ramcharger
Dismember
it's about freakin' time. New fiance', daughter, dogs are all suckin up my time but it's worth it. :grommit: Yes, I know I'ts not an a-body but that's coming next. :roll: I promise. :roll:
Now on to the meat of the issue. I cut the panel from 1/4 diamond plate aluminum stock with a jig saw and smoothed edges. I used the trigonometry I learned from engineering to draw out the backside and cut accordingly. On the Autometer website they have most of the engineering drawings so I could figure out my spacing.
OK, now I cut out everthing that wasn't my dash. LOL! In truth, that's really how it works. I used Millwaukee hole saws and a drill press with welding clamps for the big holes, a cut-off tool for the switch panel and brought the aluminum stock to a local fabricator to shear off strips for the dash trim. I had the steel dash frame powder coated at the same shop.
The plastic/vinyl stuff I cleaned with dishwash soap after scuffing with a scotch brite pad. After doing this multiple times to get old paint, dust and grunge off, I painted with Plasticoat plastic and vinyl dye. Memike, that's what I'm going to do with the console you so unselfishly passed along to me! :usa2:
I was going for a retro-rod look on this, I hope it worked. This things gonna rock when it's done.
Hope someone can take some of this and run with it!
Now on to the meat of the issue. I cut the panel from 1/4 diamond plate aluminum stock with a jig saw and smoothed edges. I used the trigonometry I learned from engineering to draw out the backside and cut accordingly. On the Autometer website they have most of the engineering drawings so I could figure out my spacing.
OK, now I cut out everthing that wasn't my dash. LOL! In truth, that's really how it works. I used Millwaukee hole saws and a drill press with welding clamps for the big holes, a cut-off tool for the switch panel and brought the aluminum stock to a local fabricator to shear off strips for the dash trim. I had the steel dash frame powder coated at the same shop.
The plastic/vinyl stuff I cleaned with dishwash soap after scuffing with a scotch brite pad. After doing this multiple times to get old paint, dust and grunge off, I painted with Plasticoat plastic and vinyl dye. Memike, that's what I'm going to do with the console you so unselfishly passed along to me! :usa2:
I was going for a retro-rod look on this, I hope it worked. This things gonna rock when it's done.
Hope someone can take some of this and run with it!
