dash board restoration

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
LeiseyJr
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by LeiseyJr »

Sherman's crackefree E12 dash is beautiful, makes me really want to have an nice E12 more. I like the look of them a lot more than the E28 dash. Hope Just Dashes does a good job for you Chris!
wkohler
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by wkohler »

I don't even care anymore.
Mike W.
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Location: California Whine Country

Re: dash board restoration

Post by Mike W. »

wkohler wrote:I don't even care anymore.
You say that about everything. Fortunately you do. :cool:
topher800
Posts: 446
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Location: Marshall, CO

Re: dash board restoration

Post by topher800 »

wkohler wrote:I don't even care anymore.

Is that because they still have it? ;)

Any feedback on how it went?

Chris
gwb72tii
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest

Re: dash board restoration

Post by gwb72tii »

well, I called just Dashes to get pricing and lead times.
So to bring this up-to-date, for my 535is the cost is $1900 and they are about 4 months out
alps
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by alps »

gwb72tii wrote: Oct 27, 2021 2:22 PM well, I called just Dashes to get pricing and lead times.
So to bring this up-to-date, for my 535is the cost is $1900 and they are about 4 months out
Great to know!

Wonder how that compares to actual crack-free dash prices nowadays? If you were to believe eBay listings, it starts to be comparable. But all the dashes I've seen listed on eBay never sell... and crack-free or blemish free dashes here are so few and far between, there's basically no comp on price that I can figure.

Maybe better to just build a vacuum former and give Just Dashes a run for their money.
DavidE9
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Joined: Apr 22, 2012 1:29 AM
Location: Encinitas (LA is a shit show right now)

Re: dash board restoration

Post by DavidE9 »

My crack free dash cost $900 just before the pandemic hit.
jyl
Posts: 138
Joined: Jun 02, 2016 8:59 PM
Location: Oregon

Re: dash board restoration

Post by jyl »

I read upthread that the stitched leather dashes don’t last. Any details on that? Disappointing - I think they look nice.
douglasM5
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Joined: Mar 23, 2010 1:19 AM

Re: dash board restoration

Post by douglasM5 »

I also paid $900 for a crack free dash just before the pandemic hit.
DavidE9
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Location: Encinitas (LA is a shit show right now)

Re: dash board restoration

Post by DavidE9 »

John in VA
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Location: Leesburg, VA

Re: dash board restoration

Post by John in VA »

DavidE9 wrote: Oct 28, 2021 2:53 PMAnother option:
https://e28goodies.com/leather-upholstered-dashboard/
Their customer service/support has been reported as less than stellar of late.
BMWCCA2
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Location: Central Virginia

Re: dash board restoration

Post by BMWCCA2 »

gwb72tii wrote: Oct 27, 2021 2:22 PM well, I called just Dashes to get pricing and lead times.
So to bring this up-to-date, for my 535is the cost is $1900 and they are about 4 months out
Seems you can buy and entire pre-'86 E28 with crack-free dash for that much. Is it just me, or have others realized the early dashes don't seem to crack like the later ones?
stuartinmn
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Location: Minneapolis

Re: dash board restoration

Post by stuartinmn »

BMWCCA2 wrote: Oct 29, 2021 8:01 AMSeems you can buy and entire pre-'86 E28 with crack-free dash for that much. Is it just me, or have others realized the early dashes don't seem to crack like the later ones?
I don't know if there's a specific cutoff date, but my car was built in 7/85 and the dash is still perfect.
(It also doesn't get as much UV exposure as cars in southern states.)
Grande Royal
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Location: Riverton, New Jersey

Re: dash board restoration

Post by Grande Royal »

Yep, especially 1982-83,different vinyl composition maybe? Have one out of an 82 528e in the closet, would sell, but will not ship. Not worth the hassle.
BMWCCA2
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Location: Central Virginia

Re: dash board restoration

Post by BMWCCA2 »

Yep, my '85 is still perfect and not garaged. All of my '87 and '88s have cracked like usual whether they were from Virginia or Chicago. :dunno:
Mike W.
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by Mike W. »

Following the pattern of it's E12 predecessor, my '85 had just one small crack at the age of 14 when I bought it in '99. Many cracks when I sold it in 2010. I'm in Calif, we see a lot of sun, but further north were it's far milder than say Los Angeles, let alone Death Valley. It's possible later ones are worse, but early E28s seemed to be exactly the same as the E12s and Bavarias that came before them in terms of dash life.
wkohler
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by wkohler »

Most of the crack-frei dashes you see available seem to come from earlier cars. Not always the case but the last couple I have gotten for customers cars have come from 533s. My 535is has one from a later car but it's a replacement with all of the green anchors for the screws in it for the cluster and the lower left panel.

