Dashboard repair and strengthening

Reliant dashboards were manufactured from a plastic that has not aged well, and has become brittle and prone to cracking. Provided no large chunks are missing though, they can be repaired and strengthened well enough to look good for the foreseeable future.

You will need one of those 'David's Isopon' all-in-one matting and resin kits, some strong sticky tape, sharp scissors, disposable brushes and clean yogurt pots or margarine tubs, among a few standard tools. If there are any holes or slivers missing, the surface can be filled with 'metal' araldite-type resin glue - the grey is a near-enough match for the grey dashboard plastic.

This is a bit of a 'while-you're there' job, so consider what else you can get at while the dash is removed [notably wiper wheelboxes for re-greasing, refitting errant air hosing, fitting sound-proofing felt, to name a few].

TIP: If you find air-hoses have become dislodged because the end profile has become creased, a few minutes under a hot-air gun, or even a hairdryer, restores them to their original shape, so they fit, and the retaining pips do their job [allow to cool before fitting.]

The dash is held in by a nut at each side, to a stud bonded in to the body - though this is a common fracture point - and probably around the steering column and centre console which, at least on Kitten and Fox models, has to be demounted first. All instruments and switches also need removing, taking reference pics of the wiring although there are diagrams in another page.

Once the dash is removed, you're aiming to:

1: - fill any gaps with araldite, from the front, having temporarily held together with strong tape on the rear face. this is fairly straightforward, and with a bit of practice beforehand, you can even pattern the surface with a pointed tool, as it dries, to make it less obvious.

2: - rebuild any missing bits such as at the ends, or the tabs with self-tapper screw-clips for the console

3: - bond 3 layers of matting strips to the plastic between each cut-out, especially across any cracks,

The first task is straightforward, the tape providing a surface to the rear, onto which to fill. Avoid getting the araldite anywhere where you dont want it. Mix it thoroughly, and transfer it to the crack a little at a time, using a pin, and having plenty of tissue at hand to keep the pin clean, and to remove any excess from the piece as you go.

The second task is to gain practice in laminating. WEAR DISPOSABLE GLOVES!! Working from behind this time:

Roughen the surface of the plastic well, so the resin can bond.

Pre-cut shapes from the mat, allowing for overlap onto the plastic, and lay them out ready. Mix the resin and hardener very well [if in doubt use less hardener so it's workable for longer, it will just take longer to cure.] For making up fixing tabs you will need to place 1 layer then leave it to harden, and come back to build up three or four layers later, so you may only need a small amount of resin for 'first fix'.

The third task is more fiddly. the