Nissan Hardbody Dashboard Refinish Tutorial

In this tutorial I will show you how to color coat an old vinyl dashboard from the junkyard. From old and dirty to looking as good as new!
Project Truck:
1997 Nissan Hardbody D21 Single Cab 2wd
Products:
Mainstays Garment Steamer [Model: BG532H] - Walmart - $12.88
SEM Soap [39362] - Amazon - $15.37
SEM Vinyl Prep [38343] - Amazon - $15.35
SEM Landau Black [15013] - Amazon - $15.29
SEM Satin Black [15243] - Amazon - $17.21
3M NIOSH Paint Mask [6211PA1-A] - Home Depot - $31.47

[@Walmart]

That was an awesome transformation! 😁

[@giovannymurillo1405]

Wtf💀😂

[@cooperwallace3558]

Lmao

[@bawkray]

wtf walmart?!

[@rbd2159]

you know you’ve made it when walmart comments on your video

[@burgerjuice4351]

Lmao wtf

[@barrymonroy7138]

I wish the algorithm could have shown this before I painted my door panel and and trim. I could probably sand it all and do it all over again..

[@Banditemcee123]

This is exactly what I was just thinking.... And now I'm gonna have to pull the whole thing back out again.😂😂

[@Blitz0065]

I'll have to try your technique next time. Bought a door panel, did the prep, sprayed Landau and felt it was too much sheen to look OEM. Not BAD, just not MODERN OEM which is what I'm strictly trying to go for on my truck interior. Thanks for the video. Hard to find a quality video like this for black interior painting

[@shawnmedley3219]

Great video, using the products and your steps my hardbody dash looks awesome in black...Thx

[@sebastianbarajas754]

In my opinion, I like it when my dash looks wet to look shiny like you said the armor all look

[@tommykun1990]

Thanks for such a detailed tutorial.

[@ekkanofiqandriyana7325]

you are genius.!

[@prsluis89]

Wow I need to take many notes, transformation 101!

[@rafterman02]

Despite the original dash being originally made out of thick foam and vinyl glued to either plastic or metal, the later dash is a simpler fix than professionally restoring the original one.

[@barrymonroy7138]

I really really like the end result !!

[@jamelpatton]

Awesome tutorial. I’m going to check my pick n pull to see what they have.

[@yazming1720]

Just subscribed... Great video I currently have a 96 Hardbody D21 &( 83 HardBODY 😜) plan is to fully restore. I'm working on fixing the No power & random hesitations. Keep up the Great Work Yazmin Venice Beach CA 🏄🏄🏄🌊

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Thank you! Good luck on your hardbody adventure.

[@ih8chz]

updates on your projects? i have an 83 pickup im looking to restore/build

[@rogermiller6049]

You might have bought the first and only late model brown dashboard lol. That's the color i need.

[@dalemayo8768]

Wow nice job. I need to do this to my hardbody

[@limaarmilla1363]

Hey on your thumbnail picture look like you have black carpet can you advise where to get it. Thanks in advance.

[@thomasfortenberryjr9080]

Hey guys I have a 97 Nissan it running ruff after replacing a fuel regulator on a 2.4 L what you think would help

[@JoeBlowtheLoverman]

Looks great…can’t way to try myself✊🏽

[@RiceTruck]

Very informative, great video, dash looks great.

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Thanks!

[@wahedcodobaccus1015]

A nice experience!

[@jonathan1932]

Would you recommend dupli color dashboard paint? Thanks for your help

[@brianz2432]

Do more videos on the d21

[@Inner_Sanctum]

562 garage Sure thing! Anything you’d like to see in particular?

[@brianz2432]

Yea how you put in your racing seats and how you lowered the d21

[@Inner_Sanctum]

562 garage sure, I’ll see what I can come up with on that.

[@video64]

Looks perfect.

[@popclutch_100]

Will a 1992 cluster fit in a 1995-97 dashboard?

[@joshcrates]

This tutorial is great, do you have any instructions on taking the dash itself out?

[@skitoles]

Great vid!

[@wayneroberts9690]

Got a 94 with a 4.3 vortec and paint starting on inside what kind of steering wheel adapter and wheel u have

[@Inner_Sanctum]

The steering wheel is NRG 350mm [P/N: ST-036BSB-BK] and the hub is NRG short hub [SRK-140H]

[@ericcanonizado402]

Where can I buy the materials you used ?

[@00Noontide]

Nice job!

[@BigDawgSMS]

Can you please show us how to remove the dish step by step

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Well... it may be a little late for that now. Haha If I end up pulling another dash from a D21, I will record the process.

[@tommykun1990]

How do you take care of it after to keep it from cracking again. A lot of the 240sx guys recommend 303 aerospace protectant, but i wasn't sure how that would work with the SEM spray.

