Dashboard.

[Sporkhead]

Not 110% sure if this is the right board, but I'm hopeing it might be?
If not, i apologize..

Either way, I go to a vocational school (along with going to high school) for Auto-body/collision repair, as it's nearing the end of the year our teacher has told us we can each paint whatever we want, and use up whats left of the paint. So I think I want to paint the dashboard, door panels, and other interior peices white, with a tan trim. (i know an amish guy that lives about 20 miles out that can wrap my seats for a good price, that way it matches lol)

my question is, on a 98 GA how hard is it to get the dashboard out?
Is there a step-by-step guide anywhere?
any tips on where to start, or advice on how to go about getting the dashoff?

thanks ahead of time! :)
-Matt

[Suprem01]

Well I don't know how hard it is due to me not having done it myself, but there is a tutorial on how to take the dash off a 99+

http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76633

[GregFarz78]

Painting the entire dashboard is going to look terrible just stick to the trim pieces

[Blackhawk]

Suprem, why give the tutorial for a completely different generation?
But yeah, unless you're going with fiberglass everything and it's a show car then only probly do the trim, it looks weird most of the time otherwise.

[woot]

so would dying the interior black be a bad idea...cause i was thinking bout doing that myself lol

[Blackhawk]

Are you going to do everything? Half assed jobs look tacky IMO. Painting it and dying it are two different things too, the paint is gonna come off the vinyl almost no matter what.

[Sporkhead]

Not half assing it, sanding it down, priming it the right way, sanding it down to make sure it's smooth, then spraying base, then clear, and buffing and polishing it.
I'm doing door panels, and whatever else i can get off the interior of the car
I don't like to half-ass things lol :p

I know it wouldn't exactly look great at first, only because i don't really have the money to get the seats wrapped to match, atleast not till my b-day tomorrow lol, and i haven't totally figured out how i'm going to do the headliner yet, or the cloth peices on the door panel.

[GregFarz78]

Also painting the dash white you're going to get sun glare like a motherf'er off that thing...not saying its half assed just saying it doesn't look good not even on a show car IMO.

[Matt95GT]

Also painting the dash white you're going to get sun glare like a motherf'er off that thing...not saying its half assed just saying it doesn't look good not even on a show car IMO.

Good point. Plus white dash looks like a big marshmallow.

[Sporkhead]

haha well, I've got an endless amount of colors to choose from, we use Martin-Senour paints, and we're supposed to be able to match any color available..I wanted something that would go good with a dark red, or dark green exterior, and white and tan seemed like a good idea lol.

(p.s. 90% of the time i'm driving at daytime i wear aviator sunglasses :P)

[Gagt518]

Painting the entire dashboard is going to look terrible just stick to the trim pieces

Agreed :agree2:

[Sporkhead]

Either way, is there a guide on how to get the dash out? Would it maybe be in the repair manual, or anything like that?

please?
pretty please!?! lol

[Matt95GT]

www.Helminc.com
www.Alldatadiy.com

[Trudgn]

Pretty simple, just look for screws holding it in. There are two above the instrument panel, and two down under the HVAC controls. Then, tilt the steering-wheel as far down as it will go, and gently pull (from the middle-strongest area) until it starts to come loose. It's a little awkward to get out, you'll have to disconnect the quick-release for the light controls too.

That's basically all you have to do, but I agree with above, choose your colour carefully or leave it how it is. I was convinced I wanted to paint mine a year or two ago, but I saw one done, and changed my mind.

[Spigmo]

If you're gonna pull it, the first thing you'll want to do is pull the steering wheel.


After that, as mentioned - just look for the screws. Pull a bunch out - wiggle - repeat until you find them all.


A word from experience - the glare you get off the dash on sunny days will be exceptional. I've done my entire interior white, and let me tell you - it hurts my eyes to drive it some days. The reflection off the inside of the windshield will make everything hazy and difficult to see.


Not to mention you have to be totally anal about cleaning it. :lol:


Have fun!

[Trigga-T]

mines painted black. glare aint bad at all with black but with that white oh boy. good luck

[Octave]

Maybe go with a darker color? At least for the main dash. For safer driving of course.

Also, when you get this all done (and hopefully you do!!) send some pics dude! It will be totally gnarly! I think I spelled that right, at least Super Mario World spells it like that....

[Blackhawk]

For the dash it would also glare less if you didn't paint it gloss, flat or even semi-gloss white wouldn't shine as much if you still wanted to paint the dash.

[Sporkhead]

Well, and majorly sorry about not replying sooner, but, well, this is depressing.
I'm gonna post the story in the asylum in a few mins, but it explains everything,
this idea, wont be happening until later this year, unless I can't get a local body shop to let me borrow there booth for a while, but then i gotta pay for the paints..