Hi all just finished the instructions for building the dash that I have in my car....
It originally came from a standard pattern that i got off the internet ....
http://www.minifinity.com/modules.php?o ... d=interior
Specifically this one -
http://www.minifinity.com/modules.php?o ... _dashboard
Make it out of 3-5 mm craftwood first to te exact measurements as the plan and then push into the space between the top and bottom dash rail. You will then be able to work out from this thinner piece of material whether you need to make the face bigger or smaller at certain points along the dash. (If you can use a linisher to sand the long straight edges then it will be easier to adjust sizes).
Trace this thinner piece onto a thicker piece of craftwood and cut/linish to size (taking into consideration the adjustments that you need to make from your adjustment measurements).
This will get you the main face of your dash (I will call this the Main Face). Work out where your gauges fit (I used the standard position) and cut a hole just big enough into this main face of the dash to take the outside of the gauges (at a slight angle) - if you can get hold of a Dremel to help do this - it helps beautifully. (I bought one specifically)
The raised section was a piece of the same thickness craftwood with the three holes cut into it (same size as the bezels to fit into) - the size of this needs to be 10-30mm bigger than the outer measurements of your gauges because the gauges need to fit in behind this panel. (I will call this the Gauge Panel).
Now the Gauge Panel needs to sit at (i think) a 22 degree angle (can't remember whether it was 22 or 11 - but in hindsight i would make it 22) to the Main Face. Laminate 3 pieces of craftwood together just a little bigger than the Gauge Panel - sand on the top edge of this gauge bevel (I will now call Gauge Bevel) back to nothing and the bottom edge just leave the thickness of the laminated material. The inside of the Gauge Bevel needs to now surround the gauges - use a jigsaw/Dremel to carve the guts of it out so it is just a thin walled bevel. Sand outside the Gauge Bevel to be the same size as the Gauge Panel and the inside of the Gauge Bevel to go around your gauges (remembering gauges wil sit on an angle). The walls of the Gauge Bevel may become very thin....
Glue the Gauge Panel to the Gauge Bevel and then Glue the Gauge Bevel to the Main Face (PVA - Aquadhere) - Finish off by glueing in (Araldite) some chrome painted bezels and cut a hole in the left hand side of the Main Face and fit a glove box lid. Paint in your desired color scheme - you may want to cover in vinyl (Goto Spotlight - heaps cheaper than an upholsterer)
Fitting the gauges behind the Main face I did with L shaped bent sheet metal strips connected to the standard fitting screws and Araldited to the back of the Main Face. (Note if you have three gauges use insulation tape to hold the tacho to the side of the centre gauge).
At this point you could probably justify a swanky new MP3 player
Fitting I used 20mm by 3mm U shaped lengths of mild steel that hugged the back of the top and bottom dash pads and 2 bolts per U to hold and pull in the Main Face - make sure you use wing nuts on the back of these bolts to make it easier to remove....
Hope this helps..... I will post some pics later tonight..... POSTED
Cheers Gerard
grrr
