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Well Ive decided to reveneer the dashboard and add a door to the glovebox. The original has been butchered too much to save without having big repairs set in. Well there are several ways to glue new veneer on and the choice seems to be a little environment, a lot personal choice.

My question is whats the best way of removing the old veneer? Will it lift off after heating with an iron or does it need sanding off, chiselling or something else? New veneer straight onto old for instance? I dont seem to be able to find the right info.

I'll post here what I do, with pics. Not like me but Ive already bought the veneer. A beautiful burr walnut sheet delivered for under £30. I looked a year ago but could only find massively expensive stuff or small sheets you'd have to stick together. Well, good old ebay.

IIRC, Mal reveneered his dashboard not too long ago and made a very nice job of it so I'd say he is the man to talk to.

I made a completely new dash. The ply on the original was delaminating so I would make sure your ply is in good shape to start with.

I used a marine epoxy resin to glue the veneer to the ply. I had any to glue seep through the veneer I didn't want it to stain the veneer like a PVA type glue would. I would look good and hard at the old ply before veneering it again though.

If I were to just replace the veneer I would at least sand all the finish off the old veneer. If the old veneer is still well to the ply I would glue the new veneer on top. If not I would use a belt sander to remove all the old veneer.
I would not use a chisel. Any gouges or imperfections are likely to show through and you don't want that after all the hard work.

I finished mine with a marine varnish. Sprayed on many coats and then cut it weeks later with 2000 wet and dry. If I did it again I would have it done proffessionly.

Here is a pic of it fitted. It looks better in the real than the pic.

Try this guy, Steve Roizer, email him on sroizer@maxfeildjarvis.co.uk he makes good quality Dashboards with or without the cubby hole door. £139 delivered.

Thanks guys, good advice.

Im going see what happens when heating it if the ply is OK. Theres a few cracks and the varnish is coming off the veneer in places. I guess most people buy a new dash ply template and veneer or buy one already done. Im intending to use the heat activated adhesive sheets and iron on. It should give me the opportunity to re-do it if its not quite right. I too will be going for marine varnish. On a previous dash I sprayed 8 coats but this time Im going to try brushing it on. The best dash Ive seen was in a SIII Alpine that had been done by a veneerer / french polisher who worked at Rolls Royce.

Thats a very good price for a dash but its the satisfaction of doing it myself thats part of the joy of owning the car, but thats just me. Ive varnished one in the past and just loved it.