Custom Fiberglass Dash / Interior
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Custom Fiberglass Dash / Interior
Well I am picking the car up from the dyno guys this weekend, weather permitting, and will be starting my fiberglass interior. I will try my best to document the project from start to finish. So far I have my gauges I will be using, and most of my fiberglass supplies (more will definately need to be ordered as I get further into it). A few sketches of what I am thinking so far...
I haven't really completely thought out the driver's side dash or passenger's side dash yet, but I can cross that bridge when I come to it, but I will need to leave space for an a/c unit, so might have to install that before doing the passenger side...
I haven't really completely thought out the driver's side dash or passenger's side dash yet, but I can cross that bridge when I come to it, but I will need to leave space for an a/c unit, so might have to install that before doing the passenger side...
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 2
From: San diego ca
looks interesting - a few comments
How are you going to finish the dash? leather? padding? - cant wait to see more
good luck
- what type of radio are you using?
with the radio in a vertical position as indicated your console will be significantly taller at the dash than i think your sketch assumes - also it will be difficult to read the dial I think (either digital or analog) - maybe thats not a radio at all? but are the AC controls? - heh that makes more sense
- I see no indication of the parking brake - is that being eliminated? relocated? or just doesnt appear in teh sketch?
How are you going to finish the dash? leather? padding? - cant wait to see more
good luck
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Yup, those are the a/c controls....lol
Parking Brake: I have tried to deal with the parking brake, but ultimately it never worked to my satisfaction and I would never trust it hold even on a slight incline, so I got rid of all the parking brake components.
Finish: Plan on finishing the dash ultra smooth then painting it with a metallic blue paint and several coats of gloss clear.
Radio: For now I got a single din cd player, but I am leaving a opening big enough for a double din, in the future I may add a touch screen dvd player.
Parking Brake: I have tried to deal with the parking brake, but ultimately it never worked to my satisfaction and I would never trust it hold even on a slight incline, so I got rid of all the parking brake components.
Finish: Plan on finishing the dash ultra smooth then painting it with a metallic blue paint and several coats of gloss clear.
Radio: For now I got a single din cd player, but I am leaving a opening big enough for a double din, in the future I may add a touch screen dvd player.
Last edited by davidm_comp; Dec 5, 2007 at 07:57 PM.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 503
Likes: 0
From: Ozark MO
For what it's worth, and I've had some desire to do the same thing, but it looks like you're planning a ton of work to get back real close to what was there originally. If you're gonna go custom, go custom, like the Motor City Madman (Onaquest) did. Not saying do like his, but something that is different. I was thinking along the lines of a wrap around type dash/console that the newer models have. But that's just me. Your sketches may not be showing the whole concept you have in mind, or you may not want to stray too far from stock, that's cool. I appreciate and applaude the time and craftsmanship. I would just recommend, and you probably know, not to do anything that can't be undone. Looking forward to more pictures. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 2
From: North NJ
Just my opinion but I'm going to warn you about expecting to get the fiberglass smooth enough to just apply paint.
Fiberglass matt in general with resin will not be very smooth.
You have to use a filler to get it smoother.
Some use KittyHair which is part bondo and part fiberglass strands.
Then you will need to use bondo and then sand it for a super smooth surface....all of this adding weight to your car which kinda negates the fact that your car was just at a dyno shop b/c all this weight will make your car that much slower.
I would do a nice careful job on the fiberglass, maybe use some kitty hair if there is an area you can't get relatively smooth then cover it with a cloth or something.
A trick I found was using tin foil. You can apply resin and fiberglass to tin foil but it won't adhere to it. If you make a mold out of tin foil and then apply the fiberglass and resin to it once its dry you can peel the tin foil right off and the fiberglass is relatively smooth. Thats fine for doing patch jobs but a whole dash could be tuff.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Fiberglass matt in general with resin will not be very smooth.
You have to use a filler to get it smoother.
Some use KittyHair which is part bondo and part fiberglass strands.
Then you will need to use bondo and then sand it for a super smooth surface....all of this adding weight to your car which kinda negates the fact that your car was just at a dyno shop b/c all this weight will make your car that much slower.
I would do a nice careful job on the fiberglass, maybe use some kitty hair if there is an area you can't get relatively smooth then cover it with a cloth or something.
