FYI - 240Z Dashboards

[wheee!]

Dash caps look terrible in my opinion. As soon as I see one I am disappointed in the car and suspect of anything else that has been done to it. It’s just a half step in my opinion. New dash, restored dash or original dash. A cap just looks fake to me.
Sorry if I offend anyone that has one, but I just can’t get past the look....

[theguppies]

@pogden @wheee! 280z version will be out mid next year.

@psdenno it is made out of injection foam and vinyl. I have the same company made me a dash for a different car. The car has been outside for 5 years and still looks new. 

[theguppies]

@grannyknot @madkaw is correct. Nissan used phillip screw to bolt down the dash onto the frame. It will be the same with my dash. 

[grannyknot]

On 12/24/2017 at 5:57 PM, 240260280 said:

How do dash caps do out there?

Here is a pic from a Cali 1970 240 that is on BaT at the moment, https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-datsun-240z-17/

[psdenno]

10 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Here is a pic from a Cali 1970 240 that is on BaT at the moment, https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-datsun-240z-17/

Yup, that's about how a dash cap looks after sitting in the sun in my neighborhood during the summer.  With 120º outside temperature and significantly hotter inside the car, anything plastic left on the dash tends to melt - CDs, sunglasses, cassettes, Gumby.  

Dennis

[siteunseen]

Solar windows could power you're blender for a smoothie.

120 degrees! That's amazing. A dog wouldn't last long in that heat.  Window tinters should stay busy.

[psdenno]

18 hours ago, siteunseen said:

Solar windows could power you're blender for a smoothie.

120 degrees! That's amazing. A dog wouldn't last long in that heat.  Window tinters should stay busy.

You're right about a dog not lasting long.  The law now allows one to smash a car window to release a dog left in a hot car.  You have to be careful about what you leave in the car.  I think I've previously mentioned  having left an aerosol can of flat tire fixer in the car and having it explode - the "shoe-goo" flat fixer was all over everything in the tool kit where the can was stored.

Fortunately, it's only going to be in the 80s the rest of this week.  A good way to end the year compared to those who live in Duluth, Minneapolis, or Erie.

Dennis

[Dave WM]

I suspect there are more 280's out there than 240's and with a decent price more likely to drop the $ to get a good dash.

[wheee!]

True, but I think more people are restoring to factory specs on the 240’s versus the 280’s. Seems more people are resto-modding the 280’s and are less picky about original dash quality etc. More people spending more money on classic 240’s.
However, as a 280 owner and modder, I would buy one....

[Zup]

Interested in the texture of this.

The original dash grain pattern is unique.

Is it identical, and/or does it compare favorably to that found on Just Dashes restorations?

Their's is not identical, but very close.

 

[dmorales-bello]

Even if you're restomodding a 280Z,  a cracked dash has very few options: extremely time consuming repair (with mediocre results), a terrible looking dash pad OR a new dash pad if available. The last option is the obvious choice for me.

[pogden]

Dr. Dave is right. Dash caps look and feel cheap, and mine (installed by the PO) didn't fit very well.

I attempted to restore my severely cracked 280Z dash, spent hours filling and sanding until I thought it looked good, textured it and then painted it. It looks WAY better than before, but a year later a couple of hairline cracks have appeared. It's not even back in the car yet and has never been exposed to the Arizona sun. A new dash pad seems like the only option. 

@theguppies, I'm seriously interested in your dash pad. I'm sure you are busy trying to get your new business off the ground. Any details you can give about your materials, process, testing, or end results will be really appreciated. Not asking you to disclose anything proprietary, just the sort of information that will make people want to buy your product.