skiboatm Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Hey guys, just wanted to show you a project I've been working on for a little while now. I'm putting a carbureted LT1 from a 95 Caprice into my 79 280zx and building it as a simple street car. Since I'm looking for a no frills kind of ride, I built the dash to reflect that. I started by stripping the dash and gauges from the frame, and removing some of the metal supports to open up the back a bit. When I was designing this in my head, I broke it into 3 separate sections: glove box, center dash, and gauge panel. I decided I wanted a place to mount my iPad on the dash, and a few critical gauges, and not much else, so the more space I had in the center for the iPad the better. I took MDF strips and mounted them horizontally where the glove box was to create a curved face that I think is pretty cool. I then measured the area for the center dash. After fitting and cutting the MDF panel out and screwing it onto the frame, I began measuring and trimming the gauge panel and fitted it into the frame as well. I used wood screws and super glue to affix it to the frame, and tried to reinforce it as much as I could. After the glue dried and I was confident the frame was structurally sound, I went to JoAnn's Fabrics and got (yes, I know) ladies swimsuit liner. It was the best stuff they had, so I figured I'd just run with it. I cut off a portion that fit over the glove box section, and began to shape my curve. I used clamps and tape to hold it taut across the face, and created a cool transition area between the right 2 panels. I applied copious amounts of fiberglass resin to it and let it sit overnight. I was pleased with how it turned out the next day. After getting the basic shape, I continued to add layers of fiberglass to the swimsuit liner, sanding down the transitions and high points as I went. After everything had dried, I took the dash out to the car to fit everything up and make sure it had not shifted when it hardened. It had a little bit, but it was nothing that a few washers could not fix, and it definitely was not noticeable. After the mock up in the car, and after the fiberglass was fully hardened, I began to apply layers of fiberglass filler and Bondo to shape my dash. I applied one heavy layer, sanded it, and then applied another to fill in the gaps. I did this for 3 or 4 days, and I gotta say, a random orbital sander is the way to go! I'm finally at the point where the curved portion is perfect, and it's as smooth as a baby's bottom. A little bit of work with some 220 grit and I'll be ready to paint it! After I finish the gauge panel of course. I'm still doing fiberglass work on that side to get the look I want, but I'll update as soon as I make any progress! I'm drilling for my gauges now, and I going with the SpeedHut Dual Gauge to save space. (http://www.speedhut.com/custom_gauge_description-gauge_type-Speedometer_GPS_Dual-auto_number-940.htm) Lemme know what you guys think! Definitely want to get input on how to set up the gauge cluster area. Thanks in advance! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh280z Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Looks interesting, though I do like the look of the original dash. Do you have much experience with fiberglass??? Because my dash was/is in need of repair. Got any tips?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagon jon Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 How much does the thing weigh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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