Ideas for centre dashboard repair after breakin

[jock23]

Some c*nt broke into my car yesterday and stole my nice alpine stereo which has pissed me off somewhat.

However in the process, the little skaghead has proceeded to rip the stereo away from the console causing quite a bit of damage. The metal structure of the cig lighter and ash tray has been bent down and the casing round where the stereo was is ripped through completely.

Any ideas of what I can do to get this sorted and able to fit a new stereo??? I can put a picture up of the damage if it will help.

Also, I could do with somewhere that sells new barrells for the door as mine is missing now completely???

[Jack]

if you have the time, you could de-lock the door and cage the lock mechanism - did that on my hatch after it got broken into a few times

As for the dash... hmmm, not really sure what kinda damage you mean. Replacement dashes are harder to come by for the Mk2 as everyone with a Mk1 tends to buy them to upgrade theirs. You could rebuild a new lower section from fibreglass...

[jock23]

Well i have just bought some compound stuff to completely fill in the hole where the barrel was on the passenger side (the lock didnt work anyway!!) and am now considering doing the same with the other side and putting central locking in. just how hard is that to do???

[Jack]

Central locking is pretty easy, most aftermarket kits come with instructions and is mostly a case of 3 or 4 wires...

Id you're flusing the lock hole, I'd either weld a plate in as well, or bolt a washer in as filler on its own might fall out!

[ade]

you can get solex locks on ebay for about ?10 - they have special keys that cant be screwdrivered.

As for the centra console, the ash tray/lighter section can easily be replaced - its only held in place by a couple of screws and is just black plastic.

Anyone breaking a nova (I pressume its a mk2) will flog you one for ?10 tops.

It'd be easier seeing a pic of the damage to advise the best course of action ref what to do. The metal could be bent back to a rough shape - however you might be easier removing the fag lighter section and relocating the stereo further down. Just build a new centre console centre section out of wood - cast this in resin (in a similar way to what TCUNY did for his number plate recess in this forum) and cover it in similar matching vynal. Would look good and blend right in - would also be a fairly original mod.

Ade
:wink:

[Jack]

you can get solex locks on ebay for about ?10 - they have special keys that cant be screwdrivered.
You can't screwdriver the lock itself but you can screwdriver round it - happened to mine, thats how they got into it second time round. I wouldn't bother with solex locks again.


Anyone breaking a nova (I pressume its a mk2) will flog you one for ?10 tops.
mm, didn't think about it being Mk1 lmao, just from the way you described it I thought it was Mk2... :oops:

[jock23]

thanks guys, just taken some pictures of the damage now so when i upload them i will get them on here for some advice.

Damage doenst look too bad, its just the grey plastic around the metal that is all messed up, and the cig holder bit which is all bent but i suppose i could just replace that!!

Not sure what gonna do bout the locks, got some stuff to bridge the hole and fill it in on the passenger side, but unsure what to do with the drivers side as the barrel can just be pulled out due to the rust around it.

I was thinking of putting central locking in and remote controlling it but am gonna wait till after my MOT next month to see if its gonna be worth it!!!

[ade]

if theres rust around the door lock on the drivers side best thing would be to either get a replacement door or (easier and cheaper) get a blanking plate (ebay - ?10 at the moment) - just a washer and a flat headed bolt.

You can skim over it and respray the door to delock - easy.

You can also get decent alarms with central locking and immobalisers on ebay for about ?40 - self fitting.

I like ebay - can you tell

:lol:

[jock23]

Here are the pics, they aint brilliant but any suggestions would be great.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/_Andrew_Williams/119_1969.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/_Andrew_Williams/119_1968.jpg

I tried getting the factory radio in the gap today but the metal is bent enough to stop it going in. I have hopefully found a replacement cig lighter and stuff so that sound.

I would just like to turn this into an oppurtunity rather than something bad.

[probert_nova]

I would just like to turn this into an oppurtunity rather than something bad.

maybe look for a gsi dash then. honestly though, i went looking for a new standard grey one round the scrappys and i got told no more than ?30 and there was still loads of good condition ones.esay to swap over too.

[Riggy]

yeah id change the dash aswell it will look much better :lol:


where abouts are you based i have a few spare if you want one you can have one :lol:

[Jack]

Ahhh so it was a Mk2 then :lol:

[Riggy]

lol it would have been a big hole from headunit to fag lighter on a mk1 :wink:

[Spud]

if you do plan to swap the dash over, make sure you figure out a plan to remove and refit the steering wheel before dismantling, i didn't and cut round it to remove the grey dash but came up stumped with no plan (or gauges or switches!) to refit the new one, handy if you have a friendly vaux mechanic! ( i found my gsi dash for ?15 at a scrappy, bit damaged but is hidden by the digi dash!)

[Jack]

Quite often find GSi dashboards on ebay.....

[jock23]

Whats the deal with swapping them over then?? Is it just a case of taking one out, putting one in, or does it involve cutting and changing the positions???

I live in southport riggy, it was fecking manchester where I got broken into!!! lol

[Jack]

As you've already got a Mk2 dash in there it'll be a piece of piss. Simple case of take one out, put new one in :)

[jock23]

And whats the hardest part of that? Taking the steering wheel off???

If anyone has a GSi dash then I would be very interested to buy it off, just pm me!!!

[ads w]

few gsi dashes on ebay

i like ebay too ade :lol:

thats why my headunits bolted in at the back and i have a nice heavy stop lock

[Jack]

And whats the hardest part of that? Taking the steering wheel off???

If anyone has a GSi dash then I would be very interested to buy it off, just pm me!!!
Yep! And yeah, take a look on ebay.

[Matt2107]

Cut the dash off on the other side and make a frame out of wood that extends down to the gear stick. Mesh the frame to give it strength. Fibre glass over the top, rub it down, apply some filler and give it another stroke with some sandpaper. Whip the dash out, rub the dimples smooth on the rest of the dash. Get it painted to match your car.

Job done.

Or take the easy option and just buy a new dash :D

[ade]

TBH youre probably quicker and cheaper replacing the dash - not too hard really - theyre made a right mess of the vynal bits...

I'd be temped to cut the damaged section away from the head unit down and look at blending in a mk1 lower console section (the ones with the tape holder but change this to cd's). You'd have a missmatch with the vynal but you may be able to replace that too...

Ade

[Stanley]

i got my dash for ?5 from my work! shibby!

watch the heater control cables on removal and refitting as the clips are prone to snapping.

and i bet your heater control knobs dont light up either so stick some new bulbs in whilst its out!