Dashboard drilling

[allan horsfall]

Gentlemen,
Whilst on our recent Le Mans trip I noticed that due to vibration I couldnt see a damm thing out of the rear view mirror. The stem had play in it on the base,soon as we got back I determined to sort it. Simple job, undo the two screws holding it to the top of the dash, tighten stem, put it back! Wrong!!!
I had forgotten that in building I had put a bracket to support the centre of the dash, held in place by the same two mirror screws with nuts on. So to replace it, the dash had to come out, b----r!!
So decided to do a couple of other minor jobs while Im at it. What Im looking for advise on is that as the dash is leather covered how do I drill a 14mm hole in it without mucking it up. Last thing I need is having to strip it and recover.

Helpful hints appreciated

Regards

[StuBaker]

Clamp it really tight and drill through dash into wood on leather side. Should stop the leather twisting and swarf getting under the leather.
As always though, I'd recommend trying it on a sample first. When I first did some extra holes on mine it messed up and I had to dig the swarf out with a fine screwdriver and hoover. Second time was clamped and much better. You may find the leather doesn't drill to the same diameter as the dash and I trimmed it out with a thin broken sliver of Stanley blade in a small pin chuck.
My dash is ally btw, but i guess same applies to grp.

[Migge]

Mount (Glue) three brackets L-profile (20 mm wide) with Sikaflex directly under the GRP edge where the original slot screws are placed to make the dash stiff on top. Just my 2 pence.

[Migge]

https://www.the289register.com/phpBB3/v ... &start=490

[Daytona Peter]

Mark the hole accurately on the leather and cut out the leather very carefully with a scalpel, then drill the hole.