dash covering

[William Boyd]

The dashboard on my roadster had been recovered by the previous owner. the vinyl was pasted directly on the metal. I am going to recover it with leather but I wanted to check and see if it origonally had any ftype of padding underneath the covering.

[Bruce Baker]

The dashboard on my roadster had been recovered by the previous owner. the vinyl was pasted directly on the metal. I am going to recover it with leather but I wanted to check and see if it originally had any type of padding underneath the covering.

Yours is a question for those who have removed the original dash covering. It's my recollection that the only interface was what Porsche used to promote gluing on headliners and such, a loosely woven muslin type cloth, but I don't remember any 'padding,' per se.

The last truly original untouched Roadster I examined had a slightly puffed part of the covering. When I gently pressed on it, a crunching sound was heard and rust fell from behind the dash....oops. Hey, the (original) owner was trying to sell it as 'rust free.'

What you don't want is anything that holds moisture behind the covering, but I'm sure someone else can fill in the latest process, like a thin closed cell foam to bridge any bad spots and still not hold water...it would be good to hear more background.

[Norm Miller]

William.

There is no padding on the cover. There is some psdding in the face of the pad. The cover is glued to the metal.
I would highly reccomend vinyl to match your leather interior as leather does not survive very well with the heat and sun. My samples from A. I. are a near perfect match between leather and vinyl.
Leather dash covers were an option even with leather interiors on coupes. As far as roadsters go I think the seat facings could be had in leather but the rest was vinyl.

Norm

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[S.J. Szabo]

In fact, Porsche did use a "padding" between the metal shell and the upholstery. In the As, this material was, I believe, what I know as "coconut fiber", a stranded material that was formed to a shape. This stuff got very brittle with age and would break up (and crunch) when stressed. This stuff is now unobtanium.

The best replacement today would be a closed-cell foam of the type used for roll-bar padding that has been cut, shaved, and composited to the desired shape.


Keep 'em flying.

[Michael Banchero]

The cover I recieved from Autos International had padding with the cover. I believe the original cover was also padded as I remember.
michaelb

[Bruce Baker]

I think we are getting getting confused in model and dash covering. William asked about his Roadster, so the answer is simply..... no padding per se on the majority of the upper dash or 'eyebrow,' some on the two horizontal pieces that separate the upper glued covering and the painted lower part of the dash.

[S.J. Szabo]

Right you are, Sir. My reply refers to coupes. My mistake.


Keep 'em flying.

[Peter Bojanac]

Just did a 1960 t5b and I can confirm it was the original that I stripped.

Though the padding was extremley thin about the thickness of cardboard but very soft foam.

The vinyl was stuck to the metal.

My trimmer went bald sticking leather down and getting it right!!

Good luck!

[Thomas Frisardi]

Has anyone succeeded in replacing the vinyl on a Roadster/Convertible D dash WITHOUT removing the windshield? It looks like I might be able to sneak it under the rubber seal, but the vents present a challenge and I would have to butt it up against the windshield posts. I have removed the instrument cowl.