painting my dash

[dropededjimmy]

i know this might sound stupid but my truck is my daily driver and i cant have it apart for to long im looking to change the color on my dash is there anyway i can paint it with out taking it out of the truck i mean can i mask the hell out of the stuff i dont want panited or do i have to take it out




2000 gmc jimmy
20 inch forte f9 lockdowns
2 12 in kicker cvx
hifonics brutus bxi1606
hifonics titan txi6406

[83LOWrange]

yea you can.... but its gonna look like you taped it off inside your truck, best thing for you to do in your situation, go pull one from a donor truck, paint it all up, then swap it out over a weekend!

[dropededjimmy]

thats also a problem for me donor trucks with the same dash as mine around here are hard to come by but

[tyhodge07]

you can paint it in the truck no problem, we did my buddies 6 years ago and still to this day it looks like a factory dash like it was never painted.. hasnt faded or chipped one bit. we used them manilla folders up around the window, they were thicker and could be slid behind the dash, taped them to the window than above that we did new paper, we did that all the way around it in the area's we didnt want painted. for the floor and seats we just used an old sheet and covered it along with the steering wheel and such. it really wasnt to bad, just alot of fume's and paint kickin back in out faces, lol. ill be doin my dash here real soon the same way, but being an older truck the dash isnt as large, so should be easier.

[dropededjimmy]

thats kind of what i was thinking of doing but i dont want it to turn out looking like crap so i still dont know what im going to doits either that or im going to buy one of the dash covers from stylintrucks thats abs plastic with a flame design on it

[94SDimeDriver]

I had that ugly navy blue interior and changed mine to tan. I just used VHT vinyl dye and then used cans of U-Pol(or u can use dupont) flexible clear with UV protectant. All from cans and I never took the dash out, but in my defense my windshield was already cracked so I wasn't worried about the windshield but if you take your time then you can do it. Plus the worst that should happen is to get some paint on the glass which is easily fixed with a razor blade or some mineral spirits but be careful with the solvents around your freshly painted dash. One thing that I didn't like is that if you do that you wind up with some areas on your dash that are hard to get to so I recommend stripping the dash dezel, glove box door and surround, speaker covers, and any other part that can be removed and painted more easily(and nicer) off the dash. Mine has lasted about seven years but needs some touch ups here and there so I am about to redo it in another color since they discontinued the color I used, but it's so close no one will be able to tell the places that are hard to get to since I went ahead and hit those spots with the front glass out before the new glass was reinstalled.

[94SDimeDriver]

Also prep is key on these kinds of parts. I used some plastic prep paste made by bulldog. I actually don't think they make it anymore but if you could find an equivalent or just lightly scuff it with 220 and clean it well, just be careful. Pull your speakers too. Adhesion promoter doesn't hurt either.

[dropededjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 94SDimeDriver

Also prep is key on these kinds of parts. I used some plastic prep paste made by bulldog. I actually don't think they make it anymore but if you could find an equivalent or just lightly scuff it with 220 and clean it well, just be careful. Pull your speakers too. Adhesion promoter doesn't hurt either.

what does the plastic prep paste do acctually so ill know what a good equivalent would be

[OldBeater]

I'm doing mine as we speak inside my truck. All I removed were the seats and the bezel. I'm using rustoleum vinyl die and a can of clear cover, didn't do any sanding or prep (which was lazy and dumb), but I'm done with the center console and it's looking pretty amazing compared to its old look. I'm about to start on the dash. I did the front window trim peices this way a couple weeks ago, and they look great. My only suggestions if you use the vinyl die is to make sure the dash is clean, and make your first coat thicker than your second, and if you do more than two just keep adding lighter and lighter coats. It helps brush away any imperfections.

[C-RoBee]

im doing this in my truck its my daily also. ive just been going to the junk yards and buying the pieces i need and swapping them out

[dropededjimmy]

how hard is the dash to take out just incase i can find one in a junkyard

[s10pimpin209]

pretty easy 7mm and 10mm socket.

[94SDimeDriver]

If you are fast you could change a dash out with a little help in 1-2 days. The dashed themselves are pretty smooth so if you decide to paint the on in place you must prep it. I don't think they make the paste anymore but what you can do is remove all the things from the dash and paint them seperately sand those well with 180 wash lightly with mild soap then rinse with water. use a self etching primer made by bulldog(at o'reileys or most other parts store), then wet sand with 220-300, nothing over 300(don't want plastics too smooth). When it's smooth paint them with whatever paint you decide to use. You can get your local paint shop to mix you whatever your heart desires(even in a paint bomb if you don't have a air run paint gun) or you can try SEM or VHT vinyl dyes. Then if you don't have a paint gun buy some U-pol or Dupont interior/jamb clear to protect them. Make sure you tack everything off between these steps with a crystal tack cloth to keep it all clean. Wait 48 hours then reinstall. Do these same things with the dash but it has less texture than the other plastics since it vinyl. You just want to lightly sand this with 200 evenly. Other than that it's a fairly easy process. Taking those parts off will also help you get in all the tight spots too. Make sure to keep your door open, wear a mash, and use heavy sheets and masking paper/tape wherever else you need and good luck.

[94SDimeDriver]

also use bulldog adhesion promoter before you paint too

[94SDimeDriver]

oops keep your doors open and wear a mask/respirator not door and mash

[dropededjimmy]

thanks guys yall have been a big help as soon as i get it done ill post some pics

[dropededjimmy]

ok yall have been a big help but now i nee opinions about what color to paint my interior i was thinking maybe black with maybe like a electric blue or sonic blue trim or white with a electric or sonic blue trim or sonic or electric blue with white trim