[dataway]

Looks like the Ames woodgrain insert and aluminum backer are my best bet. Any tips on installation?

My original factory insert, which I stupidly threw away had a thin steel backing on the wood grain, which if I recall correctly did not extend to the glove box front. I specifically remember it because the backside in contact with the dash had quite a bit of rust on it.

I assume this aluminum carrier works the same way. Not sure if want to use the pieces for the glove box ... what do you guys think. If you used it for the glove box and little extension piece I'm assuming you glued it onto the dash somehow?

Thanks.

[OG68]

Well it took me two tries to get it right. $$ ouch.
The aluminum needs trimming and bending to fit right.
The first time I overly trimmed the aluminum where it fits over the gauge openings. I then applied the woodgrain over it hoping to cover up my mistake. ehh.
I then pulled the backing paper off the aluminum, applied contact cement to the edges and applied. Initially it looked good, not great, but acceptable. Looked at it the next day and the edges were pulling away from the housing. I tried re-gluing but it led to a bigger mess. Then tried to pull the whole thing off and that was a disaster.
Back to square one. Ordered another aluminum backer from Ames who seems to be the only one to offer it and another woodgrain vinyl.

This time, learning from past mistakes, I gently bent the aluminum backer to fit the curvature of the plastic housing using a small roller tool or a socket in my case. (I used an old housing to avoid scratching up the new one) After letting it sit in the housing for a few days and rolling it each day, it took a set I was happy with.
I then took a marker to where the aluminum needed trimming around the outer curves of the housing and turn signal/gauge/heater/radio openings and gently cut these areas a little at a time with a dremel disc. The aluminum isn't perfect. Some areas need tobe cut larger so other areas will fit properly. The heater panel opening for me was a prime example of this

I then trial fitted the vinyl to the aluminum to check for overlap. Then applied the vinyl to the aluminum from the gauge openings out, peeling the backing off a little at a time, working out the bubbles with my fingers. I had to make a few relief cuts but was able to cut near the edge so its not noticeable. The vinyl is very forgiving. I then let it sit for awhile, rubbing out the occasional bubble that would pop up.
After sitting overnight it was time to apply the aluminum/vinyl to the housing. The aluminum has a sticky glue once you peel off the backing but still needs a bit of contact cement around the edges and at the center of the gauge openings. Anywhere where there is a curvature the housing. Use a small toothpick to apply around the turn signal openings. No cement is required around the radio since this area is flat. Don't apply too much cement, just a light film.
After 15 minutes or so, apply the aluminum to the housing. I started at the radio/heater openings since this was a square cut and easy to apply. I worked my way to the left gently applying pressure with my fingers. If you initially trimmed the aluminum with minimal clearance, everything should fall in line.
I then took my roller and rolled over the entire piece. I let it sit a few minutes and then rolled again, repeating until I was satisfied it wasn't going to lift again.
I went to bed and checked it again the next morning. Success! It's not perfect, but I think its pretty good, no wrinkles or bubbles or lifting. I'm happy.

I think the most important thing to the application was to pre-bend the aluminum to fit the curvature of the dash. Then sparingly apply contact cement to the areas prone to lifting. Too much cement will ooze out at the edges creating a huge mess. Mineral spirits cleaned whatever glue that will ooze out without damaging the chrome finish of the housing.
And don't expect a perfect fit around the openings. There will be areas the green will show through. This was evident with the factory application too.
I heard of others using water to apply the vinyl to assist in placement. I didn't.

I also used the aluminum on the glove box and end piece. This was to provide a smooth area for the vinyl to apply to. No glue was necessary since these are flat pieces.

[OG68]

BTW my glove box did have an aluminum backer from the factory.

[dataway]

I think that looks great ... my dash is painted "chrome" so I have to be a bit more careful.

I'm thinking I could roll the backer in my sheet metal roller ... but that may create a very strange dynamic where it transition to flat by the radio.

Wish I had a CAD file for the backer ... I'd cut one out of some kind of flexible plastic .. or send it out to have it laser cut from whatever I want ... probably numerous copies.

Do you have a reproduction dash, or rechromed original?

[OG68]

Rechromed original.

Rethinking this a bit, I wonder if the heater control housing could be used as a template for the panel curve.

[dataway]

I've got a slip-roll which can make some pretty subtle curves. Contour gauge on the heater area could provide a good guide.

I can order the vinyl and use that as a template to either trace, or scan and import into AutoCad to make a file. Reason I'm giving this thought is, seems like there might be a better material than metal for the backing. Something that will provide enough to apply the vinyl to, but be more pliable than metal.

Actually, once a CAD file is made, it could be used to die cut any material you want ... even a heavy gauge vinyl of some sort that the wood grain could be applied to. I could even print out test pieces, cut them out, test fit them to the dash and make adjustments to the file.

[dataway]

I broke down and bought the Ames carrier and vinyl ... gotta learn to stop wasting time

[nytrainer]

I bought 2 of the “thick” wood grain that PY sold about 8 years ago. There was no factory backing on my bezel so I decided to put it right on the new bezel surface. It has been 8 years now with no signs of lifting. The thick wood grain also did not allow the pebble finish to imprint through and the flexibility of just using the vinyl eliminated the hassle of fitting a backer. I’m guessing the thicker vinyl is not available thus the need for the backer?

[Verdoro 68]

I have the backer and wood grain on now. I don’t remember it being that big of a deal to form to the dash, I just did it by hand. Seems to be sticking just fine a few years later. I did have to trim it up a bit to get it to fit right around the gauges, etc. IIRC, the glovebox was also a bit long.

Before I freshened my interior, I had the thicker PY wood grain that nytrainer mentions with no aluminum backer. It worked reasonably well, but it wanted to pull away from the dash carrier around the a/c controls. That ended up bugging me enough to replace it with the aluminum backer and new wood grain. Prior to that, I had a thin contact paper-ish veneer I think I got from Ames or Year One in the 90’s that bubbled like crazy.

IMO, neither of these solutions are as good as the factory original wood grain veneer. There’s something about the way it was laminated and the grain appearance about it that looks and wears better, but for now the combo of the backer and the medium thickness appliqué seem to work well.

[dataway]

I had the original Ames vinyl from probably 20 years ago installed, slowly started to come loose, but the dash was not treated well during those 20 years.

Seems I remember the factory setup had the wood grain ever so slightly wrapped around the edges of the backer, it appeared to have been manufactured as a single unit ... meaning the shapes die cut out of metal that already had the vinyl adhered to it, so when it was stamped it pulled the vinyl down real nice around the edges.