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Dashboard, Non Sierra Ideas?


Guest greenwood03

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Guest greenwood03

hi all. hoping that someone may have an idea or 2 about dashboard layouts ......bought a 2b last year built, it has a vinyl covered dash using the sierra 'pod' ...doesnt look that great and thinking about modiying/changing. as am spending a fairly large amount on increased power budget is tight and my skills next to non existent, so would have to bank on a bit of help from a cple of pals ( so time or quick fix is ideal).....wondered if there are any pre-fabricated dashboards that are easy to fit, carbon fibre effect, or similar would be great, or ????? obviously the look of the dash area has such an impact on the way the car looks in terms of finish and i'd like to make sure that any change is a benefit, ie/ not buying a pref-fab part that 'nearly' fits! any ideas anyone? thx Mark

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A dash can be made easily from 0.5mm MDF. No problem to cover it with the thinnest foam you can find and some vinyl. You can make concealed fixings easily and then all you need to sort are the instruments (VDO, Smiths, Caerbont, etc) you want to use and the positioning. An attractive and professional layout is achiveable.

 

Nigel

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Guest timswait

My dash was the Robin hood stainless panel covered with an unpicked red leather jacket from a charity shop. I cut out the aluminium by hand (using a hole saw for the holes for the instruments), switches and push button start from Maplin's. The gauges themselves are a combination. Mostly bought as non working (but pretty!) gauges from autojumbles, friends, etc, and the Sierra electronics fitted into them. Getting those to work and be calibrated was the only hard bit of the operation!

post-218-1203934976_thumb.jpg

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Guest 2b_pablo

crappy pic but mdf frame with real carbon sheet over the top. autometer gauges, vapor speedo/tacho/water temp and a 2nd large tacho. bright6 warning lamps

 

Photo00152.jpg

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Guest jhfozzy

Hi Pablo, we've got the same speedo on Robs car and the water temp now and again goes all lines.

 

As soon as we reset using a pin, it works fine.

 

Have you had this before?

 

Also, have you got any pics of the speedo pickup and how have you done it? Were on the prop and keep losing the signal over about 50mph.

 

BTW, a pic of Robs dash (work in progress) for the thread. :D

 

n781855509_1979910_9056.jpg

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Another Vapor based idea, using the Donor Fuel gauge (heavily disguised).

 

My Vapor runs all functions reliably now, it needed a GOOD earth on the tach input with diodes on the coil input and the earth to stop it picking up stray signals. I also found that to get the best contrast on the screen the unit needs to be mounted tilted slightly backwards. Don't rush the dash it will always annoy you! this is my third attempt, (getting there but still not 100% happy)

 

You asked for a quick fix ideas IMHO you need either a lot of time or money!

 

All part of the fun

 

Sean

DASH.jpg

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Guest mizurage135

post-2384-1203968787_thumb.jpg

 

Dash about 50 notes from europa and instruments smiths tailor made (expensive). All shaped and holes cut using hole saw,

 

will have to be altered a bit to adjust sterring wheel angle

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Guest Jabberwocky
A dash can be made easily from 0.5mm MDF.

 

did you mean half an inch? or half a cm? as I would of thought half a mil is not going to hold much

 

 

DASH.jpg

 

Now that I like a lot B) B)

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SEgan where did you get the gaitor and surround for the gearstick? Last thing I need to finish that area :)

 

cheers

 

Paul

 

The gaitor is the inner one from the Sierra donor (nothing special I need to get the sewing machine out to make a new one really). The surround I made from 5mm black acrylic, however if I were to make one again I would make it out of 4mm aluminium.

 

Sean

 

PS I like the new green and black look B)

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