue. She says “if you’re going to replace the carpet and repaint the dash why not get rid of the dark blue and put it back to original color?”
Well, she’s right. So now I’ve got the dash torn apart. Cluster is off being redone by Corvette Instrumentation. The steering column is apart waiting to be rebuilt. The clutch/brake pedal assembly is out of the car. The new carpet is in a box in the Living room and I have a good size box full of parts to put everything together with….
Which leads me to the pimple. I don’t know… I agree that I should leave it alone but that thing has been there from day one (Hell, I noticed it when I first saw the car). I know that if I put all this back together again, my eye will forever focus on the damn pimple.
There is nothing on the backside of the pad that could have caused the bump. If you push on the pimple you feel some resistance like something is there but it is not very hard. I believe the pads are original and are in good shape; not brittle. There is only a minor crack in the very bottom of the passenger side right corner. It would be a shame to reskin them. I’m going to stare at it some more and think about it…
I’m up to my azz in ‘while I’m at it’ projects.
This started with what I thought was a substantial AC installation and cluster refurb with a little ‘sprucing’ up around the dash. There were some minor blemishes that I was going to fix (the pimple wasn’t one of them). So I also think I should replace the faded carpeting. Well I mention all this to my wife as I often do (… yeah I know) and she reminds me that I had wanted to change the interior color to the original bright blue. She says “if you’re going to replace the carpet and repaint the dash why not get rid of the dark blue and put it back to original color?” Well, she’s right. So now I’ve got the dash torn apart. Cluster is off being redone by Corvette Instrumentation. The steering column is apart waiting to be rebuilt. The clutch/brake pedal assembly is out of the car. The new carpet is in a box in the Living room and I have a good size box full of parts to put everything together with….
Which leads me to the pimple. I don’t know… I agree that I should leave it alone but that thing has been there from day one (Hell, I noticed it when I first saw the car). I know that if I put all this back together again, my eye will forever focus on the damn pimple.
There is nothing on the backside of the pad that could have caused the bump. If you push on the pimple you feel some resistance like something is there but it is not very hard. I believe the pads are original and are in good shape; not brittle. There is only a minor crack in the very bottom of the passenger side right corner. It would be a shame to reskin them. I’m going to stare at it some more and think about it…
Last edited by JoeCool66; 05-15-2009 at 08:52 AM.
05-14-2009, 10:23 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
A heat gun will loosen the bond between the vinyl and foam. Work from the back edge, heat it up and you should be able to peel up the vinyl off the foam. Once you get the edge up, direct the heat into the vinyl/foam interface. The bond will soften, allowing you to peel back the vinyl around the edge of the pad. Do not try to heat through the vinyl - get the heat UNDER the vinyl.
Now you should be close enough to brush some contact cement under your "outie" and press it down. All that's left is re-glueing the skin back down to the underside of the pad.
I used this method to completely de-skin some original pads without disturbing the foam.
Now you should be close enough to brush some contact cement under your "outie" and press it down. All that's left is re-glueing the skin back down to the underside of the pad.
I used this method to completely de-skin some original pads without disturbing the foam.
. . . if I were going to do anything . . . . .
05-18-2009, 10:21 AM
#19
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
update on my dash zit...
As had been suggested, I was able to carefully warm up underside of the edge of the skin closest to the pimple with a heat gun. The adhesive slowly did release. I only went as far as the very edge of the pimple and was able to feel under it with a dental probe. I found nothing. It’s as if a bit of glue is stuck to the underside of the skin, making it bump up. This is strange because I believe these to be original pads so was this an original flaw? I was able to carefully warm up the pimple with a small heating iron (used on vinyl patch repairs). I placed a piece of cover material over the skin and did not apply heat directly to the vinyl. With a little heat I was able to reduce the size of the pimple. It looks better but will never be perfect. If the pads were really in good shape I would have gone with it and moved on.
Thanks again for all the feedback however.....
Thanks again for all the feedback
however.....
05-18-2009, 10:24 AM
#20
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Well, I took a long hard look at my dash pads yesterday. They are not in as excellent condition as I first thought. The passenger side has a couple of 2 inch cracks on the bottom by the door and the driver’s has what looks like the beginning of a crack on the rear lip. Also, someone had painted these without removing them and did a really bad job so the texture of the forward part of the pad (by the windshield) is rough from overspray. Given the amount of work I went through to get these suckers out, I’m not about to do this again in this lifetime. The idea of painting these to have them crack in the near future has made me consider re-skinning.
My pads are pliable; not brittle and feel intact under the skin. I’m guessing my better option for proper fit and cost is to go the re-skin route. I’m also not sure if I want to tackle the job myself. I’ve looked through the archives and I see where some of you have done it but I’m in the middle of several projects and would like to farm this out if I could.
I would like it to look as close to original as possible. I’m going to look into local shops this week. Has anyone had a good experience and good service getting their dash recovered by a vendor? Can anyone recommend a shop in the South Florida area?
My pads are pliable; not brittle and feel intact under the skin. I’m guessing my better option for proper fit and cost is to go the re-skin route. I’m also not sure if I want to tackle the job myself. I’ve looked through the archives and I see where some of you have done it but I’m in the middle of several projects and would like to farm this out if I could.
I would like it to look as close to original as possible. I’m going to look into local shops this week. Has anyone had a good experience and good service getting their dash recovered by a vendor? Can anyone recommend a shop in the South Florida area?