Guest mtj71Z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 ok... in case your wondering WHY im doing all of this - the reason is im making carbon fiber dashes for the 240Z. how the hell.....do i take the dashboard OFF the car. is it even possible without tearing it off? i pretty much tore my dash cover into about 50 pieces, broke my little air conditioner control thing , in case u dont know im not very car elite. so right now, after a combination of exploring/trying to get the dash off my interior consists of basically the dash, the steering colum, 2 seats, and the little bar that stick out of the transmission . i got everything except the dash out!$E!@$ someone..PLZ...just tell me what to unscrew/pull off, break, tear, melt, whatever it takes . besides it will be hard to write intructions on installation if i dont know the right way to do it, no? thanks again. ps ill even give ppl who reply a discount on any carbon fiber interior piece or something - cmon! thx, mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Whoa buddy, slow down before you hurt your dash. Start by removing the metal plate between the dash and the windshield, it has 3 phillips screws in it. From there, there are 4 bolts under that hold the dash in place up top. 2 more bolts that hold the dash at the center console. You also have to remove the floor vent controls from each side of the car, and there are 4 bolts that attach the steering column to the dash. Once you've done that, then you undo the wiring harness. A pain in the ass. That should pretty much cover it, but take your time and make sure you aren't ripping stuff apart. Also it helps if you take the steering wheel off, but its not absolutely necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Don't mean to throw a wrench in the works but.... I have made some carbon fiber interior parts and considered making a dash as well. However the parts that I made came out so smooth and shiny that when the sun hits them the glare is intense! NOT something you want from a dashboard! Sorry to rain, but it would really bite if you went to all that work and then hated the results.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 erm, now that u say that, its a very good point......despite the fact, it is still in really high demand though, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 well i got it out! thanks for the info. funny thing is i dont think they needed to put bolts in this to hold it on there are so many damn wires. then again, i have no clue where any of them go now that i have about 100+ hanging out....hmmm the funny thing is - i dont know how many people will go through thsi just to put on a new dash heh. anyway thx again, im sure u will see me in the electrical section in a few weeks... mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Ya know, if you can cover the carbon fiber dash with some very stock looking vinyl, then a lot of cheatin' racers might be interested... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 quote: Originally posted by KicknZ: Don't mean to throw a wrench in the works but.... I have made some carbon fiber interior parts and considered making a dash as well. However the parts that I made came out so smooth and shiny that when the sun hits them the glare is intense! NOT something you want from a dashboard! Sorry to rain, but it would really bite if you went to all that work and then hated the results.. Fortunately, the first generation Z cars don't have much dash to look down on since the driver's position is down and back somewhat in comparison to say, a Honduh, where you totally see the tops of the long dash--bright sunlight would be a bear to the eyes!! I am also going to pursue the carbon dash idea and I'd like to see how they come out! Good luck Mike! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clint78z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 I have done a couple of interiors with vinyl, and the more curves the harder it is to do. The Z dash would be impossible to cover correctly with vinyl with major puckers. Carbon fiber would be real nice, depending on the quality of finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 wow. its totally off, i was running around my house holding the dash above my head like some cannible with a hunting spear . i dont think it will be too hard to make in carbon fiber. ill let you guys know when im finished. thanks for all the help , 'the no more skin left on hands' mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Congrats on your hunting and your trophy. Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Mike, have you been to www.bryanf.com and seen his carbon fiber writeup & pics? Pretty good stuff. I don't think you'll have too hard of a time, just don't get too thick and it'll fit fine. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 yeah i saw his site, i also bought a book on it and bugged him with my questions . here are a few pics of the early adventure...including my prize... the rare and exotic thar she is skinned all those are just holding the dash to the dash frame, sheesh. and btw dont worry im painting my car soon - next adventure and look how roomy the 240 is without the dash to clutter things up also if anybody is still reading this thread...u know that big...uh...thing in the passenger side looks like something to do with the a/c? im taking all my a/c stuff out cause i dont have all the things i need for it to werk-so why should i keep any of it, eh? will it leave a hole - how big? thanks, hehe mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Not sure what model your car is, looks like a early Z, but the 'thing' is your heater/vent fan motor assembly on the passenger side, in the middle behind the center console is the heater core. For A/C in the early Z the only thing it might have would be a unit that bolts UNDER the fan motor assembly that is your cooling evaporator. 280's (not sure on 260's) had the A/C finally put up in the dash and not hung underneath like the add on units the 240's had (A/C wasn't available, the dealer added on the A/C's later). Hope that helps. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 heheh....yes that *unscrew* helped...thanks now i know ...*pull*...i dont really need this *pop* thing anymore. and since i live in florida i dont need the heater either i think she just lost a lot of weight thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Hrm, I have to kind of wonder... since it's all out why not sit down and m ake up your own dash? As you noted there's a ton of room now! Maybe make it mocked up in foam and then glass? I wonder what we could come up with and if it would be worth doing? The Z style is nice, especially with Phantom guages in it but... You doing a whole dash or just a cap? I'd be most interested in a full fiber cap to be honest - I don't want to pull that monster either, especially with my cage in the way! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Hmm, a whole new dash with the center angled towards the driver and flowing into the center console would kick butt! (I really like the supra tt dash) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I am going to strip the cover form my dash and restructure it for CD player and other little goodies then recover it in fiberglass and paint it with colored gel coat to give it the look of a race car dash. I saw something like this in one of John Washington's Vel Rossa GTO replicas. It was fashioned like the old Ferrari's dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 In the future (way in the future), I plan on doing a dash as well. the Z is ok, but I'm looking more at aluminum with the gauges more central in front of the driver. The wrap around dash is a good idea and would look good, not sure I could pull it off in aluminum though. If I'm ever able to get to the dash I'd like to put in a painless wiring harness and a GM steering column (make the hookup easier and I can get tilt and do away with the combi-switch). Damn, I keep slowly wittling away at the 'to do' list on my car and it just keeps getting longer... Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtj71Z Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 i dunno. i was planning on keeping it stock because the majority of ppl want stock. i had the idea of modernizing the dash, but many ppl prefered stock. also the cap - i was going to do this option also, however, many dashes are not the same. by making a whole new dash it solves that problem. besides, u will only have to take the thing out once. and its really not that hard. if i didnt care about keeping the original shape fo the dash - i coudl have had it off in 5 minutes my plan here is to make money of course, but that doesnt mean i wont play with ideas. i am trying the dash first to see how much the thing will cost. carbon fiber is 35 dollars a yard . i know you cant please everyone, but a few changes here and there will give a nice array to choose from. i dunno - if i have the time i could make a console/dash pieces thats 1 long connected piece and have that supra flow. still really early to playa round tho, dont want to waste all this supply money the dash im planning will have a styrofoam core carbon fiber coating. somethign on the back of the foam to make sure it doesnt start flaking away. youll get pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Carbon fiber stuff doesn't have to be smooth and shiny. If you were to roll on some epoxy(I'd try to get some rubber-toughened stuff) on the old cracked dash, and then lay down a single layer of woven carbon fabric that was pre-impregnated with a compatible epoxy, the texture of the dash would no be smooth and would not be too shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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