What can I use to polish the scratches off my dashboard? :/

[Tico4Life]

Originally Posted by SMG

I think vinyl would be tougher than the original rubberized finish but any place you are touching all the time wouldn't be a good place to use it obviously. Personally for the door handles I'd peel the rubber crap with alcohol and call it a day.

For the dash though it would be an ideal solution I think and the edges can wrap around the back and you'll never see them. Don't think of vinyl wrap as something you lay down flat and that's it. Think of shrinkwrap tubing, it works in a similar way, you can wrap just about anything in it.

Check this out. If you're impatient skip to 2:30

YouTube - Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wrapping w/ HEAT GUN (Complex Curves) by DECALFX.COM

I tell you, if you can be patient enough to go thru all that heating and stretching that seems like a pretty good way to get rid of unsightly scratches on interior plastic trim.
I wonder what the durability of this product is against daily UV rays?

[SMG]

They wrap cars in it all the time so I wouldn't worry one bit about sun exposure. Most local sign shops should be able to do the work for you. It's not something I'd tackle with no experience.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by SMG

I think vinyl would be tougher than the original rubberized finish but any place you are touching all the time wouldn't be a good place to use it obviously. Personally for the door handles I'd peel the rubber crap with alcohol and call it a day.

For the dash though it would be an ideal solution I think and the edges can wrap around the back and you'll never see them. Don't think of vinyl wrap as something you lay down flat and that's it. Think of shrinkwrap tubing, it works in a similar way, you can wrap just about anything in it.

Check this out. If you're impatient skip to 2:30

YouTube - Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wrapping w/ HEAT GUN (Complex Curves) by DECALFX.COM

I already understand the heating method of installing, I wasn't saying it was a flat surface only application. I can promise you though that first time DIYers won't get the results that professionals get who have learned the "tricks" of the trade. Just like applying film to windows, yeah you can save a couple bucks (not a DIY) project for most people. I pick up that your rather talented and experienced with many things that others may not be, and this might work well for you, and I applaud you for such an undertaking.

Keep in mind, carbon fibre is just that, a fibre adding strength and durability. Not quite the same with standard 1-2 mil (maybe less) vinyl coatings. I actually think that the black carbon fibre is a great looking finish on that piece, just question it's durability for that application.

Like I said early on, I don't think the factory finish, was either "rubbery" or "easily scratched" when it was new. I don't remember this surface in my '00 NBT (bought new). I think it is a result of time, heat, and ultra-violet degredation of the original coating. Typical of most everything else in the cabin of the Bug.

MORAV

[Audiomechanic]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

There actually are specialty primers made specifically for the purpose of priming plastic (not just any old primer like for metal), and clearcoats with catalyst (2 part) that you actuate in inside the rattlecans, also for the purpose of not having to have professional gunning equipment, for the purpose of painting small parts. I can give you a link if you need or would like it. Dashes are mat finish, and dark, for the purposes of anti-glare, but I have seen the center section in a NB done in gloss and it was sharp! I'm not sure just the center section would be a highly objectionable glare issue.

I know I have to do something with my "sides", everytime I have the top down, if is a major effort cleaning them, the rubbery $hit seems to attract everything, and it "sticks". Just bought a mini California Duster for dashes to try and see how that works.

People who can't get quality results with today's rattle cans, are either buying inferior products, the wrong product for the application, not painting in the right conditions, don't know how to apply spray paint (it is an art), or a combination of all.

PS - I think hammered would be killer! Done sparingly.

That's some good info rat thur.

A link would be sweet! I am by no means an expert (or even novice) painter.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Here's the link, you're looking for the SEM Primer and the Catalyzed Clearcoat Products. They have VW body paint colors here in rattle cans also, but for touch up you'll never marry it into you're existing paint. I'm not sure what you would ever use it for, except I found this looking for the ability to match my real NBC color on a toy car I'm doing to match. Another thread.
https://www.paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/place_order2.cgi

There is also a non-automotive primer "XM Primer" (this is the name and the Google) which will probably work well on plastic, I have used it on glass which is a very difficult surface to bond to without using heat cured paints. You won't find it at HD or Lowe's! lmao

The biggest trick to spray painting (always use a paint with a fan spray nozzel), is even, overlapping strokes, and many very thin, light coats, allowing drying time in between. Helps with the bond and the elimination of runs and orange peel. Painting a 6" x 6" piece might take 45 min to an hour just to paint, as opposed to the typical DIYer who in 15 minutes has something painted and reinstalled. Another tip, very, very few ppl know, between each coat and after use, turn the can upside down and spray until the paint stops spraying. The nozzel won't clog this way and start "spurting" paint globs.

If you wan't a good job, paint a few samples first and don't be in a hurry. If it requires two cans to gain some experience, it will be worth the cost of the second can. Lacquers, which result in the best finish, are also the hardest to spray.

[Audiomechanic]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

Here's the link, you're looking for the SEM Primer and the Catalyzed Clearcoat Products. They have VW body paint colors here in rattle cans also, but for touch up you'll never marry it into you're existing paint. I'm not sure what you would ever use it for, except I found this looking for the ability to match my real NBC color on a toy car I'm doing to match. Another thread.
https://www.paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/place_order2.cgi

There is also a non-automotive primer "XM Primer" (this is the name and the Google) which will probably work well on plastic, I have used it on glass which is a very difficult surface to bond to without using heat cured paints. You won't find it at HD or Lowe's! lmao

The biggest trick to spray painting (always use a paint with a fan spray nozzel), is even, overlapping strokes, and many very thin, light coats, allowing drying time in between. Helps with the bond and the elimination of runs and orange peel. Painting a 6" x 6" piece might take 45 min to an hour just to paint, as opposed to the typical DIYer who in 15 minutes has something painted and reinstalled. Another tip, very, very few ppl know, between each coat and after use, turn the can upside down and spray until the paint stops spraying. The nozzel won't clog this way and start "spurting" paint globs.

If you wan't a good job, paint a few samples first and don't be in a hurry. If it requires two cans to gain some experience, it will be worth the cost of the second can. Lacquers, which result in the best finish, are also the hardest to spray.

Thanks, Roger! That is some VERY helpful info which I will definitely employ.

[ramboow]

Originally Posted by connieray

I am in the finishing stages of painting all of my dash pieces that are plastic with the goo on them. Looks good, should finish tommorrow. That is the only way I could figure to get rid of the scratches.

can you share some pics to see how it looks, am planning to do the same, thanks.

[Pushing Fifty]

I scratched my dashboard by placing die-cast Beetle models on it during shows. I simply bought a dash cover from Beetle Dash.com for about 89 bucks. A word of advice, though....don't get glossy black finish but flat black instead. The sunlight reflects so badly off the gloss that you can't see out the front windshield! Fortunately, I live in a grey, gloomy climate, so I don't have to worry about it that much.

As for the peeling plastic on the door handles, I bought plastic fake chrome stick-on covers that look good and will shine up nicely with Windex.