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markbt73

Rock-hard plastic and self-tapping screws...

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...and for once I'm not talking about Tamiya.

2019-11-16_01-37-14

Today I took apart the dashboard of my old Chevrolet truck to install an FM modulator/aux input on the stereo. I had forgotten just how much of the interior of it is made of plastic. And it's all held together by self-tapping screws, with an uneasy mix of Torx, Philips, and 7mm hex heads. And naturally, half of the parts are broken. So I, following in the footsteps of previous owners (the small slotted screws holding in the headlight switch were there when I got it), do whatever I need to do to hold the bits of hard, brittle, 30 year old plastic together.

Luckily, I've got a lot of experience doing it. ;)

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Subtle - almost looks factory fresh:ph34r:

I hate this on cars as I have never really been able to afford (but mostly im too tight) to buy anything newer than about 20 years old so all the plastic parts go that way  - if they are not screws they are those barbed/pronged plastic clips that 99% of the time break when you pull on them. When i come across those I dream of an old rusty screw - they are work of the devil. Especially annoying when you have to remove so much of the interior trim to carry out a routine service on the AC air filter or any bulbs.

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It's not just vintage cars that have the problem with rock hard plastic and self tapping screws.

Fixed an e-bike motor for a friend where a crucial part broke off. Special glue and primer was needed, also used an Helicoil insert.

Any special tricks you can show us?

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Well, on this old thing, I don't really care that much how the repair looks, so I tend to just drill holes and stick in a new screw where needed to hold stuff together. This truck started life as a US Forest Service truck, so it has holes cut and drilled in the dashboard for a CB radio and some other equipment that isn't there any more. So it's ugly anyway. A few more screw heads won't hurt.

If it ever did pass from "old" into "classic," I can get reproductions of the interior pieces and replace it all, if I want. Or not; I think that as '80s and '90s cars age into becoming vintage classics, we're going to need to expand our definition of "patina" to include cracked and sun-bleached plastic...

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Here's the thread from back when I first bought it. Hasn't changed much on the outside, it's a little cleaner and now has smaller (correct-size) tires.

 

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i'd of used (not just for RC) but conical aluminum washers or anodized and what ever size socket head (black, SS, or?) and dressed it up some. but hey in a pinch you do what is needed to do.

when i took my dash apart went to Harbor Freight and purchased the different sets of the hard plastic pry bars. they make a plastic welder and epoxy but it's hit or miss.

at least your dash is on secure. had to JB weld a blinker switch rod lever once, still on and solid, time will tell.

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22 hours ago, markbt73 said:

If it ever did pass from "old" into "classic," I can get reproductions of the interior pieces and replace it all, if I want. Or not; I think that as '80s and '90s cars age into becoming vintage classics, we're going to need to expand our definition of "patina" to include cracked and sun-bleached plastic...

At least those old hard plastics can still be welded, sanded, primered and refinished.

More modern vehicles like barely 15-20yo that came with that soft feel rubbery surfaces, all that is turning to goo by now... how are you gunna refinish that? 987 Boxster, all the interior is going... 2008 JDM Camry, the whole dash is one giant expanse of sticky flypaper.

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Yeah, that "soft touch" plastic is unpleasant, to say the least. It's even weird when it's new. Worse, it's trickling down to the entry-level cars now. Makes you long for the simple hard plastics in '80s-90s Toyotas and Hondas. Sure, it looks cheap, but it lasts indefinitely.

Just imagine what used car interiors are going to be like in another 15-20 years: sticky decomposing plastic for some controls, and a malfuncitoning touch screen for the others. Won't that be fun...

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No need to imagine, the headaches are already here.

20yrs ago (late 90s) I think the Germans started thinking of going Green... by speccing BIODEGRADABLE insulation plastics for wiring looms 8( except they didn't even last as long as expected under hot engine bay.

I hear BMW loves to make induction manifolds out of plastic... which goes brittle, crumbles and gets sucked into combustion chambers. No need to worry about chasing that MAF air leak, 'cos your plastic coated engine innards is a write off. 

All this stop/start rubbish... how much fuel do they actually save? Vs the cost of replacing that high-capacity high-current special battery they need, costs thrice of a normal chunky plated battery.

 

yeah can't wait for the day when I see "this vehicle is no longer supported by this app"...

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