Paint on the dash frame

[Aar1064]

I'm at 4.5 years to complete so I know all about taking it nice and slow.

I used SEM trim black in the quart sprayed with a gun. Two medium coats then one final coat with air pressure up to around 50 and fluid control on gun screwed in so paint sprayed dry. Kept gun about 20 inches away and let her rip. Turned out really well I thought and texture from the dry spray.

[nsmall]

Thanks for the pics.  Someone is helping me with final assembly and I ran into a deadline as he has two other cars on deck.  Mine is on the rack right now.  I'm so excited I'm starting to lose sleep. 

[RUNCHARGER]

Good job: I try to dry spray them as well to get some texture.

[1 Wild R/T]

Mine took a year, every night after work I'd be in the garage for at least four hours... Every weekend 10-12 hours on Saturday & again on Sunday....  Second photo shows what suede finish looks like

[nsmall]

just remember after painting the frame. To bare all chassis contact pointes so the frame has grounds contact to the body. This is the single biggest issue with gauges and wiring issues once cars are put back together. Same as with the engine and trunk compartments.  NO ground = headaches.

@Burdar

So I'm assuming these are the only two points of contact that I need to keep in raw metal?  So basically everywhere above my fingers I will leave and raw metal and that should be good enough for ground?

Besides these two points of contact am I missing anything?

Thanks

[Burdar]

That should be fine. As long as the paint is thin and not thick right there, the washer should cut through to bare metal when you tighten it down. You can leave a bare spot if you want.

[Roadman]

     I like to run a hidden wire from the dash frame, thru the firewall , to the block. But I'm just anal about grounds.  Actually I run gronnd wires from the block to the wiper motor, voltage regulator, etc.   

[nsmall]

@Burdar

Dash is mocked up.  Looks great.  Some of my plastic trim is OEM and so it's on the brittle side.

I totally understand the concept of having it completely put together before you put it in but I'm thinking that I should leave the trim at least on the driver side off as I do not want this to break and have to buy a new one.

I should be able to get the driver side trim in after the dash is in with no real issue....correct?

One last question is there any way to beef up the dash where it goes up near the windshield as it seems a little weak as there's no metal frame under it there?  I bought an ultimate rides Dash and very happy but it does seem like maybe over many years the dash could warp there.



Thanks

[fc7cuda]

@Burdar

I should be able to get the driver side trim in after the dash is in with no real issue....correct?

Correct.  A little tight but definitely doable.

[Burdar]

DS trim is easy to install after. Test fit it now though. I had to trim the dash pad so it fit better. Easier to do that now.

The four fasteners at the base of the windshield will hold the frame just fine. If you think the E-body frame is flimsy, you should see my Dart frame.

[nsmall]

@Burdar

Darren...thanks a lot.  You are very good to me.

Just to clarify I was referring to not the dash frame but the actual pad doesn't have reinforced metal underneath of it.
There's a little give in this area and I'm just a little paranoid as I do not want to deal with this down the road.

The previous owner had an ABS dash in that warped some.  That's why I dropped the $$$ for a new one.  The first two photos are of my new Dash where I'm a little worried.  The second two photos are of the ABS Dash which I highly recommend NOT buying.

[1 Wild R/T]

So I'm assuming these are the only two points of contact that I need to keep in raw metal?  So basically everywhere above my fingers I will leave and raw metal and that should be good enough for ground?

Besides these two points of contact am I missing anything?

Thanks

Those two points are fine for grounding the dash frame to the body, but the dash cluster, the radio, the wiper switch & in turn the switch pod, assorted relays, the courtesy light if so equipped... All ground through their mounting hardware which attaches through the dash frame...

[nsmall]

So I'm assuming these are the only two points of contact that I need to keep in raw metal?  So basically everywhere above my fingers I will leave and raw metal and that should be good enough for ground?

Besides these two points of contact am I missing anything?

Thanks

Those two points are fine for grounding the dash frame to the body, but the dash cluster, the radio, the wiper switch & in turn the switch pod, assorted relays, the courtesy light if so equipped... All ground through their mounting hardware which attaches through the dash frame...

@1 Wild R/T. 1 wild r/t. I can't seem to tag you as it doesn't come up but maybe you will get this.  Sorry but now I'm getting a little confused. I was planning to paint the entire Dash frame black.  So will everything be grounded even though I'm painting it black?  The two points of contact for the dash frame I plan to leave in raw metal. So am I going to be okay for grounds painting the dash frame?

[nsmall]

@Burdar

This is a real question. Does the defrost duct go underneath the frame Or does it mount to the firewall and the dash sits on top of it?  Thanks

[1 Wild R/T]

Just a little masking tape over some screw holes.... There are four screws that mount the instrument cluster to the dash frame, a little tape keeps paint from insulating the cluster.... You could just paint it & hope/trust that the screw will cut through the paint & ground securely.. When Mopar painted the dash frame it was super thin & with lacquer which the screws would cut through easily... When we restore stuff we use more & better paints so you have ground issues....

Just look through the stuff that mounts to the dash frame & consider it's ground path... It's usually grounded through it's mounting points, very rare that there is a separate ground wire....