[DarrenC]

I know UV protection is the way to prevent cracking (garage, cover, sunshield, ...). My '79 280zx has a single small crack right in the middle. I actually bought a Covercraft soft cover to install. Before I install it, I was hoping to give it a good conditioning and rejuvenate it if at all possible. Google and site searches aren't turning up anything concrete.
What do you guys use to keep it conditioned and prevent cracking?

 

[pilgrim]

I've tried Armorall and Vaseline....I'm relatively convinced that adding surface treatments doesn't change what happens in the material beneath the surface. If someone has a "wonder treatment" I'm quite open to hearing about it.

I have a few cracks, but I eventually decided to drive it and live with them.

 

[bonfire79]

Be careful with using cleaning products. some products out there can ruin your dash.
if you have a good dash with little cracks, just be happy to have that because most of them are trashed.
the best thing you can do is get a quality dash cover from dash designs and also make sure you have a good sun shade and use it whenever the car is not in use.

theZstore sells a very good quality shade specific to the Z (not the crumply universal ones)

Bon

 

[HenryD]

I know UV protection is the way to prevent cracking (garage, cover, sunshield, ...). My '79 280zx has a single small crack right in the middle. I actually bought a Covercraft soft cover to install. Before I install it, I was hoping to give it a good conditioning and rejuvenate it if at all possible. Google and site searches aren't turning up anything concrete.
What do you guys use to keep it conditioned and prevent cracking?

I remember back in 2005 I worked for Acura dealer.
The black dashboards in the TL we’re returning white, they issued a service bulletin telling us to clean it using lexol leather conditioner, this is what I used one time on my 1975 crack free z dash .
I just keep it dusted now and I cover it with a soft dash cover when it’s out in the sun.

 

[Dave M]

cover keep a white towel on top and try to not let the sun hit it, like an outside cover. Not much else. I eventually got a vintage dashes for my 75, looks great, car is mostly garaged, if I do leave it out I generally will try to leave somewhere safe and keep the windows cracked open to let the heat out, this is on top of a white towel. While driving I have a white towel covered with a black towel to keep the glare down.