Dash Pad Repair

[red71]

I have a 1971 Charger and I need some advice repairing my dash pad. I have an original dash with no cracks and in very good condition. The problem is, there are a couple of dimples in the vinyl from something sitting on it. Whats the best way to relax the vinyl to allow the dimples to go away. Should I use heat from say a hair dryer or should I just install it and let the heat from the sun do the work. The dash is going to be re-dyed before installation. I have heard people using prepping solutions prior to re-dying, will that have any affect on the dimples in the dash pad vinyl.

[twodko]

Perhaps a woman's hair drier used VERY cautiously and not
to closely.

Never ever use a heat gun..........very bad juju.

[Dino]

Yeah no heat guns, that'll go bad in no time!

Try gently warming it up with a hair dryer and massage the pad when it gets warm.  You never want to get it so hot that the grain pattern gets soft or you risk losing it.  If the heat alone does not lift it back up, and it may not when the foam is compressed, then you can gently push down on the edge of the mark to blend it in.  If you can reach the underside somehow then you can try to push it up when the vinyl is warm but that's going to be a bit tricky.  Once you have it where you like it do a rapid cool down with cold water to set the vinyl in place.  If the vinyl is straight but the foam is still dimpled then the vinyl can sag again when left in the sun, but probably not as bad.