Many of our cars have cracked dash covers, usually caused by the sun and the aging of the material itself. Covers do not seem to be available and I could not find any help in my shop manual. So I thought I would share my adventures with you.
I removed the dash cover as it was cracked and also because I was replacing the windshield. This is much easier without the cover in place. The following guidelines are based on my 1966 2000 tilux.
To remove the cover, first unscrew and remove the speaker grille mounted in the top of the dash cover. If there is a speaker in there, pull it out. On the tilux you must also remove the grab handle in front of the glove box door. There are two bolts on the left side of the handle just underneath the leading edge of the dash. Unbolt them and then look for a couple of screws at the far right side of the handle. To find them you need to slide back the ring that acts as a trim piece of the grab handle.
Now that all the screws and bolts are removed, the remaining fasteners are five clips. Place your hand in the opening uncovered by the speaker grille - lift upwards and pull out towards you. The clips are just the pressed variety and they are designed to release when pulled. The reason for lifting up at (or close to) the windshield is to clear the air vents, otherwise you would be pulling on them and possibly breaking them.
It may take a bit of wriggling and pulling to get the cover off - but it will come!
Now that you have the cover off, you can clean the inside of the dash and lubricate all the sliders for the heating system.
First you need to repair the dash by filling/fixing the cracks. Body filler and or epoxy are two good materials to use. When dry and cured, sand the repair area so it is smooth and in alignment with the rest of the cover.
I opted for black leather to redo my dash because leather is easier to work with, glues better and handles the heat better than vinyl.
Use a good quality contact cement and work in a warm environment. You may wish to warm the leather or vinyl so it will stretch a bit, but not too much. When you apply the covering material you start at one end, say the windshield end, by tucking under that leading edge. You then pull the covering down and press the covering on to the dash and make sure that the fit is tight and in 100% contact with the dash top. Finish by tucking in under the front of the dash cover.
With an exacto knife you can carefully cut out the vent slots and pull that material around the opening edges. The dip around the glove box area is a little tricky to get a good smooth wrinkle free appearance, but it can be done.
The level of finish is really up to the individual owner and with a sewing machine you can make up many little trim pieces. If you mess it up, it is possible to peel the covering back and try again. Another option is, of course, to take the cover to an auto upholstery store and let them do it for you.