[bbenthin]

A PO hacked my dash and I'd like to go with a metal repair panel. The lack of a welder and welding skills are an issue for me though.

I'm thinking of using fusor body panel adhesive. Anyone have first hand experience with this on a dash? The posts I found in search mention most folks butt welding these in. I'm thinking that fusor would need some lapping of the metal to bond to. Is this going to be a problem?

A side note: Would a standard epoxy (cheaper) be just as for this application or too prone to cracking?

Thanks,

 

[army_officer]

if you overlap the panel, you radio panel will not be flush with the remaining dash. an option that might be suitable is to cut the panel and the dash so that it fits perfectly inside, put some addional metal under the dask as like a bridge between the two pieces and use the panel adhesive on them. you will prob need to use some type of body filler to cover the seam. I am not sure how well this will work or hold. you might just consider doing all the prep work making the radio repair panel fit an opening in the dash and go to your local HS and see if some one in the shop class can stitch weld the butt joints. give the kid $25 for his time. I have had local HS students in shop classes do verious work on my previous mustang. I had a class rebuild my C4 and it worked great.
Just some options

 

[yelostang]

This an area where some welding is really necessary. Consider: You will no doubt be hanging a radio in the dash which is dead weight. There will be a constant strain on the repair. Going over bumps, etc. will magnify it. Even with a brace in the rear, there is still pressure being put on your repair. Fusor has it's place and don't think it should be used by itself. If you were to fit the patch, you could take it to someone who can do some welding. The last time I did one, I cut it to fit flush and like mentioned, made a couple of "bonding strips" out of donor piece excess. I then welded it butt style.

 

[twotoots2]

Stay away from conventional epoxies if you can't weld the panel in. Use Fusor 108B if you decide to glue it in. Info about the product is here:http://www.fusor.com I buy mine from the body shop for about $40.00/tube. I don't use the mixing tubes on the end either as that wastes product. It comes in two separate, but joined tubes and I use a dowel to push the stuff out, saving buying the dispenser gun. Make sure you don't glue to any painted surfaces, you want bare metal contact with the fuzor.

After using Fusor on several applications on the stang, I would definately recommend it for your dash project. It will be plenty strong...as strong as a weld, even with the weight of the radio. I brazed my metal repair panel in, but that was before I found the Fusor. My hole was hacked out too, so what I did was to square up the hole to accomodate the repair piece. That way the repair piece radio opening fit nicely inside my widened out opening. The remaining repair panel was simply lapped over the dash metal underneath. I didn't want to cut out anymore dash metal than necessary. The overlap provides extra metal strength also, and a nice glue surface for the fuzor.

After glueing or brazing, its then a matter of bondo'ing around the edges to 'integrate' the panel. You can't tell my dash has a repair panel installed, even with the huge overlap, and it looks really great with the AM radio installed. Good luck!

Oh yeah, you may have to trim the edges of the repair panel to make it fit...mine was far from perfect. And have plenty of clamps on hand to hold the panel in place while the fuzor sets.