Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I couldn't find anything on the topic using the search engine.
Has anyone re-padded their dash or known anyone who did? I heard it can be done without taking the dash out and saw the excellent results [by removing the windshield trim and using a heat gun]. Any insight would be helpful.

David

Just Dashes on the West Coast does a lovely job if you've got the $. But if the vinyl skin in in good shape, you can do a credible job yourself. I used a heat gun to soften the vinyl and then peeled it back from the windshield after removing the trim. Clean the deteriorated material out, and you can purchase closed cell urethane foam, adhesive backed, in a variety of thicknesses from industrial supply houses like MSC (Harrisburg) or McMaster-Carr. Others have done it similarly and usually with very good results so long as the vinyl cover is still intact and pliable.

I suspect others will come along and offer more detail.

What O-D said, and the operative word is pliable. Out here sitting in desert sun the stuff turns stiff as a board and splits & tears VERY easily. There was no saving mine, also the padding turns very gummy and just disintegrates. That may be the worst in trying to get enough out to make the new pad smooth without damaging the vinyl. In your cooler climate, we'll hope for the best.

If the skin is in good condition, you should be able to do at least this good. This took about 4 hours on a warm day with the top down and in the sun to keep the vinyl soft.

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A good auto upholstery shop can recover a padded dash. You have to strip off the old covering and padding. Then cover with landau padding, 1/4" thick foam rubber. Over that goes your vinyl.

Depending on the shape of the dash you may have to cut and sew a cover to fit, others can be done with one piece of vinyl.

Covering a 56 dash with new vinyl is a daunting task for any shop because of the seam which MUST meet the metal contour of the lower dash. I haven't seen Just Dashes restoration on any 56 yet, but I have seen several upholstery shops ruin good material. Most of them cannot get the profile right. If you look at a side view of the front fender at the headlight you have a good idea how the profile of the dash should appear. It is NOT a roll - it more closely resembles a wave coming in. It curves up and out and then almost straight back. As I said it follows the contour of the front fender.

Kapich has done them also. or should i say his wife. my uncle got one from them and i installed it. however it was a complete "upper" dash. so the whole dash had to come out to do it. it came out pretty nice once it was done.

Thanks again guys; a great help.

D.

Owen. what is the rectangular thing on the glove box door. And the square thing on upper rite corner of dash????

BTW, VERY NICE interior.

And where did u get the color matching seat belts???