blueovalz Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Well, almost anyway. For years I looked an nothing but instruments clustered around the steering column, and nothing else (much as in the first photo). But last month I decided to re-install the combo switch so that I could use the "normal" lighting features of a street legal (loose interpretation) road car. The only problem with doing this was that I had to remove the brackets and instruments (6 total) and find another location for them. As odd as the design looks, the top row of instruments just barely hides the view of the windshield's weather stripping, and no part of the hood or road view is blocked. Yes, all the gauges are mounted on top of the top crossbar of the cage. Now to cover the combo switch and do some minor detailing. Here is the "after" photo. Gauges are in, and working. The concept I was trying to maintain is the race "look," which is one reason for a "modular" appearance with all the SS screws and pieced together parts. Another reason was so that the complete dash can be disassembled and removed in 5 minutes time. These last two shots are how the dash appears through the windshield. All pieces are fiberglass (gee, that's a surprise!) of about 1/16" thickness and coated with the AutoZone truck bed liner which gave it a perfect (in my opinion) texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilRufusKay Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 I am glad I am the first...... :rockon: :rockon: :2thumbs: :2thumbs: :hail: :hail: Just when you thought you had seen it all...absolutely awesome!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZ-E Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 What else can be said except that YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!! That looks incredible. Great work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolane Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Very Nice Terry! I also like the texture! Joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 mutant z car, mutant z car dash... Man thats nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 I believe that's the first time we have ever seen the dash of the blueovalz! Beautiful work Terry! I love how the gauges are angled towards the driver as they spread across the dash. Now where is that smilie that's bowing down, as if to say I'm not worthy... there he is !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Looks incredibly clean and profesionaly done. It's not my style, But It'd love to hear more about your process and how you created it. Particularly the sculpting it to fit against the window part. I've spent some time day dreaming about what and how for my own dash when I get around to that part (about 5 years from now at this rate) that the complete dash can be disassembled and removed in 5 minutes time.I Love that concept!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 ...But I'd love to hear more about your process and how you created it. Particularly the sculpting it to fit against the window part.... Go to his picture site under his signature and view the creation of the entire car. Terry, excellent work and thanks for all the explanations and step-by-step process on your site!! Way to go on an excellent dash Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Terry that looks awesome! You've lit a fire under my *** to go finish my own dash project which I've been neglecting for the past few weeks. I only hope mine comes out half as bitchin as yours. You da' man! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Never a disappointment! Your fabrication skills and visionary designs just blow my mind!! I LOVE IT!!! Is it plastic? How did you manage the texturing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Looks great, your work never ceases to amaze me. - Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Sure.. out do my silly 'fakeometer' whiteface mod.. J/K Looks awesome man.. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tx1021 Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Just wanted to say that dash is one of the nicest ones I have ever seen. Great job!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Go to his picture site under his signature and view the creation of the entire car.Been there, No info onParticularly the sculpting it to fit against the window part.And other fitting techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 7, 2005 Author Share Posted March 7, 2005 Well, you're right. I never document anything from the very start, 'cause usually I question my own judgement in the design, and thus I think "why would I want to document this ODD looking part." The fitment against the steel under the windshield gasket was done by using a large piece of corrigated cardboard. I cut and cut, and did some more cutting until it fit the curve just right. Then I laid up some fiberglass (thin layer) onto a big piece of smooth aluminum sheet (to eventually create a large, flat, smooth, and thin sheet of fiberglass). Then, after hardening, I popped the fiberglass off the aluminum, and then used the "smooth" side (side that was next to the aluminum) as the top part of all the pieces involved. Then I traced the cardboard templated onto the fiberglass, cut it out, and then bonded the gauge pod cover (whole different story there) to this flat piece. All of the flat surfaces where pretty much created this way, and then cut, fitted, and bonded together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240zJake Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Awesome job ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 tuff z Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 terry, once again leading the way and lighting the tunnel for the rest of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Friggin nice!!! What's that knob/button right behind the shifter on the tunnell??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Friggin nice!!! What's that knob/button right behind the shifter on the tunnell??? looks like electrical tape to me =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juju Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Looks very nice Terry, That's exactly what I did a couple of years ago...although mine looks a bit different and not completely done yet...I have two more small pieces to finish and it will be done. All of my guages, including speedo and tach are in the middle. Speedo and tach are above my crossbar and the others are right below it. My crossbar is a little lower than yours, so the speedo and tach fit there very nicely. And I'm doing the whole interior in that bedliner...door panels and all. I ripped the vinyl off the door panels and fiberglassed them, then smoothed it out and bedlinered them...looks great. But I've used that bedliner on alot of stuff...my whole engine compartment and bottom of my hood is done with it too. The way I did mine was took the cardboard template and just fiberglassed over it, top and bottom. So after sandwiching the cardboard with a few sheets of fiberglass on both sides, I sanded it smooth and bedlinered it. I've also done a dash and door panels in my chevy truck that was all cracked up. Layed a couple of sheets of fiberglass over the cracked dash, sanded it smooth and bedlinered it...then painted it to match the interior. I didn't fiberglass the truck plastic door panels, just bedlinered them and painted them...turned out great and holds up really good...AND, easy to clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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