moosens Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 This is at least one of the companies,or peddlers,selling mats: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DashMat-1979-SUBARU-BRAT-Dash-Board-Cover-Mat_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ40017QQitemZ8012336344QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V I'd like to get one,or two.But I sure don't want to spend too much,and I won't be able to get mine untill after the new year,for sure. If your dash isn't cracked already,it probably will be.THese mats are plenty helpful in keeping your dash looking great. And,there's coverlays out there too.Much more expensive.Made to fit over your cracked dash pad.The picture sure looks great.I think at least one board member has spoken highly of the coverlay as well. Coverlay peddler: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/77-81-Subaru-Brat-Stage-II-Stand-NEW-Dash-Pad-Coverlay_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ40017QQitemZ8021512816QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW I bid up to I think $65 and still didn't hit his reserve.Again,I really can't justify spending that much and don't have the cash now.I was prepared to call it a Christmas gift and use the credit card,but $65 is about my limit regardless of how the money is flowing.I think if we get at least 5 people he's GOT TO come down to $65 each. Kick it around.It's winter so no hurry,OK??Let's get a good number of folks,if possible,before negotiating. I think it's a good idea for ONE of us to contact him/them and let him know what we're up to.Maybe he'll reply with terms we can more immediately agree upon.If I had a bunch of these things laying around and they sold in dribs and drabs I'd be happy to dump off a good number of them in one shot.Quick buck beats a slow duece. Anyone interested in the '72-77 Stage I dashes please let me know through email and we'll see how many we are.I'd like a coverlay for my '73 but I haven't seen them for the early style.Plenty of mats out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 i`m in for either style, coverlay preferbly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 I just sent him an email about one for my 83. I'll let you all know if he has a response for me or not. I didn't mention anything about the ones you guys are interested in since I am not in need of one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUBARU3 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Coverlays STINK! I have had many of them and the look is terrible. They are a hard plastic and look cheap to me. Additionally, EVERY one I had warps in the summer sun, adding to the cheap look. They warp even if you adhesive them in. You might be OK in the north if you even like the look. Never again. They are way over priced now too. Coverlay stopped making the Gen 1 cover in the late 90s. I bought directly from them the last few they had at that time. They were $46. Stick to dash restoration or a nice upolstered custom dash pad. Just my opinion. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 dash restoration???? how? Is that the same as going to J/Y's and searching for another dash in a color that I have never seen before (except mine)? If I'm wrong...please do tell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 i am just bondoing the one in my 78:lol: really won`t look too bad with paint, maybe i`ll paint it with a roller for texture:grin: the dash was cracked terribly and i also didn`t want to spring $100 for a coverlay.i would go like 50 maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUBARU3 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 There are companies that can "restore". They strip and refinish with new foam and vinyl. It's pricey though. Check hemmings or search online for auto dash restoration. I've heard you can get a nice finish from what Jon is doing. Sand the crack, bondo, sand and paint with vinyl paint and a textured roller. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 i`ll take pics when its done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 I tried the "home" restoration... it looked great until the first hot, sunny day... then it looked like black lava... it bubbled and the cracks opened back up. Not pretty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 did you use bondo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Argggh! What happened? I typed this and lost it! Nope, I used wood filler. These dashes were some of the first foam dashes and are ALL foam with a few metal reinforcment pieces. The early "old syle" foams were pretty primitive (compared to today's foams) and release a lot of air/gas. When the foam expands in the heat, the foam and filler will shift at different rates causing the cracks to re-open. The paint bubbles when the heated air/gas tries to escape. The professional restorers use a special foam filler and vacuum-heat-seal the new covering to the foam, which prevents shifting. They sell kits for dash restoration that have a special foam filler. I looked into it and after reading the application procedure, decided it would be very difficult, if not impossible to get a perfectly smooth job, so I passed on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagonsOnly Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 So what did you end up doing--is it still cracked, or did you get a new dash (or dash pad)? Both my Gen I dashes are perfect, but I do have a large crack in the center of my '82. I'm looking forward to hearing what Matt finds out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 So what did you end up doing--is it still cracked, or did you get a new dash (or dash pad)? Both my Gen I dashes are perfect, but I do have a large crack in the center of my '82. I'm looking forward to hearing what Matt finds out. After bugging him half to death, Paul sold me his pristine black dash. Thanks again Paul! I use a reflective sun shade all year 'round and crack the windows in summer. Automotive plastics were still in their infancy... prior to that, dashes were mostly metal. It's overused in modern cars... I think my Baja is 99% plastic. I have the old dash and am going to try fiberglassing it. I have seen the awesome work they do with custom interiors and sub boxes... so why not try it on the dash? I'm sure there's a way to texture it during the curing process. I need to play with it to see how it acts. Once that happens, I'd like to do a bed cover, for both the Baja and the Brats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagonsOnly Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Ah, that's right. You did him a favor, trust me--if you, me, and Connie hadn't kept at him to reduce his inventory he'd've impaled himself on a steering column at three in the morning and we would have lost him :-\ Please post pics when you're done with the dash. I've never bothered with a dash cover as the car is always covered or garaged (the '75 has been driven 7 miles since I got it and I'm projecting maybe 2K a year in the '73) As for the "bed cover"--you mean a plastic liner tray or a tonneau--type deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Ah, that's right. You did him a favor, trust me--if you, me, and Connie hadn't kept at him to reduce his inventory he'd've impaled himself on a steering column at three in the morning and we would have lost him :-\ Please post pics when you're done with the dash. I've never bothered with a dash cover as the car is always covered or garaged (the '75 has been driven 7 miles since I got it and I'm projecting maybe 2K a year in the '73) As for the "bed cover"--you mean a plastic liner tray or a tonneau--type deal? Locking tonneau. Those carpet mats are gross. The tan one that was on the '78 when I got it was SCREWED on! Like it's going somewhere? Well, the dash did go to a good home. My '78 is my pride and joy. It was a LOT of work mechanically... it still has a nasty noise, but runs and drives fine... when what ever it is falls off then we'll know, I guess <shrug> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted December 18, 2005 Author Share Posted December 18, 2005 I'll bump this thread up occasionally untill just before springtime when it's probably the best time to approach the potential seller. Looks like we're tossing the dash coverlays to the bin. Thanks again to Todd for his reporting on the issues with those. THose dash mats are fine enough as long as you have a nice dash to protect. Perhaps another thread on dash repair in the future??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 I got a reply from the guy that has the stuff on ebay....this is an exact snipit from my email..... Hello, Sorry I don't. At one time coverlay made them but no longer. Thanks, Bob *sigh*:-\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted December 18, 2005 Author Share Posted December 18, 2005 I think we're passing on the coverlay,so I edited the subject title. Todd reports many issues with them anyways,so we're concentrating our efforts on dashmats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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