Rallye Dash Resto-Kinda-Mod Thread

[pastortom1]

Well, we solved the elusive ignition problem, so the 67 is back on the road. Due to the wiring problem, I've had the dash apart for months.......Naturally, I was going to restore the dash bezel in the meantime, but my back is just now gettin' to the point where I can get back to work on it.........SOoooo, here's what I've accomplished on the dash project................

I took the rally bezel apart completely, carefully grinding off the factory melted plastic "rivets" on the back of the lenses and centers. After this, I refinished the centers with a chrome paint (FX), and then used 2K clear over it. After the clear set, I applied new satin black on the sides of the centers.

 

[Arco440]

looks good !!

 

[pastortom1]

Although the FX Chrome stinks relative to it's "name", I'm gonna leave it as is.....It grew on me throughout the painting, and has a "pearly" appearance after the clear was applied.

I prepped the rally bezel (and glove box bezel) down to the equivalent of a 1000 grit or so finish with 0000 steel wool, AFTER making sure all the flaking edges were taken care of with 600 grit paper......took quite a while, but I do NOT like "stripping" plastic parts if I can help it..........

I applied gloss black basecoat, smoothed it out after curing, and hit it again for a smooth finish. After the black came the FX "Chrome"........Very light dustings, about 5 or 6, and it's ready for clearcoat........again, 2K clear was applied.

The pics of the bezel show the new finish, AND the hand cut Mahogany veneer that I painstakingly fit to the upper bezel......it's just sittin' there in the photo's, but it's ready to apply now. (real Mahogany.....not phony baloney.....'da real thing).

 

[CUUDAK]

Here is mine with Mirrachrome over gloss black. Looks way better in person!

 

[Relax360]

nice autometer tach you got in there what size was that?

 

[CUUDAK]

nice autometer tach you got in there what size was that?

Autometer 5897. Had to file just a little bit a the top of the hole and it dropped right in.

 

[CUUDAK]

FYI, the "Killerchrome" rattle cans has a much brighter chrome finish than the Mirachrome. The Mirrachrome looks like a nickle finish to me. Here are some bumpers I did with the Killerchrome but the photo of it installed is kinda crappy.

 

[smlveightis]

Both dashes look terrific! Great work fellas!

 

[CUUDAK]

Didn't mean to jack your thread pastortom1!
When your ready to polish the lenses I used a small air buffer with 3M Perfect-it

 

[pastortom1]

No hijack perceived........

It's good to see the other projects the guys are workin' on.

I used the Killer Chrome on the Dart Sport project.........Stuff does look nice when it's prepped properly. The black base I mentioned was the Killer Black.........really nice black basecoat.

 

[CUUDAK]

No hijack perceived........
Cool!

It's good to see the other projects the guys are workin' on.
I agree.

I used the Killer Chrome on the Dart Sport project.........Stuff does look nice when it's prepped properly. The black base I mentioned was the Killer Black.........really nice black basecoat.

The topcoat really has to be Smooooth to get the right look! I had to use a basecoat colorless over the chrome before the clearcoat to keep it from dying back and looking silver. After the chrome was done I sprayed the lower with trim silver and the top with flat black. I'm thinking of getting a vinyl sign shop to make some inserts for the top part of the dash in carbon fiber vinyl instead of the flat black.

 

[pastortom1]

I've used quite a bit of the available carbon fiber vinyl's out there.....Made a few A-Body dash kits out of the stuff.......

Be SURE it's "FRESH" product.......If it is older stock, the adhesive can be crap and you'll have a non stick issue on your hands.

Since yours is a 67 with the black on top, you could consider an actual "tolex" vinyl too........Actual grained vinyl material, like they use on "Fender" amps.....I thought about redoing the black on mine with it, BUT opted for Mahogany instead.

Ever since I did the Dart Sport in Walnut, I've been a "real wood" buff.......Love to work with the stuff......and it "feels" nice, kind'a like a Mopar-Rolls when it's finished. :glasses7:

 

[pastortom1]

FYI, the "Killerchrome" rattle cans has a much brighter chrome finish than the Mirachrome. The Mirrachrome looks like a nickle finish to me. Here are some bumpers I did with the Killerchrome but the photo of it installed is kinda crappy.

That bumper you did looks as good or better than some new "chrome" I've seen. Don't sell yourself short. :burnout:

 

[pastortom1]

This morning I pressed the Mahogany veneer into place, and applied some chrome edging to the inside 'track' of the dash and glove box bezels......Since this is fresh paint and fresh trim, I'll have excellent adhesion.....careful trimming brought it to life. You need to be sure to press this type of trim IN properly, applying pressure TOWARD the curves from both straight areas when applying it....this ensures your corner curve won't lift in the future. In the second picture, you can see that I made kerf cuts inside the chrome to keep it from pulling on the sharp bends....I still may need to cut deeper and apply a new piece....that area is tricky.

