Dashboard Wood

[Nitrate]

1981, 2000. Today on Bring a Trailer an 81' was sold. Silver with black interior. The sell mentioned that he replaced the wood dash inserts. The car appears in the Results section of Bring a Trailer website with photos showing the wood inserts. Do they look familiar to anyone? Does anyone know where I can purchase a set. Can someone identify the type of wood used. Thanks RB

[zachmac]

I watched that car as well and wondered the same thing. I haven't seen that pattern grain before? BTW, thought that car went pretty cheap.

[aj81spider]

They could just be a new veneer on the old inserts. He said he replaced them, so they may also be just routed out of plywood using the old inserts as a template (I did that) and then veneered with something that has a good grain pattern.

It's not that hard to build a set of inserts if you have the old ones as a template. Plywood with veneer is probably a more stable choice than a solid wood replacement.

[samakijoe]

The easiest way to replace/change the look of the dash would be to veneer over the old dash boards.
Here is a site with a really big selection. You should be able to get what you want.
I'm thinking "Monkey Pod" for that new look. (but I have to wait for them to post a picture before I make a final decision.

https://www.oakwoodveneer.com/wood-veneer/

[RRoller123]

I veneered over the old parts with good results. http://www.veneersupplies.com is excellent, and it is not too hard to do. I used madrone burl, and there is an extensive thread here on the forum regarding the process and the procedure. It takes a couple of very simple plywood forms to do it well, easily made by anyone.

[samakijoe]

A man is known be the number of clamps he owns.

When I run out of clamps I've been known to use SCUBA diving weights to hold things down.
See, gravity doesn't always suck, sometimes it's useful.

[DieselSpider]

For those that don't have scuba weights a tool box (with the tools in it) or even a pail of sand over a piece of plywood works too.

Wood veneer is easy and a sharp knife along with a steady hand is all you really need to work with it plus a light sanding of the edges when your done. I prefer using door veneers or horizontal surface veneers over the thinner side panel veneers where wear may be an issue. Some of the new ultra thin veneers for side panels do not allow for any sanding for refinishing in the future as the actual wood may be thinner than a kitchen trash bag and laminated to a sheet of paper.

[nicks]

A man is known be the number of clamps he owns. Exactly my reaction

When I run out of clamps I've been known to use SCUBA diving weights to hold things down.
See, gravity doesn't always suck, sometimes it's useful.

[RRoller123]

In the hundreds, literally.

[Nitrate]

The owner from Bring a Trailer got back to me. The wood is Curly Maple Veneer with several coats of clear Varathane. RB