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Tommy Kun honestly, that’s the problem with older dashboards built this way. Especially 240 dashboards. You can do a wonderful repair to come back weeks or months down the road to another huge crack. The best thing you can do to protect it is to use normal spray protectants. Understanding why it’s cracking is the best way to prevent it from cracking. These dashboards get massive cracks because of the sun and UV rays that bake the vinyl over the years and dry it out to the point of becoming brittle and cracking. They crack because the foam shrinks and the vinyl expands. Once the foam breaks away from the vinyl, it no longer has the strength to stay together. Crack! That’s why I didn’t even bother fixing the hardbody dash that was cracked. I sourced a used one from the junk yard that was already crack free. Cracks mean that the vinyl and foam substrate are already compromised. The only way to truly repair a dashboard riddled with cracks is to rehydrate, fill, then reupholster. Or, take down to the plastic and reupholster completely from scratch. I know I made a video showing how to repair my 180sx dash, but that’s just a temp solution that won’t hold up like reupholstering one the right way. Cheers!

[@tommykun1990]

Thanks for the explanation, it makes it it sense. I bought a crack free dash that’s blue so I wanted to paint it black like you did and I wanted to keep it from cracking as best as I can.

[@Inner_Sanctum]

@@tommykun1990 For sure. The best way is to minimize the amount of exposure to the Sun's UV rays and radiant heat. So, try to park under a tree, in a garage, use solar screen shade things. Anything you can do to stop the sun from radiating down on your interior. This goes for any car; new, used, classic, or vintage. The same also applies to anything really. Even the factory paint on your car is subject to the Sun's UV abuse.

[@garrettrot46]

Does this same process apply to plastics as well? I'd like to refinish all of my interior trim.

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Yep, SEM sells both Vinyl Prep and Plastic Prep. Everything else is the same. You’ll use the same SEM soap and the same SEM color coat.

[@barrymonroy7138]

Yeah!!!??? Would it be okay on plastic???

[@puertoropelu2257]

Can you tell me what seats you have on the thumbnail pic? I love the suede

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Sure thing! NRG Prisma Seats: www.getnrg.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=169_201&product_id=1908

[@shizzle1903]

What kind of school does one go to learn the mastery this man has obtained?

[@Inner_Sanctum]

SCL75 Haha thanks! Honestly, it’s trial and error. Also, a lot of help from other KZbinrs doing the same thing.

[@luisgonzalez3057]

Men, really appreciate was wondering what to do with mine. Also care to share what vehicle you got those seats from thanks!

[@Inner_Sanctum]

The seats are actually NRG Prisma 300 Large. You can buy them right from their site: www.getnrg.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1908

[@damianpalacio9476]

Hey man I’m a new follower. Love the channel so far. Why seats are you rocking in the thumbnail?

[@Inner_Sanctum]

They are NRG Innovations Prisma series.

[@upholsterycars608]

Amazing

[@bigolboi1204]

Do you use any type of clear?? Or something so it doesn't just scratch off??

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Jonathan Silva no, it’s not designed for that. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations it won’t just scratch off. The vinyl takes in the color coat. Now if you were to do really hard plastics, enough force will scratch it off. The way the vinyl accepts it is different from harder plastics.

[@bigolboi1204]

@@Inner_Sanctum Thanks

[@acuraintegrarojo]

what seats do you have in your truck

[@Inner_Sanctum]

NRG Innovations: FRP-302BK-ULTRA

[@weekendhomeprojects]

Nice

[@gavinrose5450]

How many tins of the landau black was used?

[@Inner_Sanctum]

1 can of Landau Black and 1 can of Satin Black. Had enough left over to do a single door panel.

[@jesusber3997]

Any idea if that dashboard will fit the 87 d21?

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Yes, but you will need everything from the dash to what’s behind it. There are some slight mounting differences as well, but nothing too difficult. It’s an easy swap if you have another truck you are pulling from.

[@jesusber3997]

@@Inner_Sanctum Thx. Will definetely try it out

[@bill97656]

Would you get the steam gun

[@bigboymcginnis]

Do you have a video how to remove the dash

[@Inner_Sanctum]

I do not, but I can certainly make one. I am about to get another D21 that I want to build from the ground up. I was going to start making a ton of tutorials with it.

[@BLKSTONE4WD]

👍

[@traderlybob3030]

Are you in Seattle

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Nope. South Texas

[@user-qw2hm4ik6v]

جيد جدا

[@Inner_Sanctum]

شكرا

[@one1onetime935]

3 months down the road all that will begin to peel ..........

[@Inner_Sanctum]

Over a year later and it hasn't, but thanks for your comment.

[@iToxicTritton]

Damn he basically just said fuck your stupid assumption