OK, I re-leathered the dash on the 400i about six months ago. After a few days in the summer sun, well you know. My question is has anybody used anything other than leather on their dash and how does it look? Mouse hair, vinyl (I can't believe I'm considering vinyl), thick orange shag carpet, etc.
While I have never used anything on a dash of a Ferrari, as it seems you must own one to be able to do this. Wierd. Anyway, I can recomend the Allante Vinyl. It is quite stretchable, very durable, and has a high-quality look and feel. Allante is the vinyl manufacturers use in places where leather isn't durable enough. Shiny Side Up! Bill
There is a very high quality vinyl that is almost identical to leather. It also does not shrink like leather when exposed to sun/drying. Problem is that it only streches in 90 degree angles not 360 like leather. THe 400 dash is kind of square but with a Boxer with all kinds of wrap around areas and reverse panels it can look wrinkled/bunched up. The vinyl is a satin finish and textured so it reduces glare as leather does.
The vinyl I'm looking at has a foam backing and is designed to be glued down. I think this will look better than trying to use it like leather (edge glued). It's just killing me to even say the word "vinyl". Doesn't anybody make a leather that is treated with a special no shrink chemical?
FYI, a lot of Ferrari's including the 308 and 328 series came with a vinyl dash unless it came with the leather dash option
