A Walnut Mini Dashboard

Something a bit different to end the week. Not all wood needing restoration or refinishing is in furniture and just occasionally, a bit of a boat, lorry or car will find its way to the workshop. It makes for a change!

This is a walnut faced dashboard out of a 90's Mini, it's just had the varnish removed ready to be re-lacquered. I'm told the problem is that a lot of Minis suffer from water leaks around the windscreens rubber seal, the water drips in then collects along the bottom edge of the dashboard, eventually the damp lifts the varnish and ruins the walnut veneer. Not necessarily a problem if you can get a replacement, but since the demise of British Leyland, replacements of the same quality have all but disappeared.

Having a wood veneer dashboard was always an optional extra in most cars and it was usually a very expensive option, so preserving the old original has got to be worthwhile.

Next week it's back to a bit of traditional rushwork!