I paid Just Dashes a lot more than that to do the dash in my E12 M535i. I purchased eight "crack-frei" dashes for that car and ended up with zero actual crack-frei dashes so I bit the bullet and paid them to do it. They bought out all of their competitors so they can charge what they want. I might have to use them for my stupid '02s but might just live with the two tiny cracks from the screw holes under the windshield in the one.
Mike W.
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by Mike W. »

I swear, at what looks like a profit in excess of $1K per dash, if I was ambitious I'd go into business. I might be wrong, but I don't think BMWs are the only cars with this problem, and assuming MB is one of them, many of those owners pay far more than us BMW cheapskates. Regardless, I'm sure there is some R and D, and the equipment to do it, but it looks to me to be money waiting to be made. :dunno:
stuartinmn
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by stuartinmn »

I suspect there is a lot of labor time involved in recovering a dash, particularly for a make and model they don't do every day. I'm sure they are making a decent profit but it isn't necessarily exorbitant
Mike W.
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by Mike W. »

stuartinmn wrote: Nov 06, 2021 11:52 PM I suspect there is a lot of labor time involved in recovering a dash, particularly for a make and model they don't do every day. I'm sure they are making a decent profit but it isn't necessarily exorbitant
You may very well be right. Just like I at times defend mechanics and shops, and there's plenty of crooks or incompetent ones out there, but I don't see a lot of rich ones, regardless of skill level. And if you're vacuum forming it, you better have your act together before you start drilling holes in some unobtainium dash to suck the new cover to the old dash. With some exceptions, mostly ///M, BMWs are of distinctly modest value compared to some of the collectables such as the MB cars.

But... after all that I still think there's money to be made. :dunno:
garageboy
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by garageboy »

As a data point, 11/87 (car's 34th birthday is on Thursday, actually) E28, always garaged, crack-free dash, still looks new. 1988 528e.

Yes, always garaged. Except when I'm driving it. :rofl:

Yes, this one in the photo
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BMWCCA2
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by BMWCCA2 »

wkohler wrote: Nov 04, 2021 2:25 AMI might have to use them for my stupid '02s but might just live with the two tiny cracks from the screw holes under the windshield in the one.
I have a new-in-box from dealer 02 dash. The last version from BMW, single piece, without any lettering or even a hole drilled for one of the switches. Perfect for a Turbo restoration. When I re-discovered it in moving my garage stuff, I posted a picture on the 2002 and Vintage sites and got calls from all over the world but I wasn't interested in shipping it. It was suggested I put it on BaT, but I haven't done that yet. I floated a $5k price out there and got offers around $3500. I don't think I'll ever use it since most of my restore-worthy '02s are early two- or three-piece cars.

Image
wkohler
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by wkohler »

Dang. My Turbo probably isn’t worthy of that one but I’m actually surprised how decent the interior is in that car. I probably have to spend $5k on a turbo before I could do that for the dash. Would also hate to spend that much and put holes in it for the gauge pod. My tii has a one piece in it (probably wasn’t cracked when installed but it is now). It has been cut for the clock though. Need a 2 piece for that. I basically need everything that goes inside the car.
BMWCCA2
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Re: dash board restoration

Post by BMWCCA2 »

wkohler wrote: Nov 08, 2021 7:09 PMWould also hate to spend that much and put holes in it for the gauge pod.
They are all basically clock/pod ready with openings visible from behind the panel showing where to cut. Same as the E28 cutout for rear-window child-proof switch in the center console for RHD.
marek
Posts: 333
Joined: Mar 21, 2008 11:51 AM

Re: dash board restoration

Post by marek »

My 7/85 dash was perfect until I moved to California. It took just one show during the day and a few small cracks appeared.
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