DIY dashboard
Posted by aj_johnson
A.J. Johnson Ultra Moderator Location: Pendleton OR Join Date: 01/07/2011 Age: Settling Down Posts: 1,381 Rally Car: 88 Audi 80 |
Need to make a dash for the 80. (self inflicted need) Thinking ABS plastic or some such and rivet it on to a couple square steel tubes for framework. Any caveats or gotchas to a race dash other than making sure wiring is easy to get to?
Be really cool to see some pictures of completed dashboards for inspiration. Thinking something like this. 
One flat panel to for the top with overlap to shade the gauges and another flat panel to stick em in. I've also got some badass velcro that i'd like to try before riveting. |
Pete Remner Elite Moderator Location: Cleveland, Ohio Join Date: 01/11/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 2,022 |
Alex Staidle Junior Moderator Location: Δx = ħ/2Δp Join Date: 08/21/2009 Age: Settling Down Posts: 1,719 Rally Car: Various Heaps |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
A.J. Johnson Ultra Moderator Location: Pendleton OR Join Date: 01/07/2011 Age: Settling Down Posts: 1,381 Rally Car: 88 Audi 80 |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Banned Professional Moderator Location: La la land Join Date: 01/25/2006 Age: Fossilized Posts: 3,740 Rally Car: Not a Volvo |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Grant Hughes Senior Moderator Location: Whitefish, MT Join Date: 01/11/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 6,818 Rally Car: BMW |
Dave Kern Infallible Moderator Location: Centennial Join Date: 07/11/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 1,085 Rally Car: Compact M3 & Evo IX |
A.J. Johnson Ultra Moderator Location: Pendleton OR Join Date: 01/07/2011 Age: Settling Down Posts: 1,381 Rally Car: 88 Audi 80 |
John Huebbe Godlike Moderator Location: St. Peters, MO Join Date: 08/31/2012 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 283 Rally Car: 1970 VW Beetle & 1991 Subaru Legacy |
My Dash
Out of Aluminum. Can't remember the thickness, but probably .063 or thicker. Just make sure you use a metal prep the sheet before you paint it. Paint doesn't like to stick to aluminum.  Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2013 02:48PM by johnhuebbe. |
Dave Kern Infallible Moderator Location: Centennial Join Date: 07/11/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 1,085 Rally Car: Compact M3 & Evo IX |
Dash looks awesome - but that dash bar scares me...though maybe its just the angle of the pic. It looks like you could have some pretty nasty things happen if there was a direct hit on the front corner of the cage and the dash bar deformed in a downwards manner. IIRC, there was a car built here in denver about 10 years ago with a bar in maybe a slightly lower area that was told to cut and move above the steering column (amongst other issues - wavy A-pillar bars being the worst offender). Dave |
Blake Lind Godlike Moderator Location: Hillsboro Oregon Join Date: 06/09/2009 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 233 Rally Car: orange AE86 |
John Reeds looks pretty good, maybe you haven't seen it: 
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Anders Green Junior Moderator Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: 03/30/2006 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,478 Rally Car: Parked |
I used lycra/spandex.
Yes, stretchy fabric. Weighs nothing. Easily removable, as I installed it with snaps/buttons. I added a 1/4" bar across the top of where the dash would be for it to form over. It works, if you want out of the box. 
Anders Grassroots rally. It's what I think about. |
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