ZohanIsBack

3 layers of fiberglass plus fill where there were low spots. Dash will be cut back on top about 2 inches. It will provide full concealment of window glass lower seal. Two thick coats of resin over the entire dash in prep for popping a mold off the plug.

Psdenno: The view is pretty good actually. The dash needs to be shifted down by about 1/4 inch to give the gauge cluster a better view. I also might slightly modify the way the bottom dash rolls into the gauge cluster so that there is a little more vertical room on the cluster. But at the moment, if you were sitting back against the seat you would have a nice view right into the cluster. If you leaned forward the steering wheel would block the top third. Captain_Zeros: Good eyes. I was planning on just going ahead and leaving that low spot, then just adding fiberglass to each dash I pull, but the more I thought about your comment, the more I realized a little work now saves a lot of work later. Good perspective, thanks for that! And NOW, onto the updates. I did three lay-ups with the fiberglass on the fabric to give three layers, then added more here and there to fill in where the fabric sagged from the weight of the resin. After that, I started applying resin over the entire dash in preparation for making a glass smooth surface for pulling the mold. So far so good, and by this weekend I hope to have a mold pulled from the original dash. By next weekend we might have a pulled dash, and hopefully a week later I can start upholstering it as a prototype. Will keep you guys updated! Fixing a couple spots: Fabric with resin plus one layer fiberglass. Two layers fiberglass Dash removed in prep for final resin coat

Hey all, gonna need your advice for this next part. I finished the bondo sanding as much as I could. At this point, I've redone several parts and built up several more. The time it takes to lay the bondo and sand can be pretty long, and the only thing left is little pits. Since I am covering the whole thing in fiberglass resin first (remember, I used urethane foam), I decided to call if good. If nothing else, fiberglass won't lay into pits that are only 1/5 - 1/2 mm deep and a couple square mm, and detailed sanding to perfection has to be saved for the fiberglass anyway, since they'll be a million little pits on the surface. So what I finished doing is prepping it to put back in the car, threw it back in, and then I started tackling the issue that the dash is ultimately too low to cover the window seal. I took clamps, clipped them onto the cowl panel receivers just below the outside of the window seal. Because they are the squeeze clamps, one handle actually sticks up. I then used laundry pins to clip the fabric onto the clamp handles. It raises the fabric above the window seal line, so when I got the fiberglass dash, you'll have a nice place where the glass drops below the dash -- no window seal shown at all. Here's what I need your advice on: Does it look OK? I think the angles work nicely together, I just wanted a second opinion before I seal its fate (literally, ha!).

Ah, the neutral safety switch is the problem. It makes sure you can't start the car in gear. Only park or neutral. You can get a new one online (try rock auto), or you can clean your existing one. Grab a service manual, all the knowledge you need to service the switch is there.

Alright guys, I got the pics from last night pulled off and another video put up. The entire dash has bondo on it. The corners and the transition line to the passenger side dash are not complete. As I mentioned, I decided against the symmetry on either side of the center dash when it comes to the lines, in favor of asmmetry which I felt ties the center dash and gauge cluster together. Making a "V" out of the center dash sides would have been cool, but in the end I think this will also give more styling options. Here's what I had in mind for the center: Here is what it ultimately ended up as: Here are the rest of the pictures: Pretty good so far here. The gauge shroud is the bane of my existence, but Jon did a good job laying the bondo. One more layer and a good sand and it should be pretty close. *fingers crossed*

Saw this at the Loma Linda Market a couple weeks back. Not a bad example of a 280. I believe original color, too!

I can't really see the "hanging" wire, but the switch wire is definitely broken off. I'd definitely replace it before continuing your troubleshooting.

Your starter relay could be going out. It should be located on the passenger side under the glove box on the wall to the right, I believe. It is a square box and you can feel it click when you turn the key. However, I think the more likely option is the starter solenoid or starter teeth. When you turn the key, have someone stand near the engine bay and listen to whether it is coming from the engine bay or inside the car. If it's coming from the engine bay, it's probably the starter. You can test this by having someone tap on the starter with a hammer while you turn the key. If it starts right up, it is probably the starter solenoid getting gummed up. The solenoid engages the starter and slides the teeth forward into the flywheel/ring gear. Since you mentioned that putting the car in neutral initially helped solve the problem, my bet is almost certainly on a bad starter teeth or worn ring gear. Or a bad solenoid. If tapping on the starter does nothing while attempting to start the car AND the sound is coming from inside the car, it is almost certainly the starter relay. Replace parts as needed and drive on!

I (secretly) love Jo Ann's because of the remnant rack and the stuff you can get there for random projects. It's always a little awkward going in without my wife though. You don't see many over guys in their 20s shopping in there. :paranoid:

Sorry for the delay guys. School took top priority up until about two weeks ago, so I had to lay this project aside for a bit. Kinda the story of my life, . Plan is to have the plug done this weekend and reverse mold within a few weeks. From there I need to make the gauge pod, then it's done. Here are a few more picture updates and a video update! The main thing I did in the last 4-5 days was added more bondo and started sanding like crazy on it. It's starting to come together pretty good now, actually. Just filling on where I cut the foam too much (ugg) and sanding down where I had too much. Then sanding the bondo coats and getting it as perfect as possible.

THESE ARE SOLD, BTW. I've had people asking for them still. Thanks!

Because I have had people asking for it, I thought I would update. THESE HAVE BEEN SOLD! Thanks.

Bump. Still got a lot of parts that I want gone. Would love to ditch the gas tank, especially. PM me for pics.

PMed you JCB. Don't have a 78 tank, sorry! BUMP

Good information. Thanks for sharing.