i have a quick question and by witch i mean no offense! your last dash was very round this one is kind of uhh "lumpy" idk if thats the right word but round some areas and flat others, may i ask why? do you just like this look or is it easier to reproduce if it has that little flat section at the front where your knees would go?
edit: either way this dash looks awesome again another one off sweet product!
[This message has been edited by IVANNATINKLE (edited 03-10-2010).]
That's great work. I really like your method of using cardboard. I had the same basic idea but hadn't seen it done so I assumed it wouldn't work. I'm glad I found your thread! Quick question if you don't mind... What vinyl do you recommend for best blend ofdurability, ease of use, and looks? Thanks!
The front is flattened because I have something that will go on there, but I`m not showing that until I upholster the dash. This project is not really a "one off" because I`m making molds and templates of everything I`m doing in case I want to reproduce this dash. I stuck cardboard in there just to see how it would look filled in. I will probably make a mold for that piece this weekend. I was waiting for the "duct tape" comment. I don`t have any screws on the cluster housing yet, so that`s holding it up. On my first dash, the way the vents were for the ac they pointed up at the windshield and there wasn`t much air flow out toward the cabin, but on this I am going to use some square vents and they will mount on that flat part at both ends on the front of the dash. About the vinyl, on my last dash I used Mr Mikes vinyl, but with this one I`m using Mellohide Allante because it stretches 4 ways and with the color chart I got I have found matches for the dark and light grey and one of the tan colors. Those are the only colors I have samples of from a Fiero. I hope to make it to the Round-up here in Texas this year and I`m going to take my color chart and hopefully catalog all of the colors including the 88 Beechwood.
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 03-10-2010).]
Awesome, thanks for the info. Its really cool to see the changes you're making to the design based on what you didn't like about the previous dash. I'll be checking this thread often. Another question, how well do those materials manage the look of leather? Do the have the right level of gloss and what not or is it pretty obvious they are plastic?
Allante is a faily dull material and I think it does feel similar to leather. I was wondering about using a dull material on the dash, but after asking a few people the consensus was that a shiny dash and the sun reflecting off of it was not a good thing. Mike
Good to know. I looked it up and its very reasonably priced as well. Just gotta find info on uv resistance n so on. Thanks again for answering my questions. And thanks for posting your projects on here, I'm really impressed with your work, and it has given me inspiration and confidence to get back to designing and building my own.
I think I`m going to have to shorten the arched middle section because as you can see from the above picture the plate for the radio surround is not the same across the top as it is across the bottom, so the console will be narrower across the top, but just by 1/4" or so. Not much done this weekend. I did get a template made for cutting out the glove box opening. I ordered more fiberglass materials and some vinyl, so I will be laying up another dash, as the one I have is basically been for mock up and I pretty much know what I need to cut and what I don`t. Next will be the mould made for the AC ductwork. For that I`m going to do as much solid as I can before switching to flexible hose.
On another note, I wanted to get some opinions on the console. I am going to be covering the main part of it with Charcoal color to match the dash and shifter cover, but I was thinking of doing the middle curved part in the light grey. I guess when I get my material in, I can just lay some up there and see which looks the best.
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 03-22-2010).]
I am making templates of everything so that I can build more of these if necessary. I am working on the ac ductwork this week. It will attach to the dash underneath like the original, except it will use hoses on the end vents instead of being solid. I have vinyl coming in tomorrow or Friday and this weekend I plan on getting the console covered. So far everything I have made bolts in quite nicely and quickly so there won`t be any fabrication required to install. The only thing that will have to be removed is the top ears on the instrument cluster and the upper part of the plastic console skeleton has to be cut out, which usually is no big deal as everyFiero I have had it`s all broken up anyway. On another note I took my gas tank, out of my 85, down to a radiator shop to have it cleaned. I will be ordering a new fuel gauge sender/pick-up tube from the Fiero Store in a week or so. My car needs a new nose,too, so hopefully I will be getting one from Amida soon. Mike
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 03-24-2010).]
I`m really just an amateur at fiberglassing but after spending money trying different things I just about now know what to buy. I bought some fiberglass mat locally a while back and the guy told me it was continuous strand mat, so when I ordered some from Fiberglast, what I got was a lot thicker and it took quite a while to wet it out. So then, I called the local place and I told the guy when I bought the mat I was told it was continuous mat. I then asked if they had chopped mat and he said that`s what I got. He then said it was continuous / chopped mat, which are two different products, thus I won`t go back there.
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 04-04-2010).]
I think fiberglass is a good medium to use on dashboards, I was just saying that I wouldn`t use the local supplier anymore. To be honest, if you want to build a one-off dashboard, I would form the base with a combination of cardboard and foam or just cardboard. You can see what I did at the beginning of this thread on the first one I built. Then when you get the basic design, sandwhich it with a layer of fiberglass on either side, and smooth it with filler. You can pretty much make it any design you want if you will be painting it, although you do have to get it very smooth. I like using vinyl, and since I don`t have a sewing resource I design the dash to be able to be covered easily. This second dash I am using forms and templates so I can make another easily, if there is any interest down the road.
Hopefully, I will get back up to speed on this dash this week, as I have taken a break to replace a few parts on the BMW 318IS I bought my son.
Mike
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 04-05-2010).]
I got my pod covered today. I need to get some larger trim for the front edge because I changed the way I am going to cover the pod and the groove is not quite wide enough, but you can get an idea of what I`m doing.
I think I`m going to angle the instrument pod down a bit because it looks sort of large as it is. That will allow me to cut the defrost vent all the way over to about the middle of the pod. I am also about to experiment with installing the center gauges in the console. Mike
Looks great. I have been following this thread for a while.
When I do custom interiors, in addition to fiberglass, I use .100" 5052 sheet aluminum. You can bend it and cut it with a jigsaw or coping saw. It is much easier for flat or slightly curved surfaces. The local company here stocks it in 4' x 12' sheets, but will cut a sheet and sell you only what you need. Jim
[This message has been edited by bowrapennocks (edited 04-12-2010).]
Thanks There is a company here in Austin that will cut and sell the size sheet metal you need. I have, so far only used sheetmetal for a couple of my forms for making the fiberglass parts. It`s easy to pull the fiberglass out of it and it only requires one coating of wax. I like using plywood, where I can, for example the console sides because, when stapled, you don`t have to worry about the vinyl pulling loose, as you do when gluing. I have finally found a spray glue that works fairly well and is not real expensive. It`s sold by A-1 fabric in California. Mike
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 04-12-2010).]
I don`t have any updates right now. The last couple of weeks I have been busy with my band, but I hope to get back to this project this week. I have another dash pulled out of the mold, I just have to start cutting out the holes for everything. Mike
I finally had a chance to work on my dash a little more today. I got the reworked instrument housing covered. I was able to adapt the lower part of the stock trim plate to my instrument pod. The brown colored instrument plate will either be Black or Grey. Then, I may cut out part of it on the top where it curves and install some black mesh.
[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 05-10-2010).]
I have two extra dash pods with all of the gauges if you need one to cut up or what ever. I can bring it to Round Up this week end in S.A. if you need it. I lost this thread, and am glad to have re located it. Joe
[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 05-10-2010).]
Joe, I do need the speedo cluster, because mine has gotten torn up from all the fitting etc. Either a standard or GT whichever you have will be good. When I see you at the Roundup just let me know how much you want. Thanks, Mike
Joe, I do need the speedo cluster, because mine has gotten torn up from all the fitting etc. Either a standard or GT whichever you have will be good. When I see you at the Roundup just let me know how much you want. Thanks, Mike
Mike do you need the printed circuit on the back side?