A trick I found was using tin foil. You can apply resin and fiberglass to tin foil but it won't adhere to it. If you make a mold out of tin foil and then apply the fiberglass and resin to it once its dry you can peel the tin foil right off and the fiberglass is relatively smooth. Thats fine for doing patch jobs but a whole dash could be tuff.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
i want to do a morphed gauged cluster and add an arm rest with a area for my air ride controls...... and swap out the interior to all black with some trim......
look in the mini truck magazines and do some google searches on mini trucks...you'll see alot of ideas for fiberglass setups
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images
b
look in the mini truck magazines and do some google searches on mini trucks...you'll see alot of ideas for fiberglass setups
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images
b
Last edited by onaqwst; Dec 5, 2007 at 08:43 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
i used polyester felt and stretched it..... then soaked both sides with resin...... sand the good side....then fill and smooth...... .... it's easier to wrap it...... i had mine to about 75% smoothness and bailed since i changed my ideas.......
you dont need kitty hair...... the felt will be fine....
b
you dont need kitty hair...... the felt will be fine....
b
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Onaqwst, your dash is what inspired me from the start, just a bit heavy for me though with all the mdf you used, I plan on stretching some bidirectional spandex like material I got on a dowel frame, soaking it with resin, applying a chopmat fiberglass, sanding it down quite a bit, reapplying more chopmat, sand it again, smoothing it out with duraglass, sanding, coating up with some ragegold, sanding, build up primer, sanding, more primer, more sanding, finish primer, light sanding, paint, clear coat, light sand, clear coat. I have been reading and looking at custom car pics for about 2 years now, and know how to do it by theory but never really done it hands on before.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
sweet.... glad i affested some-one here...hhahahaha
the polyester felt will be fine...it's about 1/16" thick once you stretch it out........ you could do 1 soak on both sides and then fill/smooth..then you should be good...... only mdf i have is for the top dash and then a thin strip on the sides of the driver/pass dash where it sits in the door jamb.....
make sure if you use any nylon that it holds it's weight...once u start laying in the resin it'll start to sag...... i braced the driver/pass dash when i stretched the felt...... also make sure the resin doenst react and melt the nylon/etc....... has to be a polyester material i believe.......
jig everything up IN the car and apply the resin IN the car..... so shyt doesnt tweek on you...... i tried to fiberglass some speakers in my doors and had the panel off the car..... well once i was done i could use the panel cause it torqued tooo much.....
dont rush the resin..... and put enough+1 more drops of hardener so it setups up faster...... faster is the key here.... so it doesnt drip and warp the fabric over the heating process.....
b
the polyester felt will be fine...it's about 1/16" thick once you stretch it out........ you could do 1 soak on both sides and then fill/smooth..then you should be good...... only mdf i have is for the top dash and then a thin strip on the sides of the driver/pass dash where it sits in the door jamb.....
make sure if you use any nylon that it holds it's weight...once u start laying in the resin it'll start to sag...... i braced the driver/pass dash when i stretched the felt...... also make sure the resin doenst react and melt the nylon/etc....... has to be a polyester material i believe.......
jig everything up IN the car and apply the resin IN the car..... so shyt doesnt tweek on you...... i tried to fiberglass some speakers in my doors and had the panel off the car..... well once i was done i could use the panel cause it torqued tooo much.....
dont rush the resin..... and put enough+1 more drops of hardener so it setups up faster...... faster is the key here.... so it doesnt drip and warp the fabric over the heating process.....
b
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Well I splurged a little today, went on ebay and picked up some aluminum cup holders, more 1 oz chop mat, a sony 7" touchsceen dvd player, and a back up camera. Already playing around with another design, but it would require me to get a/c installed first so there won't be any interference issues. I will post the ideas later on today...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
I know the ac/heater unit is not to scale, but I would like to make more of a free standing center console, and then more or less a cover for the firewall; tie the ducts into the design of the cover and then have the dash come out around the ac/heater unit and on the drivers side with my speedo and tach.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
Off ebay, they were listed in the auto section, but at $80 a pair, so I kept looking and found some heavy duty and slightly larger (3.5" holes as compared to 3") meant for poker tables.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=013
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=013
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 11,891
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO ...I'd like to go fishing and catch a fishstick. That'd be convenient. - Mitch Hedberg
I've been thinking about recreating the center console in fiberglass. Although mine would keep a much more stock appearance. I want to do it mostly because I hate the way all the stock pieces sit together. I want it all in one large piece. I also want to add a taller arm rest with a storage cubby in it. Cup holders would be a nice touch as well. I'll probably wait until a new transmission ends up in the car so I can fit the console to the shifter location.