The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Has anybody successfully stripped the varnish off a 73 Doly dashboard, and if so, with what?

I have no idea what BL used, but the stripper I have, Bartoline TX10 from B&M's, has absolutely no effect, even left overnight; though it did the door caps fine. The orbital power sander also seems to be beaten by it. It really does seem to be absolutely hard as nails.

Graham

Oddly enough I've just come in from the garage after stripping the varnish off the door cappings.
After trying a number of different approaches (sanding, scraping, chemicals, swearing, sanding a bit more, swearing and stomping off) I've found the panacea! A heat gun!
I used.the wide diffuser a low heat and gently heating and then it literally fell off with a scraper. It left the wood untouched underneath.
The door cappings were is pretty poor shape with multiple chips and flakes so this made it easier.
I guess the dash would respond as well?
For info I bought my heat gun from Screwfix for £25. It's the Earlex one with a kit.

Perfect solution. Used the gun from the heat-shrink kit and it worked a treat. Thanks Aleco

Graham

No worries. Pleased to help!

Alex

At last, I found a reference for the dash and door cap colours for a 74 y.m.

Graham

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:39 pm At last, I found a reference for the dash and door cap colours for a 74 y.m.

Graham

Any idea what the actual type of wood is that was used for the veneer? I need to redo mine at some point as the veneer is too far gone in places to just re-varnish/polish.

Roger

marshman wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:57 pm

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:39 pm At last, I found a reference for the dash and door cap colours for a 74 y.m.

Graham

Any idea what the actual type of wood is that was used for the veneer? I need to redo mine at some point as the veneer is too far gone in places to just re-varnish/polish.

Roger

Someone will no doubt correct me if i'm wrong, but I seem to recall "American Walnut" being mentioned as the alleged wood for the veneer from the factory.

A photo, especially an old PR photo, is hardly a good guide to colour, so many things affect what you actually SEE and it could have been enhanced, tinted or downright airbrushed before it was even published!

Steve

Carledo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:39 pm

marshman wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:57 pm

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:39 pm At last, I found a reference for the dash and door cap colours for a 74 y.m.

Graham

Any idea what the actual type of wood is that was used for the veneer? I need to redo mine at some point as the veneer is too far gone in places to just re-varnish/polish.

Roger

A photo, especially an old PR photo, is hardly a good guide to colour, so many things affect what you actually SEE and it could have been enhanced, tinted or downright airbrushed before it was even published!

Steve

Yes, but it is at least a reference against which those with more perfect memories can offer positive opinion as to if it's a bit dark or a bit pale, etc.

Graham

I expected the most obvious negative comment to be it's of an 1850, not a Sprint.