Gen 1 Dash Refinishing

[azbeeking]

I recently purchased a 1995 Viper with the grey interior. The dash was in really good condition but it still was discolored like all other dashes.

I personally think repainting it trim black looks really good but I wanted to keep the car as original as possible. There's a lot of threads about this but none of them really pointed in a definitive direction.

So I grabbed the trim color code off of the VIN Tag which is MLDX
ML is for grey leather, I think...
DX is for grey with black trim, I think...

I found this SEM Color Coat chart for 1995 Chrysler Colors that I've attached.

The code for the color is 4681, which I used to have this color mixed up by this company and they shipped it to me in a few days. I ordered it as a pint because I have a HPLV electric spray gun that Ive used to paint a set of STI calipers, but it can be ordered in a spray can I believe.

SEM Custom Auto Interior Paint

66 Auto Color is a certified House of Kolor distributor. We specialize in custom-mixed paints for automobiles, motorcycles, boats, DIY craft projects, you name it! Since 2004, we have been serving the 4-State area with a genuine commitment of excellent service, fast shipping, and quality products.

www.66autocolor.com

Ive got the dash out, but it has been 110-113 degrees here in Arizona, and I haven't been able to work up the courage to start stripping the paint and then set up a painting area to spray.

I wanted to make this thread because I couldn't find the info for a solution, and hopefully this helps someone in the future. I will update it with photos after I get it painted.

 

[Walter Clark]

I am curious to find out how this turns out. I assume the paint you ordered isnt like the original in terms of being 'soft touch'. Is it a matte?

I refinished mine in matte black because 1) I didnt dig this deep looking for gray, and 2) I assume my gray vinyl on the knee bolsters and console has changed over time and even if the dash paint and vinyl matched in 1994, it wouldnt now.

 

[azbeeking]

The color is matte, it is not soft touch. There is a company called colorbond that makes soft touch pains in aerosol cans but I cannot tell if they make this color, the names that they have on their website differ. I have used colorbond paints before to refinish a nicked up 996 and they worked really nice. If I’m not happy with this I might look deeper into that.

Today I used oven cleaner to remove the original paint. Wow, that works so well. I did that dash in 3 sections and just have some detail sanding remaining. I sprayed it on let it sit in the sun for 5 mins and sprayed it away with the hose. What wouldn’t come up with the hose, I scrubbed off with 0000 steel wool.

 

[DeLViper]

I did mine in emerald green.

 

[MoparMap]

As silly as it might sound, Plastidip makes for a pretty good soft touch style paint. I painted my mom's 94 with black Plastidip over the top of the old surface directly. Don't know if it would ever really be "removeable" the way you can peel it off of other stuff as I'm guessing it might still yank the old material off with it as old as it was, but it does look way better. Admittedly it's harder to care for though as getting dirt and dust of a rubbery surface isn't as easy.

 

[azbeeking]

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Moving slowly on this. Had this broken piece which had been glued so I’m trying what I hope is a more permanent solution.

 

[azbeeking]

Repaired and sanded and applying the primer.

I did not remove all of the black paint from the lower bezel and I might regret that. I’m hoping sanding the prime fixes it but I highly doubt it.

Also, this painting tent was only $40. It filters light nicely, keeps the dust off parts while it dries. I get a lot of use out of it.

Will update.

 

[VolsTN]

Looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. Thanks for sharing (another Gen 1 owner with a dash that could use some love)

 

[azbeeking]

Finally done, the color is really good and I’m quite happy with it. It was definitely a lot of work but I wanted to prep it really well and make sure the outcome would be something I can live with.

Couple of things if I hadn’t removed the black paint it probably would have been easier, it was difficult to remove and painting that first then masking was very time consuming

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I’m going to wait 48 hours to install to ensure the paint is abrasion resistant as possible. It is hard to get the dash back in without scratching.

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It’s nice that I’m done now, but if someone said, I’ll do it to your satisfaction and it will take one week and it will cost less than $1500 I’d probably have them do it. I’m not sure if that’s a reasonable price. For just items needed to complete it I had a lot of the tools, tape, sand paper, tack cloth, paint strainers, stirs and an hplv electric sprayer from a previous project. I purchased the paint and primer and that was it so I was in it for about $200.

Im almost positive that the color is exactly what it supposed to be but I’ve never seen a fresh viper dash from 1995 that hadn’t degraded.

One more pic after install coming soon.

Thanks!

 

[Real_Maverick]

Nice job! I need to do this, but will probably just work with a paint shop to get that color and paint for me. That grey looks oem.

 

[MoparMap]

Wow, that looks great! Is it still "soft touch" material or just the correct color in a traditional paint? It certainly has the more satin finish of the original, but I don't think I'd even mind if it wasn't the OEM style finish as nice as it looks.

 

[azbeeking]

It is not soft touch. I used SEM flexible primer thinking that might soften it up a bit but it did not.

I’m not going to lie, I’m quite pleased with myself.

 

[Tims 95]

I have an extra dash that’s in pretty good shape if anyone is interested. Thanks, Tim

 

[aacrewchief]

I had my Gen 2 GTS dash hydro dipped a couple of years ago in a snakeskin finish and I love the way it turned out. It was very scratched up when I purchased the car back in 2010, and this finish really compliments the interior of the car. I’m going to attempt to attach a picture or two…

 

[vettegc]

Very nice, do you mind me asking how much that cost and where it was done?

 

[Chad Spackman]

This cost me about 400 bucks. Took the dash out, went to a body shop and told them to paint it as though it were an exterior plastic bumper. I’d do the lower radio bezel but I’m afraid I’d do more harm than good removing it.

 

[Goggles Pizano]

Gloss is too reflective. I was going add that warning.