Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Refinishing a weathered dashboard

Hi All, I have a dashboard out of a 67 4/4 that I am restoring and it is all weathered and checked. I cannot tell if it is veneer or heavy shelac. Has anyone ever refinished one of these or do I make a new one? Will a laquer thinner loosen the finish or should I sand it, or should I cut a new dash? Any help with this project would be appreciated. Dale

Strip the old finish with a commercial paint remover.
Sand with fine garnet paper to remove residue.
Re-coat with marine varnish. Thin coats block sanded in between coats with 600 grit wet or dry paper to get a uniformly flat surface with no low or high spots. Sand final coat with 600 grit paper which will leave the finish mat. Polish to a satin finish with a felt block and pumice using mineral oil as a medium. Polish to a high gloss with felt pad and rottenstone.

Thanks for the information, I will try that, I have cut a new dash but I would like to try to restore the original if possible. One question, Do you use a stain after stripping? Dale

If the wood is uneven after sanding, you can stain it to make it more uniform