Just double checked mine as its stripped down to fit a recon Redtop.

The dash protrudes exactly one inch above the dash chassis tube at the top and at the side its 1/2 inch at the top  tapering down to zero at the cockpit side. I'll try to post pics.

That would be great,

ive had another go at fitting it and this is the best I can get, About 2” from the dash bar but it’s still got slack and it’s not sturdy at all

 

Still cant post phone pics...theyre too big. Ill see if I can find a camera!

I had to fit a reinforcing bar under the bonnet. I just used 1/8 x 1inch mild steel bar fixed with No more Nails. Still there after 20 years.

I’m starting to think my only option maybe to add something to the top of the dash roll bar to fill the gap. There isn’t any room for any adjustment left 

If I can’t get away with it I’m going to try and mount the dash slightly higher, really think rubber trim on the top edge and hopefully that will seal it and pass the Iva as I wonder about the firewall which also won’t be tall enough

Spent a good hour today trying to work out what to do lol. The gap isn’t normal as far as I can tell and I don’t want to cut it and fix it if I can help it. 
 

the easiest option seems to be to just fit the dash panel higher up to fill the gap.

 

going to check the clocks and other things and then do a temp figment and see if it works. Dash as it is won’t clear the steering column so I either cut the arches bigger or I move it up so it seems moving it up could be the best answer to getting back on with the build.

iM also thinking I should fit the window screen so that I can use the bottom Of the frame to help shape the bonnet as well

When I built mine I cut the dash to fit the chassis then had to extend it to fit the gap to the bonnet. Once it's all fitted together it doesn't look too bad. Remember, you're building a Robin Hood.... If you measure everything it will look wrong!!! Fitting by eye is the way forward. 

Nick 

2 hours ago, nicko said:

When I built mine I cut the dash to fit the chassis then had to extend it to fit the gap to the bonnet. Once it's all fitted together it doesn't look too bad. Remember, you're building a Robin Hood.... If you measure everything it will look wrong!!! Fitting by eye is the way forward. 

Nick 

The problem I have is to reshape the bonnet would mean cutting the sides of the bonnet that are rolled and fit nicely to the side panels to a new angle. The dash end where the corners are reinforced would need to be 2 inches higher and so I would need to complete reshape it from front to back including all the folds reformed 

 

something like this

 

The bonnet is not meant to fit to the tube behind the dash, you need to fit the dash to fill the gap. Once everything is fitted in place it is fairly rigid. 

Nick

 

7 minutes ago, nicko said:

The bonnet is not meant to fit to the tube behind the dash, you need to fit the dash to fill the gap. Once everything is fitted in place it is fairly rigid. 

Nick

 

I keep getting a difference of opinion on it. 
 

the build video shows it fitting flush 

 

Don't believe all you see in the videos. I built mine as I described, and a couple of other people I know who built theirs have the same configuration. Things changed in the "design" over the years, but the videos didn't. 

I think it depends on the year of the chassis and remember it's not precision engineering (I've always said whoever welded the 2b chassis had an elastic measuring tape. 

Nick

 

Take a close look at the picture of the chassis in the video. Its a very early one with parallel centre support bars.

Yours is a later one with splayed support bars. 

Trust us! They are all different. Yours is a close approximation to mine. Once the dash and the bonnet are on you cant see the top chassis rail, or any gaps.

Fit the bonnet as it stands. When you get to it, fit the dash with a rubber strip on top of it, right up to the bonnet. Fit a reinforcing bar under the back lip of the bonnet. Dont sweat it.....it will work.

9 hours ago, Bob Tucker said:

 Dont sweat it.....it will work.

Trust me -- I'm a pilot.

I think mine must be an intermediate design between the two, it's got splayed (horizontally, but vertically fore and aft) bars in the centre of the dash, but the dash tube meeting the bonnet. Go with the above advice👍

Edited March 23, 20215 yr by Grim

So I decided to move past the issue of the bonnet not touching the dash rail and trial fit the dash where it would need to be in order to fill the gap...

Next thing I have found is that the dash itself is over all about 4" too wide. If it is fitted it overhangs the cockpit by 2" a side. This cant be right? has anybody had to cut down their dash shape so much to make it fit?