In the makeshift booth... Just trying to keep all the sanding dust from coating every inch of the shop.
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Speaker mounts double as supports for the rear deck panel.
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Had some help from Mark at CarAudioFabrication, spec'ing out the sound system components. My only hard requirement was the Rockford Fosgate PM3 head unit. Mark is a great resource and helped with the rest. Here are rear speakers, Focal PC165FE's.
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Built some covers to keep the speakers protected from the bottom (trunk)
Just some quick molds for some removable fiberglass boxes.
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From inside the trunk.
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WOW! Those parts came out amazing! Jack of all trades and master of them all.

Sweet Lord Jesus?!!:king:

That is so cool. I love watching Mark's YouTube videos; always learn a lot from him.

Great work on your car!!

Lights?
 

Dumb question in a thread with such an incredible car... but what lights are those?

Hi Ty. Thanks. They are Lithonia 4' LED. LBL4-LP840. With the Surface Wraparound lens with the opaque liner removed. Work great. Have them throughout my shop. These are just temp mounted in this silly excuse for a paint/sanding booth, but they give plenty of light!

Had to modify the EStopp a bit (shorten) so it would fit with this center console. Ed at Control Cables can shorten the output cable. Great job, inexpensive, fast and great customer service. Shortened the overall length of the system by over 5". Allowed me to cut down the cable separator mount. Just temp'd in here as I don't have the calipers mounted so I can't test it thoroughly but have every confidence it's solid.
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Starting the plug for the fiberglass dash/center console. Have had this design in my head from the start, finally getting to see if it will work!

I realize that putting the all of gauges off to the side is a little unconventional but with the seats lowered, this actually puts the tach very much in view without maneuvering your vision around the steering wheel. With shift lights and warning lights on the other critical gauges, this seems to work really well.....at least while looking at printed images of the gauges while sitting in the seat, in the shop! Yep... making race car sounds while shifting come with this test, sorta helps...adds vibration to the mix!

The GPS will be removable and a track monitor will fit in the space. Not sure which one yet. Had originally planned on a mini Ipad but it doesn't really fit in the space and I couldn't get a good handle on an integrated remote antenna and charging cord.

Very early stages right now but conceptually, it's working so far.

Trying to keep the factory shape on the dash, just enhanced.

Open to thoughts and opinions.
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Wow, I can’t wait to see the next set of pictures.


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Dash Plug
 

John.....great vision as usual :cheers:

It's hard to see from your side-on image but it seems you have three separate curves at the moment??? I would make the instrument mounting surface as one continuous curve (in top view).

Because each instrument has a flat mounting flange, and you main surface is curved.....this is a negative curve in your case, you have to raise or depress the surface locally around each shape. This will look much sweeter than having the main surface stopping and starting.
Attached is my Camaro instrument fascia which is one-piece vacuum formed ABS over a plywood/bondo male mold. You can see that each penetration has its own flat flange about 3/16" wide. The radii around the holes are much softer than you will be able to achieve in fiberglass, but I had to go that route for the vacuum form material to flow into the flat areas. Top left air outlet needed raising AND lowering the attaching flange because of the complex (compound) curve at the end of the dash.
BTW....that grill and surround are a commercial stainless steel sugar shaker like a donut store would have.....shhhh.....our secret :rolleyes:

Also my main crash pad surface is a positive curve (with the center higher than the ends) ...... The central warning light area was then machined flat, the border trenched out, and the depressed flanges go deeper again. NEVER CREATE A FLAT SURFACE ON AN AUTO BODY because surrounding curves will make it look hollow.......also shrinkage around edges when the resin cures will pull your surface hollow. Even on a long wide panel that you want to look flat (like a fascia between tail lamps for example) should have 3/16" positive or negative curve in it......never use the plywood dead flat.
My instrument pad is loosey goosey compared to what yours can be ....cos mine is racecar and both left hand and right hand were done in TWO EIGHT HOUR DAYS! You will get better definition using gel coat and glass.

Dash plug 2
 

There you go John.....alternative sections thru.

Upper section is obviously instruments square to the car....not ideal visually...also prolly get reflections on outer instruments.

Lower is the best.....faces parallel to base surface. More driver focused.

More options.....mount them deeper......tilt them halfway between the angles shown.

Note: these are NOT the images Marty was looking forward to :theresa:

I think the dash layout if great.

I put the tach dead center above the steering column in my car. With the speedo moved down to beside the steering column arch, I could actually see the whole thing. The factory gauges were cut off at the top because of the steering wheel and how I sit in the car.

Didn't have huge progress this weekend but some...! Keeping the plug so there are reliefs for the mold and keeping proper gaps for the dash wrap material (leather or alcantara) along with the insert for the gauges....just time consuming.
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Mock'd up some gauges (mdf painted black with color printed gauge faces) just to get the feel of the layout in 3D. This insert will likely be carbon. Not sure yet. Of course all of this wood is just mock up for the fiberglass mold. Lots more to come.
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Started the front edge of the dash, will build it back to the gauge cluster next.
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Damn your practice gauges had me fooled, having them like that gives you a great sense of the final piece. Nice job.

Very nice!!

John, it's a shame you are rushing this project.:sarcasm_smiley:
Seriously though You have a car that has detail second to none. Be proud of yourself and thanks for sharing your talents!

I for one, LOVE unconventional!!! Great idea keeping true to the basic shape but doing your own layout.


Jeff-

Some progress pics.
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Niiiiiccceeee!!

This is my favorite thread. Always something amazing happening. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

70 Camaro - Boise, Idaho
 

I agree with Curtis - this is also my favorite thread.

Since I finally took some time off of work this week. I was able to read this thread from the beginning and the attention to detail, your skills, the ideas and your ability to execute them is just incredible. I can't wait to see what happens over the next year.



I almost kinda want to see what you come up with next and maybe use some of your idea's on my car.



Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with all of us.

More progress on the plug for the mold. Wanted to see it in one color so I put the first coat of primer down. Should be a pretty interesting mold.
Lots more to come, A/C vents are next.
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Does the vertical piece between the trans tunnel and the bottom of the day angle towards the driver like the dash does? Hard to tell from the one mock up pic.

Fyi
 

Curtis, that's called a center-stack. Cos the audio and other components are typically 'stacked' there.

Hey Curtis. It will be squared up,not angled. Messed it with it quite a bit to make sure all the controls were in reach even while belted in...i originally thought it would be angled but wasn't necessary and it allowed me some room for a storage shelf on the bottom. And just looked better.

Always a balance between function and look. Sounds like you’ve achieved both. Well done!

Just amazing watching your progress - your creativity and ability are incredible!


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Very nice!!

I like the way the dash come out, nice job.

More progress on the plugs for the molds. I know it all looks a little rough but thought you might enjoy the path. Of course all of this will get ripped out and trashed after the molds.
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Love it!

Looks awesome - I’m sure you’ve mentioned this already, but what are you using for the lcd screen and who is making the gauges for you? Combination of both is going to look great!


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This is such an amazing thread! You possess some amazing skills. I am loving how this is looking. Thank you so much for sharing.

A bit more progress on the mock up of the molds. Placement of the side AC vents proved a little challenging. With the door bars and the lowered seats, really needed to keep a space for your feet to move through without having to pull your knees all the way up to your chin! Snaked the ducts between the roll bar and the A-pillar. So, had to keep them up a little higher than planned but as Curtis says (well, really all of us)...form meets function. Had my poor friends climb in and out of this thing about 50 times so I could watch and learn.
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