Making Factory Integrated Dash Kit!

[The Performer]

Hey guys, just got finished remaking my dash kit for the head unit. My old one finally caught up to my mistake of using crap glue and is breaking apart.

So as I got to re-doing it I decided to take some pics and share my experience incase someone else out there might need the same info.

Here's what I started with. Standard dash kit with crap texture and color that stands out in the interior. "factory match" my ass...

This is an OLD pic from when I first put the deck in. Notice how there's two pieces to the dash kit, the main housing and the trim insert. When I'm done those pieces will be one.

Except the first time I did it, I used superglue on the outside of the trim ring and thought that would have done the trick. And it did for a while but some many months later it's proving to be a bitch on me.

Notice where the paint is tearing itself and the trim ring is being pulled apart.

Anyway, so lets get started. I went out and got a new kit to start from scratch and do it RIGHT this time.

These are the pieces you use for this type of application.

Got some holes drilled for the epoxy to bond REAL tight. Drill holes in the trim ring and the main housing and then sand rough.

Get it ALL in the surrounding of the trim ring and housing for a REAL strong bond. The epoxy is getting in the holes as well and creating anchors when it cures. This will NOT come apart.

Let it cure overnight.

You want the epoxy to ooze out around the ring. This will help when leveling the two pieces.

-

The two surfaces leveled and holes drilled throughout the face of the dash kit. The rest of the kit is taped off to keep the resin from making a mess. Again rough up the surface with heavy grit sand paper as well for a good bond.

Two layers of thin bondo chop mat. Put the resin on the face of the kit then push the mat into the wet resin and push the bubbles out. That what the resin will ooze down in the holes you drill and bond like a MO-FO.

Doing this right after the hurricane past so it was a tad humid out, needed the heat lamp.

-

Let it cure over night, then sand the glass down flush. You shouldn't need any body filler for something this small, just sand it down and you'll be fine.

Trim the outside, then the inside. It's better to wait and trim the inside pieces out until after you're through sanding, it will help keep your sanding as flat and level as possible.

The brother-in law's bloodhound...

Now get to shaping the edges. Make that pocket rounded, in the end it'll look matched even better.

For filling those inside holes that are seen, use JB weld. It will bond to the plastic well and also is sandable.

[The Performer]

Now shape out where the deck face release button is. If you've ever used a kit like this you'll know what I mean due to how the button is usually right in the corner and is a pain in the ass to get your finger to.

Fine sand it down to a decent finish.

-

Now if you notice on these dash install kits like mine, it's held in by screws on those wimp-shit tabs in the middle of the sides. Litterally the joint that holds those to the plastic is thinner than a guitar pic, VERY flimsy.

So I added some braces of aluminum.

Rivet them to the other tabs.

-

Now on to painting. Or I should say primer. The best match I've found for matching and making a good durable coat for that GM black that's the color of the stock stereo is this.

Do a light first coat.

Fill in pinholes with spot putty.

I used 600 grit and wet sanded it all to get a good finish for the coats to stick good.

After about 3 thin coats with wet sanding between each one finally done.

-

Now onto adding my LED's into the pocket, I put two in this time to get a tad bit more brightness.

Quick disconnects on the wires.

[The Performer]

Now attach the headunit, used some stacks of double stick tape to make spacers to keep the deck level.

^Now that release/eject button is integrated into the kit well!

-

Re-install.

Well, that's it, hope you guys can get some use out of this thread, just wanted to show my process.

[marquettefan247]

nice job really like it

[tacomabanga1986]

thats cool as hell man, i wanna try that also that looks sick, and x2 on those wimpy shit clips, i broke 2 sets of install kits in my bro n laws blazer, anyways thats clean work if i ever seen it man, does duplicolor make a tan paint? ied like to paint my install kit to match my dash, but i guess all tan would look like shit, need black aksents u kno?

[wasted ink]

nice job bro, i like it. clean finish.

[The Performer]

thats cool as hell man, i wanna try that also that looks sick, and x2 on those wimpy shit clips, i broke 2 sets of install kits in my bro n laws blazer, anyways thats clean work if i ever seen it man, does duplicolor make a tan paint? ied like to paint my install kit to match my dash, but i guess all tan would look like shit, need black aksents u kno?

Man just try and match the dash kit to the color of the stock radio. That's where I was going with this.

You don't have to use duplicolor, just find what matches. In my situation this primer was all I could find that matched best. Paint would be better, but in my case the primer match was the shit!.

[gs430]

Good write up and nice work!

[dr.db]

Very nice....its funny how such a small piece can eat up so much time!!

[roscoe1129]

Thats bad as fuck bro NICE job!! Im pinning this!