Dashboard paint 80's era express cruiser

[skillz48047]

i apologize if this is repetitve BUT i did a search and didnt find the answer i was looking for

i have a 1987 390 EC with the burgundy accent colors, that includes the dash, i am not worried about fixing the fade, i have that under control, my question is where can i get touch up paint, is there a color code to use as a cross reference, or do i just bring a sample to a store and get it close. and then what kind of paint, exterior house, automotive, etc....

any suggestions would be appreciated, i am putting new panels in from scott at vector with all new electronics gauges, gps, etc and the few small chips i do have are driving me nuts!!!!

thanks!!!

 

[Iprof]

My dash was redone by the previous owner, glad he did or I would have. If you like the burgundy then keep it but my dash was redone in a color very close to the hull with a mate finish, you do not want a shiny finish. It just needs to be sanded good and an exterior paint would work fine. Don't waste your money on a automotive paint, the shine would cause a lot of problems and I don't know if you can get a urethane any more and the cost would be way more than an exterior paint.

Ken

 

[88dancer300]

Ken, got any photos of your dash? I bet that looks nice done in the color of the boat.

 

[MasterFab]

I restored a 1986 300DA between 2008 and 2010, and I repainted the dashboard. It had been the same burgundy color as yours, and then someone had painted it a hideous deep blue color. I had a local auto paint store mix me up some gray urethane, to which they added some flattening agent, so it would not be glossy. I sold that boat to another member here (gregb10), and he posted pictures of it here:

http://gallery.me.com/gbarton2#10013...r=black&sel=23

There are several pictures of the dashboard, so you can see the gray color. I only needed about 1/2 pint of paint, so the cost is quite low.

Dale

 

[88dancer300]

Thanx, The dash looks nice in another color other than burgandy. I would like to do mine in a color close to my hull. Without removing the windshield, it would be tough to prep, mask and paint it though. Particularly if you spray it. It could be done with a roller due to the textured surface.

 

[speakrdude]

That does it. I'm painting it. I like the wood grain part too, (I think) I painted the dash on the last to projects. So far, removing the winshield has been a pretty easy task. Then you can disassemble, sand all the auminum, repaint it too.

 

[MasterFab]

The wood you see in the pics on my old 300 DA is not wood grain - that is all real teak, 1" thick. I used the cheap vinyl and plastic trim as a guide, and milled out the solid wood to replace it. The cup holder, dash trim, and instrument cover were all machined from the same plank.

When I painted, I did not remove the windshield. If you are careful, you can carefully mask off the inside of the windshield with tape and masking paper, then sand lightly, and spray it. I used a small detail gun, which gave good control. Let me know if you have any questions - I had the boat stripped to the bare hull for a 2 year restoration, so I know it pretty well.

Dale

 

[SCORPIO]

Aside from the roller rockers, what else did you do to those 5.7s? I assume a cam and port work, but anything else? Looks like counter rotating port drive (gen II upgrade?) I wish I had the time a bucks to do to my boat what you did to yours.

 

[MasterFab]

Those 5.7s were new (2008) Vortec longblocks. The intake manifolds were lightly ported, really just to smooth the ports and even out the flow. The engines themselves were untouched, save for the roller rockers. Vortecs already come with hydraulic roller cams, so the rockers complete the job, and the entire valvetrain is then rollerized. Stamped rocker arms suffer from variation in ratio, whereas the fully machined roller rockers do not, so the net result is a reduction in friction and heat generation, increased horsepower, better longevity (reduced valve guide and stem wear), and the thing that I noticed the most, equalization of lift and duration for each cylinder, resulting in an extremely smooth running engine. Even at idle, they ran silkyyyy smooth...

The stock Mercruiser ignition systems were replaced with Crane Hi-6M marine digital ignitions. These are simply fantastic, with built in Rev limiters and programmable advance curves.

Other than that, the engines were stock. I did sandblast and repaint all exterior items with catalyst dried urethane basecoat/clearcoat, and all hoses, manifolds, risers, etc were new. I do miss them....

The drives are Gen II Alphas - port side counter rotating. Props were stainless four blades from Powertech. She cruised at 24-25 knots at 3200 RPM when everything was done.

Let me know if you want to know anything else...

Dale

 

[Iprof]

I did some searching of old pictures and here is one that gives you a good idea of what it looks like. I like the fact that it is paint, easy to maintain, touch up and match the hull.

I am home from the Ontario Skills competition and I will be getting back to work tomorrow on my swim platform. The wife and I are headed out to dinner today after we drop our oldest daughter off at the airport, it's our 37 wedding anniversary today. I would like to see 38 so work on the boat is off for today.

Ken

 

[88dancer300]

:grin:Yea, I like that Ken. Looks nice in a lighter color. Had the PO removed the windshield, or masked and sprayed? The problem with removing the windshield is you have to remove the radar arch in order to remove the windshield frame. That would be a rather large job suitable for a fall project, that way you could do the dash, shrink the boat as is, then dissasemble, strip and paint the frame over the winter, and reasemble the whole thing in the spring. I think at that point, I would make new dash panels and recover all of the burgandy padding on the dash using the same cream vinyl as my upholstery.

 

[88dancer300]

Dale, what is the small hatch in the floor at the entry to the aft cabin? Also, did you ditch the sliding mirrors in the head and make new doors? Thanx, Dave

The wood you see in the pics on my old 300 DA is not wood grain - that is all real teak, 1" thick. I used the cheap vinyl and plastic trim as a guide, and milled out the solid wood to replace it. The cup holder, dash trim, and instrument cover were all machined from the same plank.

When I painted, I did not remove the windshield. If you are careful, you can carefully mask off the inside of the windshield with tape and masking paper, then sand lightly, and spray it. I used a small detail gun, which gave good control. Let me know if you have any questions - I had the boat stripped to the bare hull for a 2 year restoration, so I know it pretty well.

Dale

 

[MasterFab]

The small hatch is the cover for the shower sump bilge pump. As far as I know, all the 300 DAs of this vintage had that.

Yes, I made the doors in the head. Actually, I stripped and refinished the entire head with new vinyl, doors, toilet, etc. I don't recall any sliding mirrors. Do you mean the sliding windows?

Dale

 

[88dancer300]

Dale, where your cabinet doors are...I have a pair of sliding mirrors instead. I may remove them and make doors. They are always tough to open and I think they limmit access. Hmmm, I dont have a hatch in the floor for the shower sump, mine is under the aft cabin.

 

[MasterFab]

Mine was a 1986. Sea Ray probably made some changes along the way....

 

[SCORPIO]

As to dash painting, has anybody ever tried covering the dash in vinyl possibly with a foam backing? Why does it have to be solid and painted? I know mounting electronics is easier on a solid surface, but other than that I can't come up with a reason for paint. My '82 had a light blue vinyl on the dash, no padding.

 

[Iprof]

Dave

He did not remove the windshield he painted up to the frame. I think he did it with a roller, it is textured and difficult to tell if it was done with a roller and brush or was sprayed.

On our 1988's there are two sliding mirrors that are used as doors for medicine cabinet that is above the head.

Shower sump????? there is a shower sump, news to me. The shower on our boat has never been used since the boat was built. I thought the shower drained into the center channel that runs up the keel from the front bow compartment to the center compartment in the aft cabin. That's the only bilge pump that I have down below.

Ken