What is a CF dash worth to you?

[CrayZ]

I have a friend that builds one off carbon fiber pieces and im considering asking him to quote me on a price for a full carbon fiber dash. If the price is right I will tell him to make a decent amount of them. I know there is a select few here that would love to have one and possibly a small market within hybridz. The question is what do you guys think is a fair price for one? What is to much and what would you guys be willing to pay for one? I haven't the slightest clue what is involved in getting one of these built but I know I would love to own one.

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

From the prose of Wayne's World 2.

 

"If you build it, they will come"

 

 

 

I'd definitely be down to drop up to a grand on a nice carbon dash. Maybe more, I bet I'd be willing to throw away even more money if I saw an actual product, though.

 

But I'd like to see carbon center consoles before I worry about swapping out my dash again. but that's just because I did it this time last year.

 

There are lots of steps involved, and I have now come to realize, that if I want quality carbon parts, I will most likely have to make them myself.

 

As a matter of fact, I will going to school in Rhode Island in the fall, to take a composite materials course.

[RTz]

240 dash or 280?

 

Dash, or dash and console?

 

And I'll second OldAndyAndTheSea... the nicer it is, the more green stuff I can be persuaded out of.

[Jesse OBrien]

I just finished making the molds and the first batch of roller derby carbon fiber plates (the best competition is heavy billet aluminum ... imagine swinging having that pendulum swinging around on the bottom of your foot), and have another roll of fiber and another gallon of epoxy/hardener sitting in the corner staring at me. I've been considering taking a mold of my uncracked 240z dash and seeing if I can bypass having to use the steel reinforcement altogether.

 

I'm not trying to step on your toes ... quite the opposite. It's something I've considered a few times, especially with the scarcity of dashes right these days.

 

It's tough to turn a profit on small runs of composite parts though (speaking from experience). Most of the work is directly related to mold-making, not the actual manufacturing. The primary manufacturing expense is related to sourcing good tools (vacuum infusion is much more consistent than wet-forming, and allows for tighter tolerances, less extra weight, and slightly more rigidity), but hiring a manufacturing company is always an option. The mold would still need to be made first, though.

 

Also, it's much more economical to start with fiberglass prototypes (I would expect to go through 3 or 4 prototypes before I had a good working mold) than to start with carbon, since the manufacturing process is nearly identical but the materials are roughly 1/3 the cost. Another option is to use Aramid (Kevlar), or a carbon/kevlar hybrid.

[CrayZ]

It would most likely only be 280 dashes. This friend that builds custom carbon fiber parts has been doing it for 20 years. He does it for a living and has everything you would ever need to construct anything from composite materials. Don't worry about stepping on my toes as i am not here to make a profit, at the most ill get enough people to buy one so that i can get mine for free.. I imagined the price to be around a grand as well. Ill let the thread sit a week or so and see what kind of interest i get before pursuing the idea

[RB26powered74zcar]

Dash and console interests me...

[CrayZ]

Spoke to my guy today and I got some details. It would be a 6 layer peice with a show glamour finish. The dash will be a "factory" replacement with all stock mounting places. He has only seen pictures but is estimating the dash to run anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200. This number is pretty solid. He says it will only take a week and a half once I drop a good dash off for him to build the two peice molds. I will probably start a group buy thread to get concrete numbers on buyers. If I can get 5 or more confirmed buyers ill eat the cost of the mold and sell some on ebay for 1,500 or so to recoup the cost. Of course my fellow Z members get it at cost

[Jasonmreiss]

Hmmmm, I just restored my cracked dash but this sounds awesome. I may be in for one. Unless of course this is just another tease that never happens lol

[Jesse OBrien]

Just to be clear, this would just be a replacement for the plastic face, correct? It would still use the (heavy) steel structure that backs the dash?

[tamo3]

Depends on the quality, but $1000 ~ $1200 is good price!

I saw 240z type carbon dash is sold in Japan 250000 Yen (which is about $2700)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CrayZ]

We have not gone over specifics yet. But yes this would most likely be replacing the dash peice and still utilizing the steel structure. BUT we may go another route using the carbon fiber braces to actually mount it to the car. As we all know CF is very strong stuff so the steel frame may not be needed. We have been discussing the subject on OEM replacement guidelines so this may very well be a trash your stocker and drop in a CF one. I will post up info as I come across it. We are still deciding wether to patch my dash and make the mold or try and source a good one to start with.

[Jesse OBrien]

I have a good 240z source one, if you decide you need a solid starting point. I'm interested, but I've realized that I don't care about my interior to spend more than $500 on anything that isn't safety-related. There are a couple of very minor cracks in the top, but I'd just sand and gloss those to make a mold from them.

 

[CrayZ]

Noted and considered Jesse. Since we are on the subject of 240 dashes, what is the difference between 240,260,280 dashes?

[Jesse OBrien]

I was going to ask the same thing. I know people get all excited about the non-cross early 240z dash, but I'm assuming the structure and mounting points are universal. I'd have to see measurements/comparison before I could say definitively, though.

[roger280zx]

_{You might as well wrap the stock one in vinyl if you're not doing away with the frame.  The frame is where all the weight is in these things.  As for the console I think those are dollars best spent elsewhere.  As they are already quite light AND very low in the chassis.  Unless its just a lipstick part in which case... see above.} 

[Daz]

I'd be happy with a CF dash cap ! 

[BluDestiny]

The actual dash is different around the center heater control area. They are two different styles.

[CrayZ]

_{You might as well wrap the stock one in vinyl if you're not doing away with the frame.  The frame is where all the weight is in these things.  As for the console I think those are dollars best spent elsewhere.  As they are already quite light AND very low in the chassis.  Unless its just a lipstick part in which case... see above.} 

I'm going to go out on limb here and say that most people that are in the market for a "factory replacement" carbon fiber dash are doing so for aesthetic purposes. If these guys where that concerned with the weight than an alternative dash board would have taken the place of the original long ago. With that being said every little bit counts and the goal here is to make a stand alone CF dash for under $1200 USD if push comes to shove and the steel frame needs to be used so be it, it won't bother me one bit.

[ZT-R]

Down for a 240 style...

[brianZortiz]

If you can get a hold of PDK fabrications in Socal, which currently make 240z fiberglass dashes and have them make it in carbon fiber. They can make it in CF becuase they did sell some around 2003-2005. If we can get a group large enough to get those in production then 240z guys have found their source.