Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[Rocket Man]

You could alway spray grained texture on it to hide the cracks, then paint it like you did with the beast.

What kind of grained texture that works on plastic? have a link?

 

[Tonyrodz]

So

What kind of grained texture that works on plastic? have a link?

Sorry I don't, but it was one of the things I was given when I went to the school I learned my trade from. I've never ordered it. Let me look.
EDIT: Try this---https://store.paintbull.com/content/spray-grain

 

[Rocket Man]

Well I tried the SEM texture spray and it was looking ok even though I would have had to do the entire dash, both pieces. And then spray them. I tried it on the flat piece that goes up against the windshield. It kept lifting in little areas, probably didn’t prep it right. But that piece had many problems and it kept getting worse. It was so brittle it kept breaking, first all the parts that hold the clips, then the grill by the vent, then the hooks that help hold it down. Then this happened. Whoopsy.

 

[Fosscore]

Well I tried the SEM texture spray and it was looking ok even though I would have had to do the entire dash, both pieces. And then spray them. I tried it on the flat piece that goes up against the windshield. It kept lifting in little areas, probably didn’t prep it right. But that piece had many problems and it kept getting worse. It was so brittle it kept breaking, first all the parts that hold the clips, then the grill by the vent, then the hooks that help hold it down. Then this happened. Whoopsy.

View attachment 199708

Oooops....was @05Single in your garage last night, "helping"?

 

[Rocket Man]

Oooops....was @05Single in your garage last night, "helping"?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Well I tried the SEM texture spray and it was looking ok even though I would have had to do the entire dash, both pieces. And then spray them. I tried it on the flat piece that goes up against the windshield. It kept lifting in little areas, probably didn’t prep it right. But that piece had many problems and it kept getting worse. It was so brittle it kept breaking, first all the parts that hold the clips, then the grill by the vent, then the hooks that help hold it down. Then this happened. Whoopsy.

View attachment 199708

That plastic just gets brittle from sitting under the windshield. Those little vent grills are usually the first things to go. Can't save those.

 

[Rocket Man]

That plastic just gets brittle from sitting under the windshield. Those little vent grills are usually the first things to go. Can't save those.

Yeah there was no saving that piece. Terrible quality of plastic. And of course they know they have you by the balls on that part; my dealer wanted over $450 for it. I got it for $260 ish. Ridiculous.

 

[kbuskill]

Yeah there was no saving that piece. Terrible quality of plastic. And of course they know they have you by the balls on that part; my dealer wanted over $450 for it. I got it for $260 ish. Ridiculous.

Be sure to rub it down with Sun block before you install it and then reapply once a week... lol

Seriously though if you don't already have a tinted windshield you should really consider it.

I did a 70% ceramic film on the entire windshield and it blocks about 50% of the heat and 99% UV A and B which is probably what contributes to the dash cracking prematurely.

 

[PG01]

Premature.....he-he

 

[Rocket Man]

Be sure to rub it down with Sun block before you install it and then reapply once a week... lol

Seriously though if you don't already have a tinted windshield you should really consider it.

I did a 70% ceramic film on the entire windshield and it blocks about 50% of the heat and 99% UV A and B which is probably what contributes to the dash cracking prematurely.

Yeah but then there's the dash in The Beast which is 16 years old and when I pulled to paint last year it was strong as hell and shows no signs of cracking. The NNBS is just made out of ****** plastic. The stuff is brittle as hell and breaks just from touching it. I'm going to spend some money on this truck in awhile and when I do, I'll buy the main dash piece. Then I need a new windshield and when I get that, I'll tint it. I'm not going to do that to The Beast because it's my daily and I can't see that good at night. The Machine has Morimoto retrofits too which really light things up, plus I won't be driving in the pouring rain dark nights like we get here in the Winter months. That's when a tinted windshield would cause me problems.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Premature.....he-he

You're premature.

 

[05Single]

Oooops....was @05Single in your garage last night, "helping"?

Looks like my work

I had a gif for this but still trying to learn iPhone again

 

[PG01]

You're premature.

Absofuckinglutely

 

[Rocket Man]

Well that was a lot of damn work, just to end up with cracks that are more closed up but still noticeable. Plus instead of one by the airbag I have 2 now lol. Oh, plus it cost me an extra $250 for the front trim piece which is still on order. I sent the stapler back to Amazon because I don't plan on trying plastic repair again. If anybody wants one, there will soon be a deal in Amazon Warehouse Deals for one but it will be missing a lot of staples. Next time I'll just replace the main dash piece. It was a learning experience and it goes to show that no matter how much research a guy does, shit can and usually does still go wrong. If you pull the dash on a pickup, drop the steering column or you'll bust the dash trying to maneuver it around the steering wheel. I didn't find any videos on pulling a dash on a pickup so I didn't know. I'll be doing this again soon because these cracks will drive me crazy. I can probably replace the dash in 2-3 hours now that I've done it once.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Well that was a lot of damn work, just to end up with cracks that are more closed up but still noticeable. Plus instead of one by the airbag I have 2 now lol. Oh, plus it cost me an extra $250 for the front trim piece which is still on order. I sent the stapler back to Amazon because I don't plan on trying plastic repair again. If anybody wants one, there will soon be a deal in Amazon Warehouse Deals for one but it will be missing a lot of staples. Next time I'll just replace the main dash piece. It was a learning experience and it goes to show that no matter how much research a guy does, shit can and usually does still go wrong. If you pull the dash on a pickup, drop the steering column or you'll bust the dash trying to maneuver it around the steering wheel. I didn't find any videos on pulling a dash on a pickup so I didn't know. I'll be doing this again soon because these cracks will drive me crazy. I can probably replace the dash in 2-3 hours now that I've done it once.

View attachment 199773 View attachment 199774

Rack it up to experience. Still looks better than it did. Go run the beast up and down the block a few times and get smiling again.

 

[Rocket Man]

Rack it up to experience. Still looks better than it did. Go run the beast up and down the block a few times and get smiling again.

I just raced up to get breakfast burritos at Don Pedro , I'm smiling.

 

[PG01]

Yeah, at least its not rattling and they are ‘solid’ cracks..whatcha gonna do, you tried.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Yeah, at least its not rattling and they are ‘solid’ cracks..whatcha gonna do, you tried.

True dat

 

[Sevenevez]

lotta work man. nice job though. those dash's are notoriously cracked on that body style. my buddies Tahoe is the same, only worse. He just threw a nice dash pad on it.

And those OEM textured plastic pieces are a b*tch to prep to get really paint to stick on em.

nice progress

 

[randeez]

I watched the worst dash removal YouTube video before I did mine, I think of a guy who did the staple repair. But it was like ok if this guy can remove the dash this carelessly and not break any trim, I'm sure me trying to do it gently should go ok.

And it wasnt bad I mean, the dude did identify every bolt/clip/plug etc that needed to be removed

Here