View Full Version : Painting the Supra dashboard
Newgendesign
09-02-04, 20:17
Just to let u guys know as its the only Mod I have done!
Thought I'd revitalise my Supra. Bought it in September/October amd was disappointed with the state of its appearance. There wasnt actually anything "wrong" with it as I have a fairly impecible condition car. It was just "boring" and very Japanesey (plastic galore). I have seen over the few months the way tuners/stylists sometimes match their dash to the colour of the car so decided to have a go myself.
I trained as an Industrial Designer where we used to create mockups in wood and plastics, and spray paint them using techniques to make them look a realistic as possible. So using this confidence I thought I'd hava bash at spraying my own one up to match my White kitted MkIV.
I managed to source (in separate parts from diff locations) a whole replacement dash (just in case things go wrong!!) and gave it a good sand down to at least give it some "key" as teh rubberised compund they use on it is awful. Ive never known anything to scratch so easily and look so crud!
After giving the panels a good key I carefully sprayed each dash component using a halfords white primer. Then after it had dried I sanded it with the finest wet/dry paper available to give it a silky finish and to get rid of bumps in the paint. multiply thi sby three iterations I realsied that it was working really well and slung several coats of white halfords appliance paint (could use anything to match your paintwork!) and wet and dry it again to get a nice smooth finish.
Eventually it looked superb! As long as you take your time it can look liek a professional effort. Whack a load of seperate coats of lacquer over the surface of all teh panels to give it some scratch resitance and assemble in the car (took a couple of hours not to scratch anything.
Heres a photo (taken on my p900 phone - not great I admit) that shows what it looks like. Im thoroughly happy with it. I need a gear gator piece now to finish it off.
Let me know your thoughts! Im als afterthe silver bezels to go round the speedo dials as seen on some Supras. I know miami-rice do them but Im trying to track them from a breaker. If anyone knows how to get some please let me know!
Jez
You need to do the gear surround
Is there any reason people don't seem to do the top part - eg where the odo and symbols are in?
Looks very cool mate.
Fancy doing mine?? :p :D
I was going to ask the same thing!
I'm going to spray mine matt black. I think it looks much better!
I'll have some wood effect dash covering for sale soon if anyone is interested?
Paul.
BTW,
I started to my dash on my old auto. I only got as far as the gear stick surround though.
It took ages to get the rubber stuff off completely and sand it down!!
Why on earth did the use that stuff?
Paul.
Originally posted by Newgendesign
Just to let u guys know as its the only Mod I have done!
Let me know your thoughts!
Nice one mate. I would say that is top-quality work.
Are you gonna co-ordinate the rest of the interior, i.e. put some white panels on the doors, maybe the transmission tunnel etc?
Splurgey
Man, what I'd love is a Pagani/Koenigsegg-esque suede dash top. Wonder how hard/how much that would be?
Seb
The interior of the Pagani Zonda is absolutely beautiful. It really is a work of art if you see it up close - never seen anything like it. That's what you get for several hundred grand I suppose (and a matching pair of shoes made by the Pope's cobbler of course).
Newgendesign
09-02-04, 22:13
It really is easy to do -if anyone needs theirs doing it takes a weekend and I will happily spray one up with their choice of colour. Thing is you realy need to do it on a spare dash.
I will do the gear suround as soon as i can track down a replacement. And yes, the right console deck would look great too. I'll start contacting some breakers..
Jez
Ah yes, the pope's cobbler. If I ever have the money, I will never buy a second hand Zonda, despite the wait for a new one, as possibly the greatest moment in the whole ownership period will be at the key ceremony, when I get a lavish looking box, and hear the words 'And, segnor, your driving loafers, made by (insert name of cobbler here). He does some work for the pope, you know'. Class.
hey Jez, if you ever fancy sorting me out a suede dash top let me know! :P
Seb
Originally posted by HISUPE
Is there any reason people don't seem to do the top part - eg where the odo and symbols are in?
Purely down to taste dude , sometimes less is more !!!!
Dude:flame Dev
That looks the dogz Jez. If you start this up as a service, let me know. :)
You did take the rubber off first though didnt you ????
Dude:flame Dev
I have done the whole console, including the top odo part, gearbox surround, right side unit (window controls etc.), Door handle surrounds... it does look the buisness.
Originally posted by dude
Purely down to taste dude , sometimes less is more !!!!
Dude:flame Dev
Furry muff :D Sure is!
Hehehehee, you wait til mines finished :flame Dev
Amazing grace
10-02-04, 00:51
I want a nice shiny dash, having gloated over Dudes silver dash on Sunday's meet I want one. Dude said its a terrible job getting rid of the rubber thats already on there, personally I woulod'nt know how to get the dash out anyway. Is'nt there somebody on here who will do this in return for some dosh(hopefuly not too much!) Lol!!!:D
Originally posted by Amazing grace
I want a nice shiny dash, having gloated over Dudes silver dash on Sunday's meet I want one. Dude said its a terrible job getting rid of the rubber thats already on there, personally I woulod'nt know how to get the dash out anyway. Is'nt there somebody on here who will do this in return for some dosh(hopefuly not too much!) Lol!!!:D
I thought you were gonna say in return for something else then!! lol
I'd do it for some dosh! But you would need a replacement dashboard really while the work is done!
