How to restore a wood dashboard and other interior wood trim and fittings

Stephen Sowerby of Sowerby Coachworks & Veneering - the world's leading guru on the restoration of vintage, veteran, classic, and prestige car woodwork - takes you through the step by step process of the restoration of a classic car wooden dashboard and interior wood trim. Stephen talks you through the process in detail and gives plenty of insider info, tips, and tricks of the trade along the way. If you have any comments or questions on any part of the process, drop them to Stephen in the comments below.

[@alexaaronson876]

This is fantastic! My daughter and I are making a custom dash for her Triumph Spitfire. If it does well, I'll post some videos.

[@titaniam88]

Brilliant - had no idea of the work time involved - thanks for the education - keep up the work and the youtube postings - thanks from New Zealand

[@pierrehamelin646]

I removed the thick varnish with a heat blower. It did a great job. I started by scraping and it was to slow. Heat blower faster.

[@jkoysza1]

Mr. Sowerby, Your precise work would do credit to an orthopedic surgeon, and the veneer books bring to mind the stock of a fine shotgun. I would like to see your efforts on an early 1950s Bentley or Rolls Royce as it certainly rises to the level of those marques. Thank you for posting this video from all the gearheads in North America.

[@sowerbycoachworksveneering9712]

Why, thank you. That’s very kind of you to say so. If you watch the video to the very end, you’ll see a testimonial by one of our previous customers with a 1950s Bentley on which we restored all the interior wood trim and fittings. Please feel free to Share the video and Channel round all your fellow North American gearheads!

[@Uswesi1527]

Marvelous. This is a dying art. Thanks

[@neilstemp7137]

Wow amazing skills

[@martindaredare]

Absolutely stunning work, this is something that I have wanted to see how this work was done,so thanks Steven for sharing your skills ,I hope to see more as your channel grows , great response from past customers.

[@sowerbycoachworksveneering9712]

Hi Martin, thank you very much for your kind words, they are much appreciated.

[@normanmerrill1241]

Brilliant…beautiful…excellent presentation…cheers

[@alvaroramirezsaorin2434]

Hello friend, outstanding work. I am doing a project with a vehicle and I would like to know what primer you use and what lacquer varnish you use, could you tell me what products you use. thank you

[@grizzladams]

Incredible work. As an amateur attempting this on my own vehicle, the most technically intimidating part so far is the finishing with the spray gun. I'm trying to figure out how best to do that so it looks perfect without investing in a spray booth. I have time and elbow grease.

[@simon.easton]

Thank you for taking the time to show us the process from start to finish. It looks excellent work. I am interested to know if you use "proper original" cellulose lacquer or 2K acrylic lacquer for your finishes?

[@saladin1971]

Hello Simon, I do use cellulose lacquer. However a lot of my customers do request a more hard wearing and UV resistant finish, so I also use a two pack polyurethane lacquer as well.

[@pawpawbandit3871]

Thanks Stephen! this is a massive help; could you please tell us what specific finishing coat you use? sorry if I missed the product. I would like to buy spray cans to achieve a similar finish. thanks.

[@grantdavis8950]

Hi Mr Sowerby, do you ever do replacement wooden panels for Mercedes SL ( 1980`s )

[@186scott]

Amazing work I will be doing my cars dash board and it has gone through a hard life, and I am wondering 2 things 1 how would I veneer it without the veneer bag and 2 how would you do it on a 3 piece dash where the centre section sits behind the outer 2 sections

[@saladin1971]

If your dashboard is flat, you can clamp it up with some thick boards, making sure that the pressure is evenly applied. Use some plastic sheeting to prevent your clamping boards sticking to the dashboard. As regards the centre section being set back, it really needs to be dismantled, if possible, before you start the veneering.

[@peterelement820]

Backing music means you think something is boring. It isn't. Speeding up film also suggests you think its boring. It isnt

[@tvdinner325]

This makes me want to attempt this home, and buy a bongo?

[@jivetolkein]

Music ain’t bad either 😜

[@doriandavies3064]

😊

[@doriandavies3064]

It’s not bad, is it? I’d buy it if I heard it on’t wireless.

[@markusr1308]

what kind of glue is this? I imagine it must be very heat resistant

[@cars_and_wines]

What products are you using at each step?

[@saladin1971]

I use mirka abrasives and ICF finishes.

[@rosewood1]

Never do this on a Mercedes dash. The veneer is thin like fine paper. You cannot sand it at all. So what I have done is to use lots of stripper repeatedly. You can get stronger stripper from auto paint suppliers. I then use a sharp chisel gently backwards to lift the stripper and finish out of the grain. I then very gently use superfine steel wool almost to polish the surface. Mercedes timber around windows etc is often all compound curves. It can be very difficult and the veneers are irreplaceable. Never sand.

[@saladin1971]

That is very true! I have seen plenty of Mercedes woodwork that has been ruined by previous "restorers"!

[@jharloe]

I’m surprised you didn’t use French polish and shellac

[@Cigokar]

I can answer that one! Shellac while beautiful is unfortunately not great for car interiors. I've been converting the inside of my truck to norway maple and the started with a french polished shellac. While by far the best looking finish, It actually deals very poorly with the temperature inside the cab and can bubble or crack with the extreme changes in temperature (at least where I'm from), as well as being vulnerable to long exposure to direct sunlight . Polyurethane or even floor varnish ends up being much more durable under these conditions.

[@HeinoBloed]

Sehr schlechter Ton

[@colinchampollion4420]

This man looks Hispanic 😂🎉!

[@saladin1971]

Really? Well there's certainly some Latin blood in my background.... But it doesn't exactly matter does it.....

[@w124mercedes7]

Very nice work. There is nothing as beautiful as burl interior. I have a 1987 mercedes 300d w124 I would like to have the climate control panel. The front of ash tray and the center shifter panels done in burl. Can you give me an idea of what you would charge to do them. I can buy the parts and ship them to you so I can still enjoy my car until they are done. I would really like to have them done if you are interested in doing the job. Thank you for your time in sharing this video of your craftsmanship. Robert

[@nickmastera]

Any updates?

[@w124mercedes7]

@@nickmastera update on what

[@joejamata5583]

Mine works too. I used the Woodglut plans and performed it without any problems.