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Posted by: CrashTestDummy Jun 17 2024, 09:46 PM

Finally getting some time to do a little work on the B4C that's NOT fixing broken stuff. A looooonnnnnnggggg time ago, I picked up a near-perfect dash pad for the car to replace the shattered one that's in it right now. I figured I'd give it a treatment I learned from a friend decades ago when he was protecting the dash pad on his '69 GTO. He slathered the thing in petroleum jelly and wrapped it in Saran Wrap and let it sit for a while. I think he did it for like 2 weeks. It restores some of the flex to the vinyl, and helps it live in southeast Texas sun.

I did that trick on a dash pad on our SVO we're currently restomodding. Those are notorious for cracking, too. Like 3rd Gen Camaro dashes, the aftermarket sux for replacements.

With the Camaro dash pad, it's sat on the back of the B4C for about 5 YEARS. Now starting to clean it off. The petroleum jelly is taking off years of dust and dirt, maybe a little cigarette smoke from POs, and the pad is looking good. Here's a couple of pictures of the pad now. Updates as they occur.

Posted by: mikedamageinc Jun 18 2024, 03:29 PM

That looks brand new! Great job!

Posted by: CrashTestDummy Jun 18 2024, 05:17 PM

Thanks! It has about a 1/8" 'dimple' in the middle of the trailing edge, but otherwise, looks NOS. I'll hopefully get it completely cleaned up, pending current tropical weather track, pop the corner vents out of the old one and clean those up, then get it in the car. Was contemplating waiting until we R&R the headliner, but that seems to be on perpetual kick down the road schedule.