Twist Machine Streetfighter Camaro Update

[Steve Chryssos]

It's been a good long while since I posted a project update for the Twist Machine Camaro as we built a fresh 406 with Dart Aluminum Heads, Holley HP EFI, and a Crane Hydraulic Roller camshaft. The combination works extremely well with the upgraded engine parts adding a bit more peak power but much more power down low. Throttle response is awesome. All I've really wanted to do after the engine install is drive, so I haven't tackled many other projects.
One thing has always bugged me about the 68 Camaro and that's the gi-normous factory padded dash. On my car, I have sunk the seat down to gain helmet to roll cage clearance, so the big dash pad has always seemed goofy. I needed to see over it rather than straight ahead and I'm not small at 5'11".
I set about building a new low profile dash cap with a streetfighter look to match the rest of the car. He's how it went...


I showed up at II Much Fabrication with a crude paper template and a thin sheetmetal mock-up to show John what I had in mind. John Parsons is great at problem solving because he's smart.


Rather than try to tackle the dash cap as one complex piece, John started with a thin strip for the lower edge. This area is more challenging as the piece needs to clear the speedo/tach carrier and center stack. We also worked in multiple pieces left to right.


After trimming clearance for the gauge sections, the lower edge was tidied up on this bad ass little belt sander that looks like the belt drive from a supercharger. It works great too. I want.


As the dash is anything but straight, John uses a shrinker/stretcher to add curvature in both directions.


That lower edge fits like a glove and clears the speedo/tach carrier and center stack. Now work can begin on the top piece.


The template in an earlier photo served as the basis for cutting out the op piece. It was easily trimmed from sheet metal, then shaped to match the curvature of the dash much like the bottom with the shrinker/stretcher. We're fast forwarding to welding here, but you get the idea.


We worked in multiple pieces as we were utilizing available scrap metal. We also had to contend with the roll cage A-Pillar bars, so end pieces were planned separately. If we had made the dash cap too wide, the windshield would need to be removed to get it in place.


Now we're getting somewhere. Welds will be ground down and seams filled with bondo.


Here's the dash cap held in place with a coupla screws.


And here's the plan for hardware on top of the dash. These OE style screws and raised washers will really pop against a black dash. We drilled a lot of holes for mounting hardware.


It's more messy this way, but we wanted to do as much work with the dash cap in place to help maintain it's shape and accuracy. At far left you can see that we're making separate end pieces. Take note of the gauges, as they'll get a makeover as well.


Putty N paint make it what it ain't. Here we're working to erase welding seams and get a smooth continuous look from left to right. The dash cap will be painted semi gloss black.