Paul.
Originally posted by Seb
Ah yes, the pope's cobbler.
The pope has two, actually, who look afer his shoe arrangements. I remember the tale of when they returned his white shoes to him uncleaned, I happened to be walking thru Vatican City that very day.
The pope was so angry he tried to throw them out the balcony window, luckily for them it was shut.
Imagine my surprise however, as I walked below, to hear a dull thud, look up and see the pope pressing his cobblers up against the glass.
Originally posted by Supragal
Hehehehee, you wait til mines finished :flame Dev
Must... resist....
No comment! :D
I've spayed mine metallic black and I have doen the top bit as well. It looks cool at night when the interior light comes on and the dash sparlkles.
Smooth and unobtrusive:D
Theat feckin rubber shit is the material of all evil though and is horrible to get off:twak:
Correct way to do this is
remove dash and gear surround
remove rubber coating
Prime with 2K primer
flat
Paint with whatever colour basecoat
Laquer
Re-fit
Id want £200 to do this :thumbs:
Dude:flame Dev
Originally posted by dude
Id want £200 to do this :thumbs:
I'd want £500, but nobody will pay me that because:
I'm gei
I'd do it wrong
It would take feckin ages
I'd throw parts of their car round in a mood co I couldn't get the rubber shite off!!
I rag there car cos they wouldn't know and its better than ragging mine:D
I know feck all about painting
So there we are, don't pay me to do this!!!
I wote this post WHY!!!:baa:
Amazing grace
10-02-04, 23:28
Paul thankx for your comment I laughed my sock of!!!!:D
Originally posted by dude
Correct way to do this is
remove dash and gear surround
remove rubber coating
Prime with 2K primer
flat
Paint with whatever colour basecoat
Laquer
Re-fit
Id want £200 to do this :thumbs:
Dude:flame Dev
I'll do it for 150.......seriously... :D
Paul.
Originally posted by Amazing grace
Paul thankx for your comment I laughed my sock of!!!!:D
I try to please!!
you sock? you only got one leg??
(hope I havent put my foot in it and you havent only got one leg!!)
Paul.
PMSL @ this thread!!
Supraguy- I did wonder... luckily I've removed the dash and it's being done elsewhere...so should be finished well before the rest of it!!
dangerous brain
30-06-04, 13:46
If he has done the whole job in 1 weekend I can't see how he can have taken the rubber off?? Its satans cack is that rubber and even using acetone to soften it up its a bagger of a job to get off.
When I did mine I did the upper section to match the rest of the dash but in red it just looked too much so I sprayed it mettalic black (well I sprayed it black straight over the red but the black melted into the red and became a mushy cacky brown, so I had to strip it back to plastic and start again:( )
Green Peace
30-06-04, 14:26
Originally posted by Steve W2
I'd want £500, but nobody will pay me
PMSL
:D
Everyone has their price Luvvy.
I want to do mine but not sure if I should do green or Silver, though could have Green with silver dials etc
Amazing grace
30-06-04, 19:54
Paul R,
I promise you I have 2 legs honest, I just can't type or spell. PMSL very hard right out loud!!!!!!!! When I have saved a few more pennies I will ask someone to do my dash, but first I have to find a Facelift Dash, as I can't take off the one I've got cause it makes it difficult to drive the car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sheena:)
dangerous brain
30-06-04, 21:49
Hows about cakes for life??? I would do it for cakes for life ROFL:)
Aerotop Dave
01-07-04, 08:19
Blimey, talk about old thread revival!
scooby_doo_do
01-07-04, 10:13
I paid to have mine done about 3 years ago.. I think it was one of the first ones to be done.. Cost me £180 at the time but i'm well impressed at the job. The chap said he had to use about 11 coats of laquer to make the surface v shiney or something.....
http://www.handsontraining.co.uk/supra/dash2.jpg
http://www.handsontraining.co.uk/supra/dash.jpg
Craig.
peter richards
01-07-04, 22:22
del boy and rodders chinese restaurant springs to mind .:cool: :cool: lol
Amazing grace
02-07-04, 00:26
I will give it some thought!!Lol;)
Sheena:)
Aerotop Dave
02-07-04, 08:25
Wow, you can't beat the 'factory look', eh?! :p
Im sorry people but I think painted dashboards look cheep wouldnt it be better to cover it in coloured leather or alacantra theres plenty of upholsterers who would do this ,thats what mine is going to have .even a diy jobbie is poss if you take your time. i saw an orange supra at last years jap fest with a white leather dash and it looked the dogs!
Newgendesign
02-04-06, 19:51
Well mine is white (as the car is white) and myself and others have commented that it looks really really good. I think it transformed the car and with some chrome surrounds around the speedos it really makes a difference. The original panel is pretty dire - the black rubber finish is just pants.
Just make sure its done real well and people are genuinly impressed. The Fiat coupe uses quite a few areas of colour coded dash parts and it does look great (shame about the car tho)
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