Topic: Real carbon fiber dash

[hammy221]

hand anyone skinned their Pontiac Solstice Dash (the gray part). I was looking at the after market stick on CF dash kit and didn't like the small areas that show the gray around buttons etc. I was looking at skinning mine with carbon fiber fabric then using some epoxy to build it up and toping it off with UV resistant clear coat. does anyone have experience doing this.

[Sly Bob]

Great idea! truth be told, I've never been a fan of those kits for the reason you mention. Have you considered hydro dipping?

[hammy221]

I have considered it but I feel like it wouldn’t look authentic and it would bother me that it wasn’t real

[Sol Asylum]

I would be concerned with the epoxy actually forming a secure bond to the dash plastic.  I believe that it is Polyethylene and pretty much nothing bonds well to it.  You could go through the whole process and then just have it fall off.

Other wise it should be a simple process if you have done fiberglass work before.

[hammy221]

I would be concerned with the epoxy actually forming a secure bond to the dash plastic.  I believe that it is Polyethylene and pretty much nothing bonds well to it.  You could go through the whole process and then just have it fall off.

Other wise it should be a simple process if you have done fiberglass work before.

This would be my first shot at it. I would use a smaller part to test and go from there. As far as bonding. All and any holes would have some folding over the edge and secured to the back side. I’m not too concerned about it delaminating

[Sol Asylum]

Folding over the edges will have some issues for you, clearance would be one. Another being actually getting the cloth to make the bend and lay down on the other side especially around curved edges.

[TomatoSoup]

I would be concerned with the epoxy actually forming a secure bond to the dash plastic.  I believe that it is Polyethylene and pretty much nothing bonds well to it.  You could go through the whole process and then just have it fall off.

The "Boomerang" dash is not Polyethylene, but rather ABS  (=airplane model plastic ).  HOWEVER, you MUST strip the grey paint off the dash first, because that paint is very non-stickum (technical term).  But that's easy enough to strip with Easy-Off oven cleaner, or equivalent...  https://www.solsticeforum.com/threads/ppssstt-wanna-see-an-easyoffd-boomerang.83578/

[elff]

WTF
Is there anything you haven't done!?!?!?

That's pretty awesome.   Excellent job de-sticki-ing the non-stickum