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Anyone got any tips or tricks for painting the dash with the windshield in? best way to mask off the glass?
Painting the dash without removing the windshield
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Yeah just my fat fingers make it tough to get into the tight spots, guess ill just work at it. Maybe a bit of water to slide the tape into place?
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I wouldn't use water. I have used a metal paint stick to help position tape in tight spots.
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539 Posts
why not have the glass removed?
you will do a better job, and a new windshield gasket couldent hurt!
you will do a better job, and a new windshield gasket couldent hurt!
If you are very careful you can use some vasaline on the parts you can't get masked off. If you go this route do not get any on the surfaces to be painted. Once the paint dries, you can clean off the vasaline. I've had to do this a few times and it works well.
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I'm getting ready to do the same thing.I'm opting to take the glass out. Couldn't imagine trying to sand all of those nooks and crannies with it in! Plus, a new gasket is a wise decision - mines hard as a rock and I don't wan't any leaks after all of the work!It doesn't leak now, but it's only a matter of time.
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144 Posts
I recently had the glass replaced so im not wanting to have it pulled again.
I decided to change the interior color in my 74 a few years after having a new windshield installed. I didn't want to risk breaking the new windshield by taking it back out either.
The hardest area to paint was the 1/2" or so wide strip right up next to the windshield. The angle of the 68-79 dashes in that area makes it impossible to spray that section from the inside with the windshield in place. And leaving that area unpainted would be very noticible when looking in from the outside (especially on a color change). I taped some fine sandpaper to a paint stir stick to sand that area. And bent the end of a small paint brush (the type typically used to paint models) so it would reach down into that area. I placed a small mirror outside the windshield and used that to watch where I was painting. It was quite a tedious PITA process though.
With that area painted, I used some posterboard (thin cardboard) to mask off the inside of the windshield. I trimmed the lower edge to fit, slid it down into place, and taped it at the top. Unlike paper, the posterboard was stiff enough to stay up against the glass and not sag down onto the dash. Then I sprayed the rest of the upper dash. The area right up next to the glass that I had previously brushed received enough overspray to blend it in and hide any brush streaks. I did get a tiny bit of overspray on the edge of the urethane windshield seal but its not that noticible.
The hardest area to paint was the 1/2" or so wide strip right up next to the windshield. The angle of the 68-79 dashes in that area makes it impossible to spray that section from the inside with the windshield in place. And leaving that area unpainted would be very noticible when looking in from the outside (especially on a color change). I taped some fine sandpaper to a paint stir stick to sand that area. And bent the end of a small paint brush (the type typically used to paint models) so it would reach down into that area. I placed a small mirror outside the windshield and used that to watch where I was painting. It was quite a tedious PITA process though.
With that area painted, I used some posterboard (thin cardboard) to mask off the inside of the windshield. I trimmed the lower edge to fit, slid it down into place, and taped it at the top. Unlike paper, the posterboard was stiff enough to stay up against the glass and not sag down onto the dash. Then I sprayed the rest of the upper dash. The area right up next to the glass that I had previously brushed received enough overspray to blend it in and hide any brush streaks. I did get a tiny bit of overspray on the edge of the urethane windshield seal but its not that noticible.
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144 Posts
Well im not doing a color change, the dash is black and im just freshening it up so getting to the super tight spots shouldnt show if i cant get to them. Ive done the lower poar of the dash so im gonna give the top part a shot this weekend.
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1,996 Posts
My plan is to scuff mine down with scotchbrite and use thin cardboard to get in the corners, im using black rustoleum appliance paint because its super tough and doesnt need primer and looks very smooth and deep when dry.
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Uh you mean cut the metal out of the dash paint it and re weld it?
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Just do it
it's not worth the trouble, just mask the paper and get someone with small hands to mask the inside lip of the window its not that hard and as long as you take your time with the paint it will come out great.
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