[Entropy11]

I’ve been confused about this forever. What is the best option to replace the simulated woodgrain on a ‘68 dash? Do you have to use the aluminum carrier they offer along with every option or are there some that don’t require it?

The cheaper $40 ones must just be a thin vinyl and require the backer. I see some of them are upwards of $100 and possibly don’t need it?

Thanks for any info.

[OG68]

Hmm. The thin vinyl woodgrain is the only one I'm aware of and it, as you said, requires the backer.
Our sponsor sells the backer and yes it's $100 and you do need it. Without it, the pebbly dash surface shows through the vinyl.
The factory used a thin plastic backer which usually stays with the original vinyl overlay when you remove it.

The aluminum backer is flat and needs to be contoured before final installation. If it isn't contoured, it will peel away from bezel near the center. I gently bent it to the dash curve using old ball bearings and rolled it back and forth.
The vinyl isn't easy to apply either. It can stretch and become deformed. Relief cuts may be necessary to make it fit around the gauge openings and switch cutouts. There will be some space between the gauge openings and the vinyl. The factory vinyl wasn't perfect either.
Trimming may be necessary around the radio.

This requires a great deal of patience to apply correctly and on the bench. It can be done in the car but...

[dataway]

Nice work!

When I pulled off the factory wood grain of my 68 Lemans parts car it had a thin steel sheet beneath it, very nice backing for the vinyl but it was rusted on the back and I didn't use it. Anyone else come across OEM steel backing? Wonder if they went to plastic because of a rust problem.

[OG68]

I heard that some had metal backing too. Maybe from you lol. Since my car was built before yours I wonder if it was a vendor sourcing issue. Would love to have the 68 Assembly Manual page for that. Pretty certain the dash assembly was done elsewhere and then shipped to the assembly plants. Would Fisher Body be responsible for that? AC Delco?

[nytrainer]

I’ve done 2 68 wood vinyl replacements. Did first one with vinyl bought from PY and it was thick. Thick enough to completely cover the pebble grain and still looks great today (about 13 years now). The one I recently did I bought from Ames and it’s much thinner and I had to get the aluminum backer. Harder to finesse but looks nice too.
I still have another “thick” version I bought from PY but it didn’t seem to dry fit over the repro dash bezel so that’s why I bought the thin one with backer from Ames.
Can’t get pic right side up?

[OG68]

Here you go.
Looks good

[Entropy11]

Thanks guys, those look great. I was hoping somebody still produced the thicker one. Not sure why, maybe it’s the extra $100 or maybe part of me just knows that it takes the same effort and time for a place to cut a thick or thin one (and therefore eliminate the backer). Glad to know how good the one on the backer looks if I go that route.

My original one looked like it was bound to a thicker plastic type material. I replaced it with an uncut one i found from a LeMans/Tempest that had no overlay to begin with so I just finished it in the original Blue Charcoal color after my “re-chrome”.

Maybe I’ll just grab the cheapest one I can find so I can scan a template and then cut one out of something thicker some day. I keep looking at the 3M DI-NOC vinyl. I’ve cut some very thick faux-carbon fiber in the past so I know my vinyl cutter should be able to handle it.

Thanks again for all the info/pics!

[nytrainer]

Originally Posted by Entropy11

Thanks guys, those look great. I was hoping somebody still produced the thicker one. Not sure why, maybe it’s the extra $100 or maybe part of me just knows that it takes the same effort and time for a place to cut a thick or thin one (and therefore eliminate the backer). Glad to know how good the one on the backer looks if I go that route.

My original one looked like it was bound to a thicker plastic type material. I replaced it with an uncut one i found from a LeMans/Tempest that had no overlay to begin with so I just finished it in the original Blue Charcoal color after my “re-chrome”.

Maybe I’ll just grab the cheapest one I can find so I can scan a template and then cut one out of something thicker some day. I keep looking at the 3M DI-NOC vinyl. I’ve cut some very thick faux-carbon fiber in the past so I know my vinyl cutter should be able to handle it.

Thanks again for all the info/pics!

Pm me. I have the thick one that PY sold and as I mentioned I didn’t like the fit when I laid in on repro bezel so I bought thin one and backer from Ames. I just checked and Ames does offer two different dash vinyl and one is for repro. If you’re using an OEM bezel then what I have may be perfect for you

[Entropy11]

Thanks guys, those look great. I was hoping somebody still produced the thicker one. Not sure why, maybe it’s the extra $100 or maybe part of me just knows that it takes the same effort and time for a place to cut a thick or thin one (and therefore eliminate the backer). Glad to know how good the one on the backer looks if I go that route.

My original one looked like it was bound to a thicker plastic type material. I replaced it with an uncut one i found from a LeMans/Tempest that had no overlay to begin with so I just finished it in the original Blue Charcoal color after my “re-chrome”.

Maybe I’ll just grab the cheapest one I can find so I can scan a template and then cut one out of something thicker some day. I keep looking at the 3M DI-NOC vinyl. I’ve cut some very thick faux-carbon fiber in the past so I know my vinyl cutter should be able to handle it.

Thanks again for all the info/pics!

[Entropy11]

Sorry for the repost… it did the usual attempt at posting multiple times earlier and I just closed my browser. I guess when it opened it still sent the post again but hours later… lol

NY I’ll shoot you a PM. Thanks!

[nytrainer]

Got it ready to ship tomorrow Dennis. I got hung up (not literally lol)on tree work today.
I’m curious if anyone has an older PY catalog (probably 2012 ish) if they can look up the part number in the pic below. I’m wondering if they had 2 types back then and how it was described in the catalog.

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by nytrainer

Got it ready to ship tomorrow Dennis. I got hung up (not literally lol)on tree work today.
I’m curious if anyone has an older PY catalog (probably 2012 ish) if they can look up the part number in the pic below. I’m wondering if they had 2 types back then and how it was described in the catalog.

Thanks again! It’ll be great to get that scanned and see what we can do with the file down the road. I’m trying to search around and see if I can find other manufacturers that make a realistic matte finish embossed woodgrain vinyl in the correct wood type.

[Verdoro 68]

The best one I've had over the years is that thicker one PY used to sell that nytrainer showed above.

Currently, I have the aluminum backing under an Ames repro. Close, but it's still not the same as the original. The color, grain texture and sheen of the originals is different than the repro. The originals almost had a laminated quality to them.

[ts3189]

From p/y 2013 catalog. Rpi1624v 1968 vinyl dash insert with glove box piece. Same as rpi1624 but a better quality with a thicker backing.

[68pongto]

I am currently in the process of reproducing the 68 dash wood grain inserts. I too bought the thicker insert years ago from Performance Years, but everything now is too thin. I did extensive research and got dozens and dozens of samples from 3M and matched the color and grain much better than the current repops. My graphics guy is going to put the vinyl on a backing material and then die-cut them. They should be ready to go this summer.