Fiberglass Dash (DIY)

[GotzenDatsunn]

I am currently making a fiberglass dash that looks just like the factory version, including the textured surface. First I removed the cracked, nasty, factory dash, leaving all wiring harnesses and gauges in the car. I then purchsed a plastic dash cap on eBay for $99 and am currently fiberglassing the underside with 3 layers of mesh + resin. This is necessary because the dash cap is extremely thin ABS meant to be a 1/16" skin on an existing dash. The trick is to lay the cap on its front top edge to prevent flopping, warping, or any kind of deflection while the first partial layer (only on the underside of the dash top) hardens to provide rigidity. Since I am using aftermarket gauges in place of many of the stockers, I am glueing very thin cardboard cutouts over the holes from the inside. Then fibergalssing over the backside of dash + cutouts to provide a thick panel over the gauge holes. Later I will use a rotary tool to open the holes to the desired diameter for gauge mounting (note: 2-5/8" gauges fit very well). Tonight, I will be finishing the first complete layer of glass. I'll provide progress pics of the project if anyone is interested.

Ken

[Ron Carter]

That is one solution, and a viable one. There is a fiberglass racing dash available for sale currently. PDK Fabrication has offered one them for sale for the last 3+ years. I have one in my car.

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=7635&ppuser=932

Ron

[Tarmac]

I went to PDK's website. The dash looks good, but "no air vents or glove box".

[Ron Carter]

Well this is designed as a race car part, and you don't need either a glove box or factory air vents for that application. Also, adding those parts adds an additional amount of difficulty to making the part that is not important for a race application. If you look at the first post, the guy is trying to fabricate off of a dash cover for what appears to be a race car.

There have been a couple of folks that have modified this dash to work for their street cars, and have added vents etc. It depends on what you want to do.

Keep in mind that I never said it was a direct replacement, rather a race part...the option to use it on the street is up to you...

[GotzenDatsunn]

Fiberglass work is now complete and I have a clever solution to mounting it! I removed the metal "endoskeleton" of the factory dash and took an angle grinder to it, cutting off everything except the top panel. Next I used a 2 part epoxy resin and 3'4" wood blocks a spacers to glue this metal panel to the underside of the new dash top. Now I have factory mounting holes and support for the stock speedo and tach.

Now, how to upload pics into this thread?

Ken

[xxxpatsabxxx]

pics??? is the dash cap u used as a mold still functional???

[dhoneycutt]

Please pics!!!