Remove Wood Grain Vinyl from Cluster

[Wycked69 20]

I have a set of wood grain teak dash panels (instrument and clock) for a 69 Mach I that need re-done. I want to do this myself and have purchased the 3M Di-noc materials to re do these.

 

I am having a hell of a time trying to get the old wood grain vinyl off. I've heated it with a heat gun but the glue is so old and hard it has no effect. Is there any chemical I can get and use that will dissolve the old wood grain vinyl ??......... Is there some other method or trick ?

 

I don't find much on the internet except for removing vinyl flooring

[bartzzimpson 18]

I did the same thing to mine but a hair dryer was sufficient to get the old woodgrain material off. Since the panels are made of metal you can get as aggressive as you like with chemicals without the fear that you will do any damage.

 

What about acrylic thinners or even paint stripper?

[Mike65 475]

When I removed the wood grain from the passengers side panel I scraped off as much as I could & then sanded the rest off.

[snafu 10]

I ended up sanding down the original stuff and just putting the new vinyl on top.

[clark1969 10]

Where do you buy the wood grain vinyl? I am thinking about buying a new gauge cluster, but I have only seen them in black. So I guess you have to buy the cluster and the vinyl separately. Thanks.

[miketyler 15]

I cant imagine the glue would be very hard to remove. A high speed with a sanding disc or even a DA sander for the face side. I'm interested in how your project turns out. Please post pics along the way and show us the finished product.

[rchappelear 28]

I sent it to my powder coating guy. He tank dipped it then blasted it, finally a flat clear to protect from future rust. He told me that it had alot of glue on the backside and took quite of time cleaning it up.

[Wycked69 20]

Damn that looks clean!!! That's exactly what I want to achieve before applying the 3M Di Noc. Thanks for posting the photo's

[MikeStang 247]

Wire wheel that monster

[indianfiremach 170]

Where did you buy the 3m Di-noc? I searched ebay and this looks like a good solution to panels with damage or poor color.

[rchappelear 28]

bought mine from http://www.tiptopsigns.com part #FW-338 (this is for the walnut NOT teak)

[Mike65 475]

Go to Amazon.com & do a search for 3M Di-Noc.

[rchappelear 28]

Clean down part with rubbing alcohol

apply 3M Primer 94 with a brush

let dry for 5-10 mins

Cut Di-Noc over size of instrument panel, make sure the wood grain is going left to right and no up and down.

 

Slowly from one end apply the wood grain vinyl ( pull only a little of the wax sheeting as you work your way down the panel)

 

After vinyl is laid out cut out reliefs in the gauge area (let plenty on extra material to wrap inward)

 

Heat with hairdryer on MED heat and low/med speed. This will work just fine to warm up the Di-Noc!!!

(high heat could melt and does not save anytime)

[rchappelear 28]

work your heat around the outside perimeter, make sure you warm the vinyl so it will form to the curves.

 

After the perimeter is wrapped, cut excess material off back side.

 

Now trim out the gauge areas with about 1/2 - 3/4 material from lip.

 

Heat up from the front side gauge area and press inward.

 

Take a pair of scissors and cut reliefs about 1/4 from lip (if you cut to the lip you run the chance of a tear into the visible gauge area)

 

Heat up gauge area again, slowly pushing in and over gauge lip circle.

 

Once all material is on the back side you can flip instrument panel over heat up the reliefs and flatten out for a better fit when installing the gauges.

[rchappelear 28]

finished clock bezel area and instrument panel install into bezel housing

[det0326 179]

finished clock bezel area and instrument panel install into bezel housing

 

WOW!!!! that is simply beautiful. I noticed the lips around the holes for the gauges sparkles is that chrome or did you paint it because mine is a pukey beige . Is mine missing something?

Very nice work.

[RPM 1,190]

WOW!!!! that is simply beautiful. I noticed the lips around the holes for the gauges sparkles is that chrome or did you paint it because mine is a pukey beige . Is mine missing something?

Very nice work.

 

Ditto! B u tiful.

 

Bob

[miketyler 15]

That does look good. I assume thats a repo plastic bezel? I bought one for a tach panel I was building and had part of the chrome peel off while I was painting the bezels argent silver. There has to be a better way to do that.

[indianfiremach 170]

That looks great. How much Ni-Doc did you have to purchase?

[70mstang 11]

Oh yea this looks amazing ... +1 on det0326's question about the chrome

 

may need to make another investment cause this looks so good :)

[Wycked69 20]

I purchased my 3M Di Noc from Metro Restyling. The have a lot of good info on the site. You can get the primer, and anything else you need.

 

http://www.metrorestyling.com/3M-DI-NOC-Marine-Teak-Wood-Vinyl-p/dinocmarine.htm

 

The "Marine Teak" is a good close match to the dark wood for the 69 Mach

[rchappelear 28]

Oh yea this looks amazing ... +1 on det0326's question about the chrome

 

may need to make another investment cause this looks so good :)

Yes that bezel is the repop. I think i purchased it when they first came out for 200ish??

[rchappelear 28]

That looks great. How much Ni-Doc did you have to purchase?

It comes in a 4' wide roll and you really only need 1LF. I purchased the 2'x4' cut, just in case i messed up and needed more!

Guess with all the extra primer and an addition sheet of di-noc, i might just redo my other set and sell them off :)

[indianfiremach 170]

I wanted to update after I received my samples from 3M. The Marine Teak WG-430 was a great match to the woodgrain on my '70. It was almost exact to the area underneath the 'Mach 1' emblem that wasn't sun faded. I bought the material from metro restyling via eBay ($29.98), the 3m squeegee and 3M primer 94 from autobody now on eBay for $13.75 and $4, respectively. Free shipping on all. The project materials aren't cheap, but finding a nice woodgrain clock panel isn't either. Mine has three screw holes drilled in it (why I'm replacing it), so I may have to fill and sand those smooth so they don't show through. Thanks for the project idea.

[miketyler 15]

Am kick starting this thread on panel restoration. Wycked - did you identify a good Di Noc pattern number as a match for the Teak you were looking to do your car with? I have someone needing a teak tach panel and was going to recover one of my walnut bezels in Teak.

 

Appreciate any recommendation that any of you can offer