Cracked dash removal and replacement?

[Jakob1994]

Wondering if it's safe to remove the dashboard? Mines all cracked up and lifting up. I want to take it off and replace it with suede or something new? Also wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction of finding new dashboards?? Besides junk yards. Couldn't find anything online. Would love to find original replacement. Thanks guys!

[AstroOafAdventurer]

I'm looking at peeling my dash cover off as well and maybe leaving it as is.
Best your going to find new is a dash carpet, the part was probably disco'd shortly after the model.
It appears to be a tremendous PITA to change, but it's heresay as I've seen no documentation of the procedure. But apparently it involves dash removal.
Mine is separating as well which requires some partial removal before putting in a cover.

[Big_kid]

I got tired of dry dash crumbs bombarding me, so I picked mine off completely. It hasn't bothered me since. I was inspired by this thread:

https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... 8&p=132253

[SheldonYoung]

I've owned several Astros with lifted dashes.

Tried different types of adhesives on each, and nothing worked.

[AstroOafAdventurer]

So I'd driven someone up to the hospital the other day to run something in to a patient, while I was waiting i started picking at my dash and found the black plastic underneath didn't look to bad in the spot.
So the other day I was on the phone parked out front and started picking some more with intermittent yeahs and mm hmms inbetween blah blah blah and this is where I'm at.
I'm not sure how I'll get it down to the base under the windshield or how it'll look around the passenger handle and air bag, but at this point I'm pretty devoted.

[icebrrg3rd]

Every now and then you get lucky with junkyards. I stumbled across an Astro with a dash in excellent condition, and I had to have it.

My old dash. Not as bad as some, but getting there. Oh, that's the dark red, if you're wondering.

And the "new" dash. It's awesome.

And the bad news. You pretty much have to gut the whole dash. And then wrestle with the wiring harness, both taking out & going in. And mine doesn't have airbags, so if yours is newer than '95, I believe that's when they put in the passenger side airbag, you'll have to deal with that too.

I spent a few hours at the junkyard pulling it, and a good part of a day pulling my old one and putting the new one in. But it's do-able, I did it in front of my house in the street.

-Andrew

[AstroOafAdventurer]

I wish I had an 95 dash... I'm really not too crazy about all the curves of the 96+
I wonder how easy/feasible it would be, I saw a 95 at the JY that had a pretty good dash.
God that's a lot of fricken work though. That's why I was just trying to peal the pad off in the meantime, aesthetics of the dash are pretty low priority right now.

Looks like yours may be a 91?
May be about the same as the 95, Ive heard it's a weird crossover model and looks to have the 1st gen dash.

[icebrrg3rd]

Yup, mine's a '91, and I got the dash out of a '92. I don't believe they had passenger side airbags until the interior remodel for '96, so probably good thru '95. I don't know how the early 1st gens are, I know that there are some differences like the part of the dash on the doghouse cover, but not sure of all the differences.

-Andrew

[AstroOafAdventurer]

I got the rest of my cover removed today, was a minor PITA!
The plastic cover was brittle and sharp, no blood but felt close a few times.
I want to sand it and do something more with it but I'm not sure what yet.
Looks way better though I think.

[dcsleeper]

but at this point I'm pretty devoted.

IMG_20201210_150429151_HDR.jpg

committed, not devoted.

and good job for proving that method!

[AstroWill]

I want to sand it and do something more with it but I'm not sure what yet.

I think it looks better as well.
What are your thoughts about refinishing?

[AstroOafAdventurer]

I'm not sure, there are various divots and gaps I'd like to fill.
Maybe some type of carpeting, thinking of like Jeep carpet, not sure what the type is but no shag.
Or I was just thinking velcro might be cool the loop side, would make sticking stuff to the dash super easy lol
Amazon has it 24" & 50” wide.
I'd like to cover the doors grab handles and switch/tweeter pods at some point to I. Something matching.
But that's all longer term stuff, shorter term I want to get the back built out and house battery system in.