g6civcx

I'm sick of cracked dashboards. Any useful links/comments on aluminium dashboards before I order?

The best I found was universal race dashes that you cut to fit.

Annoying Eric

I am making one right now, but its going to a half dash cause i need room for the air-water-air cooler on the passenger side..

There pretty easy to just fab up yourself, just take some time and think of a design you like and find a shop that can bend the metal.

g6civcx

I'm going to do a 2 piece for easy removal.

All I really need is something that covers up maybe several inches below the cross bar and extends to the windshield.

I don't really care about asthetics.

89singlecamnoob

logic is broken here

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g6civcx

The shape of the dashboard also doesn't lend itself to boring out for gauges.

Logic seems intact to me. Ask a simple question and get useless answers. Seems like the norm nowadays.

240cracker

these r good ideas.

lets see some pics

McRussellPants

God you retards are so fucking bad at cars.

hhahahahaa

slw240sx

ill sell you one i never finished. i got in the middle of building it and decided it was a waste of time, and i would rather have a factory dash...



Jon

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Xandy Boosts

Won't it blind you? (No sarcasm here, serious question)

I sometimes get an annoying glare from my keys when I'm at the right angle, I can't imagine a whole aluminum dash in the sun!

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Nachtmensch

felt/suede

msglngth

Koopa Troopa

Build your own out of sheet metal....

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smelly240

instead of felt or suede you could do it right and get it flocked... like the rally cars.

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g6civcx

I'm ordering a universal race dash with rolled edges and nonglare finish.

Thanks to all those who tried to help. I'm starting to hate the people who don't post anything constructive. This is not your personal soapbox. I bet you they don't get any attention in real life so they have to go online and make smart ass comments.

Nachtmensch

i completely forgot about that (more of the term slipped my mind)

g6civcx

That's a good suggestion. I'll look into that if the factory finish doesn't work out. Thanks.

g6civcx

Bump this thread so you all can see how it worked out.

Custom 4piece dash with the top half lined with headliner. right half moveable to service the A/C without taking off the whole dash.

I still have to make a radio bracket and clean up some of the wiring. I was focused on putting the dash together.

steve_o1989

Looks good man. How much did it run you if you dont mind me asking? I take it the bottom edge is rolled?

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1998 Frontier SE
1990 240sx Coupe - Sold
1992 Talon Tsi - Sold

Phlip

Ken...
All I will say is that sometimes you REALLY scare me.
Strangely enough, I really like that.

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iHeartTheTouge

thats awesome, nice job!

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g6civcx

The parts themselves were about several hundred. I screwed up on some of the earlier versions so those sheets were junked.

I did get help on fitment (I wanted it to line up perfectly with the body), machine shop to roll the bottom edges, and upholstery (to line up and trim the dash covering).

So in the end, figure about several hundred for parts and about 1 day's worth of labour.

Yes.

oscarsx

looks very clean..
but i wonder if the heat from the sun will effect the tempeature inside that car..

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McRussellPants

Thats disgusting.

Probably weighs more than stock

and offsets your guagecluster making it even more useless.

damn.

ms!3

thats pretty cool. just needs that radio bracket. nice job.

alittle off topic, but what is that extending your shift knob? is that custom or something you can buy? id like mine alittle higher but don't really want a bubble knob.

g6civcx

It's ok. I have A/C.

The bottom half has not been lined yet. I admit it looks gross right now because of the raw aluminium, but it will get lined and will sit flushed with the steering column.


No, sir. How do you figure 4 flat sheets of aluminium would weigh more than the stock dash?

If you looked closely, there is not enough clearance for the Racepak to fit behind the steering wheel. Plus I have a sequential shift light so there is no reason for me to look at the gauge cluster while driving. The gauge cluster is used more for "tuning" than anything else.


You're not me and you don't know what I need. I'm glad you don't like it, and that's why this isn't your car.

The shifter is coming out of a Borg-Warner T5 meant for an F-body. If you notice, the entire shifter plate is offset to the side and back. Note the patch welds. T5's have offset shifters towards one side. They don't sit straight in the middle like other gearboxes.

