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MG MGB Technical - Cleaning the Dash cowl

The dash cowl on my '72 Roadster looks as if it's faded slightly (UV I guess) and will look tatty against the repainted dash. Any ideas for renovation?
Also, has anyone recovered/rebuilt the crash roll? The vinyl on mine looks pretty old and it feels as if the internal stuffing (foam?) is in several sections.
Richard Coombs

Richard

Try Turtle Wax Black Trim Wax, also known as 'Black Chrome'. It comes in a 300ml plastic container and cleans, polishes and re-colours.

I have just used it to restore the rubber bumpers on a '79 MGB GT that I'm restoring and they come up like new. It appears to be far better than Armour-All.

Robert
Robert Lynex

I second that. I have used the Turtlewax Black trim polish on many items with great results. It takes off oxidised or grey matter from plastics, rubber, vinyl etc, but while black itself, does not have good "blacking" coverage on permanantly discoloured material. I used it for example on the flexable cardboard heater ducts as it absorbes the stuff, but better than paint which looks unatural.
I used it on the cowl with great results.
A tip to smarten up the steering column plastic shroud is to use metal polish. The same with any other bakelite knobs & switch gear.
Brian.
B. G. Griffin

Just tried it and it's as good as you say. Thanks both.
Richard Coombs

I changed the crash-roll, even though a strip for recovering came as part of an interior kit. If the foam is as bad as you indicate then it could well completely disintegrate if you remove the old vinyl. You could possibly use new vinyl over the top *if* the old vinyl and the foam are presently smooth. If not any imperfections currently there will be immediately apparent through new vinyl.

Third for Black Chrome, one application on rubber bumpers lasts ages, much better than ArmourAll, which took ages to apply and went a chalky grey after a few weeks. Don't get it on paintwork (other than black ...) though!
PaulH Solihull

Another vote for Black Chrome. I had a neglected '75 MB 300D and it brought the weather beaten bumpers back to life. I was amazed at how well and quickly it worked. RAY
rjm RAY

This thread was discussed between 30/08/2010 and 02/09/2010

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