 

[pastortom1]

After preparing the crystals, they had to be reinstalled over the existing plastic posts ........When you're sure they're seated all the way down, 2K Epoxy glue is used over the posts and holes to remake a plastic "rivet" of sorts. This will hold it in like the factory, but to avoid rattles, I put a tiny bit of the epoxy UNDER the crystal where the hole is......It just tightens it up a bit.

The raised center caps are reinstalled the same way....just a dab of 2K Epoxy to redo the "rivet" on top of the posts.

 

[70Duster340]

May I ask where the white faces for the gauges came from? I'm doing a sort of refurbish of a rallye dash for a 71 Duster, and those look really nice!!!

 

[pastortom1]

May I ask where the white faces for the gauges came from? I'm doing a sort of refurbish of a rallye dash for a 71 Duster, and those look really nice!!!

Send Cuudak a private message on this.......I'm sure he has the information on those white faces...........

 

[pastortom1]

Here she is with the lenses installed, then fit into the car for the first time. Sure feels better than a bare gauge frame!

 

[stansblue72]

Looks great! You did a really nice job.

 

[pastortom1]

It'll look better if I get the Hurst Pistol in there........Can't wait......Like I did in the Dart Sport, but probably a shorter handle.

 

[70LIME340DUSTER]

Hey both dashes look great !
just wondering if you would make more real wood inlays for sale ?
also on the Autometer 5897 tach you got any pics of area modified & way tach look from back !
Im learning on these chrome paints you use & that bumpers were they steel or glass before paint ?
Keep us updated I will follow this thread !
Good job & great pics guys !

Autometer 5897. Had to file just a little bit a the top of the hole and it dropped right in.

 

[CUUDAK]

Hey both dashes look great !
just wondering if you would make more real wood inlays for sale ?
also on the Autometer 5897 tach you got any pics of area modified & way tach look from back !
Im learning on these chrome paints you use & that bumpers were they steel or glass before paint ?
Keep us updated I will follow this thread !
Good job & great pics guys !

The bumpers were fiberglass. There is a thread somewhere on this site for the bumper process. Just click on my screenname and then click Statistics and find "Chromed Fiberglass Bumpers" or use the search option at the top of the page.

I didn't take a photo of the mods to the cluster housing. It almost fit without any issues. The tach has to go in from the front side of the housing. You also have to remove the bezel, gasket and glass from the tach housing before it is installed. Just had to file a small lip that was at the top of the opening and it slid right in. I marked the housing where I wanted it to sit and applied allmetal filler(or epoxy a couple of tabs) around that area on the tach housing to keep it from falling through the housing and filed it straight(this filler/epoxy will be inside the cluster housing). Basically just a stop! Then cut the included bracket down to the correct length and used the supplied knurled nuts to hold it in place. I used a small ring connector on the light wire and slid it over the light pin and slid the round harness plug back on the circuit board. It wasn't hard at all!

 

[CUUDAK]

May I ask where the white faces for the gauges came from? I'm doing a sort of refurbish of a rallye dash for a 71 Duster, and those look really nice!!!

http://www.whitegauges.net/

They have them for all the Mopar dashes! They are a good quality vinyl decal.

They are really easy to install. They say to install dry but I used some soapy water and a small squeege. Then a heatgun or hair drier to shrink it around the rivets. They also sell needle paint that works great. Get the lense polish too!

I also used their blue led bulbs but they have several colors. Never have to change another filament bulb! When I find a better cluster bezel to restore I will get their rope light for better light transfer. It will be installed around the inside of the gauge openings of the cluster bezel to evenly light the gauges. Here is a pic of the led's lit up with a 9 volt battery before I polished the lenses,

 

[pastortom1]

I can't get over how that tach fits so nicely in that hole, and the configuration too.....looks just like the vacuum gauge.......Really great choice. :blob:

 

[CUUDAK]

I can't get over how that tach fits so nicely in that hole, and the configuration too.....looks just like the vacuum gauge.......Really great choice. :blob:

Thanks!
It was a shot in the dark! Lol!
I got it off ebay with the intention of mounting it on the column in a cup. I stared at it for a while and decided to remove the bezel and see if it would fit inside the cluster and it did. If I screwed it up I only had $30 invested. It was a sealed tach. I like the way the concaved lense makes it appear to be larger.
Now I have to build a center console and figure out how to mount a boost and afr gauge in it and wrap it all around a B&M ProRachet shifter. I have a couple of 3'x4' sheets of 1/8" aluminum that I will fab it up with. Gonna try and make it look like the original A-body console kinda-sorta if you know what I mean. I will polish the center part and texture the surround.