So no, this is not something you can buy for a KA or SR gearbox. Plus the T5 is mated to this:




This is really just a mock-up. The car is going in for what the hod-rod guys call "frame-off" resto. I just wanted to give everybody an update of what I put toether based on your inputs.

racepar1

Why go woth an aluminum RACE dash if you are going to keep the radio and A/C, shit even the heater? Hell If that dash is actually any lighter than the stock one I'll trade you my spotless charcoal s-13 dash for it. I don't have any of that crap left in my car.

g6civcx

First, if you remember the V8 thread, you saw this:



While the stock dash physically fits over the crossbar, there is literally less than 1" of room between the dash and the firewall.

I'm running a full Vintage Air system and there was no way it would fit behind a stock dash with a modified firewall.

Second, I promised my ultra clean uncracked black dash to my friend so I don't want to track down another dash.

Third, this dash is easier to remove than the stock dash because it comes out in 4 pieces.

Fourth, this dash weighs less, and looks nicer IMHO. The bottom half still needs to be lined.

Again, why do you think 4 sheets of aluminium in that size would weigh more than the stock dash?

It's just 4 flat sheets. There is absolutely nothing behind the sheets.


Why do have to explain myself? It's my car. I do whatever I want with it. You do whatever you want with yours. There is something on everybody's car here that I don't like, but as long as it's safe why should I say anything?

racepar1

Jesus, why are you all butthurt? If you don't want to hear other people's opinions or explain yourself to answer their questions then don't post! It's pretty simple. At first glance it looks like you are trying to build a racecar, but you want A/C too! VERY un-racecar. The aluminum dash does not look clean, it looks raw and racecarish. The fact that you want A/C makes me think that you would like the clean look much better than the raw race look, so what you are doing makes no sense to me at all. It is your car so do whatever you want with it, but don't get all pissy when people question you, or critique your work! We are just curious and trying to help!

WangonwWarrior

Aluminum dashes are nothing new and their are no seirous downsides to them. Almost every drag car i have seen has a bare aluminum dash. I say go for it. And g6civcx is right, the T-5 shifter is cocked to the side due to the bellhousing, im not sure if you are aware of this but i bought an aluminum bellhousing off a standard 4-speed chevy car (1967-1981 camaro, truck etc..) and it lines the shifter up directly in the center. So far i have had no problems with doing this and it kept me from having to reposition the shifter. Sorry for thread jacking a little bit

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McRussellPants

People get ultra defensive when they know the shit they just spent 400hrs making sucks.

seriously,

If that were IMSA car I'd maybe let it fly, but that shit is gross, no cage, no weight saving, no function. knee cracker dash holy god 10$ momo wheel. take your fucking column bezel off and move your racepak over.

put a stock dash back in and stop trying to convince people it won't fit.

oh god 300$ hahahahahahahahahahahahahha

g6civcx

First, I did not ask for any opinions. I wanted to give the people who helped me a chance to see what I came up with based on their recommendations as a follow-up courtesy to their help and suggestions.

If you think I wanted your opinion, then quote me where I asked for opinions.

Where is it written that a "racecar" cannot have A/C? What makes you the arbitor of all things "racecar"?

So what?

See above. Nowhere did I want opinions, good or bad. I was speaking to the people who gave me suggestions. If those people want to respond then they can.

For everyone else, move on. It's not a big deal. Like it or don't like it. I don't care. Note how I didn't respond to positive criticism either.

Help when somebody asks a question. If I wanted your help I would have asked for it. Nobody asked you for help in this thread.

It was just an update on a work in progress. Lighten up. If it's not your cup of tea then go build your car the way you want.


If you think I'm being defensive, I challenge you to do this. Go through all of my posts and find one where I critiqued something that wasn't safety or function-related. I always try my best to help the Tech forum. Read every one of my post in Tech if you don't agree. I just ask that you extend the same courtesy to me that I do for everyone. I treat everyone the way I wanted to be treated.

Is there a safety reason? Is there a functional reason? If not, don't bother posting. There are plenty of threads for your to "critique".

Is that fair?