Custom Dashboard

**MikGan** · 01-08-2006, 06:38 PM

Hi guys, not really an mp3 motivated question but definatly up the fabrication alley. Im looking to make a whole new dashboard for my rod. Ive done a bit of glassing in the past with limited success, most trouble was the smooth finishing that I was after gave me some troubles but given I want to carpet the dash I reckon I can swing it, is there anyone that has made a complete new dash from scratch?

Im not going for anything fancy, infact, its a very simple and plain design, the main things that I'd like to discuss would be mounting the new dash to the firewall, air ports etc.

My initial idea was to grab a second hand complete dash or if needed a wreck so I can beat it around a bit and grab all the hoses etc, and cut the mounts off the old dash rig them up on something to they line up propper and the glass from there? any suggestions? also does anyone know the laws about this, are there things I can/can't put 'in' a dash, like fiberclass, or metals?

Its going to be a big project I can see, but with a goal of having it ready for next years summernats I reckon I should be right and not have to rush anything.

Cheers guys!

Mik.

**MikGan** · 01-08-2006, 06:41 PM

Oh Im not 100% sold on the idea of glassing it up, maybe a simple light wood design would be the way to go, only needs to have 6-7 gauges on the front for the driver and room for a cd player, screen, a batter cut of switch, and a shoot release cable.

**null_byte** · 01-08-2006, 08:21 PM

Aluminium plate looks good, its easy to brush it and get a nice effect - if its a simple dash design.

I used it in my offroader as it looked more utilitarian

**MikGan** · 01-09-2006, 12:16 AM

Well did some searching and basically found a pic of a dash made EXACTLY as I had pictured mine to get done. Here it is, like I said real simple! Its going into a drag car so stability is the only question now.

**MikGan** · 01-09-2006, 12:17 AM

but I might use a plumb line to line up my guages, his seem a little out of alignment :P

But damn I still look at it and think thats what I want

**Escalade182** · 01-09-2006, 12:48 AM

damn, visibility on those guages looks terrible. might wanna go bigger/different angle.

**MikGan** · 01-09-2006, 12:50 AM

Yeah for sure, have en amgles in the sockets towards me more, good point.

**MikGan** · 01-09-2006, 12:59 AM

lol, and by that I mean "Yeah for sure, have them angled in their sockets towards me more", think I had a brain breakdown then sorry about the bad spelling there, I aint good by the least but that was woeful!

**stapan** · 01-09-2006, 02:04 AM

hey I'm doing exactly the same thing, a whole new dashboard from scratch.

the fabrication decisions I've made:

screw building over existing flexible squeaky cheap plastic crap
screw the gm "dollar store clearance special" HVAC vent system
make my own HVAC vent system using computer fans
the dash... alpine style
MDF skeleton, including mounting points -- formed in car and from measurements of original dash
polyester fleece stretched over the skeleton
many layers of fiberglass resin & mat for strength, mostly from behind to avoid sanding issues down the road
screw weeks of sanding to microscopic surface perfection
surface will be covered with thin acoustic foam followed by marine grade vinyl and suede

safety is a big concern with no airbags in my project either. I am always asking myself what would happen if I got in a major front end accident, or got hit hard from the side. making sure that the design would be condusive to my survival cause I like to live. for example an all metal dash solid dash bolted to the metal car body + very high current positive power wires (like battery cables for a disconnect switch) = bad idea. and also I like to make sure any materials I used in the vehicle are flammability/fire retardant certified, cause you never know.

lastly for your project I'd make damn sure the gauges you get are mostly electrical. fuel, hot oil and coolant spraying all inside the passenger compartment wouldnt be fun if something bad happens except maybe for the spectators and seeing the home video of your car exploding linked to in a post here after someone reads a newspaper article saying "short in carputer wiring ignites leaking fuel gauge line; hot rod explosion halts traffic for miles"

**MikGan** · 01-09-2006, 02:13 AM

Well since my dash never had anything fancy in there like airbags I dont have to worry bout that.

In australia its illegal to have anything but electical gauges inside the car, so have always followed that rule.

Im not sure that the PC fans are he way to go there, they do their ball bearings pretty frequently if they dont get clean air.