I'm tring to get some ideas on how I want to do my dash on my 68' Valiant I'd like to make some kind of dash insert to mount all auto meter guages. Anyone done this? If so I would love to see your pics. and a little about how and what you did.
A Body Custom instrument clusters
- Thread starter tvt59
- Start date
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pauly v.100
Well-Known Member
fastlane west insert that i modified. i was a weak piece of sh*t so i jb welded 1/8 lexan to the back of the gauge surface and switch (not installed) cutouts for reinforcement. speedhut gauges, LEDs from radio shack. its not quite done yet but you get the general idea.
3404speed
Ancient Decrepit Member
looks nice Pauly
Bad Shrimp
Well-Known Member
Made gauge panel out of aluminum.....used basic tools. Panel will mount to small "frame" and that all will mount to the dash right where the heater/radio normally is. Will make the "frame" out of fiberglass. Once this one is done i'll make another gauge panel for the speedometer/fuel level/tach/turn signals/etc. Because of the gauges I wanted to use I couldnt find any stock or aftermarket clusters or gauge panels that I thought would work.
blue missile
Well-Known Member
Pauly,
just cause its carbon dosent mean its sturdy or thick enough for the application.
Bad,
Thats very retro, reminds me of a bomber cockpit. Very cool
TVT Id post a pic of mine but its all digital.
Andrew
just cause its carbon dosent mean its sturdy or thick enough for the application.
Bad,
Thats very retro, reminds me of a bomber cockpit. Very cool
TVT Id post a pic of mine but its all digital.
Andrew
SRT_DSTRHOLC
Well-Known Member
rocky mountain dash style or nothing!
Mr Man
Well-Known Member
Here's mine. I bent a piece of 14 gauge steel to match the shape of the dash, and then cut holes through it to mount the gauges. The gauges slide into scraps of exhaust tubing (3.5" for speedo and tach, and 2.75" for the rest). The 3 center gauges are angled towards the driver.
The black part is wrinkle paint, and lower part is painted silver to match the original theme of the car.
It's lots cheaper than a Rocky Mountain Dash, and a fun welding project.
Scott
The black part is wrinkle paint, and lower part is painted silver to match the original theme of the car.
It's lots cheaper than a Rocky Mountain Dash, and a fun welding project.
Scott
DartNByYou
Bit by the Dart
nice work Scott, looks good.
76orangewagon
Well-Known Member
Very nicely done Sir, I'm gonna make mine over the winter hopefully it turns out as nice....
Looks great! R u guys just using hole saws to cut the gauge holes? How do u cut them on an angle?
Bad Shrimp
Well-Known Member
Can use a hole saw, just get good ones. I have cheapy ones from Harbor Freight that make good holes in potatoes, they wont "cut" through aluminum or steel, they just start to burn up. The good ones at my work are super sharp like the teeth on a brand new circular saw blade. Sharp enough to cut you skin while your just holding it.
damnimcooltom
Too Cool For School
Mr Man
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys. I wish I had more time on my hands... I would make a few more and sell them to FABO folks.
As far as drilling the holes, I couldn't find a hole saw that would work at the angles I was cutting. So I trimmed some cardboard tubes to match the profile of the bent sheetmetal and the angle I wanted the gauges to come out. I traced around them and cut the openings with a small cut-off wheel. It wasn't exactly a Saturday project - the final product took several weekends.
If you guys want to give it a try yourself, I'll do whatever I can to help you out.
Scott
As far as drilling the holes, I couldn't find a hole saw that would work at the angles I was cutting. So I trimmed some cardboard tubes to match the profile of the bent sheetmetal and the angle I wanted the gauges to come out. I traced around them and cut the openings with a small cut-off wheel. It wasn't exactly a Saturday project - the final product took several weekends.
If you guys want to give it a try yourself, I'll do whatever I can to help you out.
Scott
hemitheus
19? Plymouth Scampenstein
Mr Man, my fellow East Valley man... do you have a pic of that mounted in your car? I really like that. it has the RMD feel but instead of frenched in they stick out. Different and cool
pauly v.100
Well-Known Member
awesome work, Mr. Man !!
pauly v.100
Well-Known Member
not carbon, its injection molded plastic with a not very very convincing carbon fiber pattern. i tried to make the best of it by covering it with 3M Di-loc shrink wrap that looks like carbon, at least more like carbon than the way it came.
blue missile
Well-Known Member
Pauly,
I did ask if the members thought there was a need for REAL carbon inserts, and got a bunch of LOLs, so I never pursued it. I dont know what you paid for the insert but if I remember correctly I was thinking $80 or $90 for a carbon one.
Andrew
I did ask if the members thought there was a need for REAL carbon inserts, and got a bunch of LOLs, so I never pursued it. I dont know what you paid for the insert but if I remember correctly I was thinking $80 or $90 for a carbon one.
Andrew
Mr Man
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the compliment. Give me a week or 2 and I'll post a pic with it installed. I'm still plumbing the A/C and running my dash wiring.
What part of the east valley are you in?
Scott
'Bout Time!!
Well-Known Member
I've got a question, I would love to do my dash similar to what MR Man has done, but i dont think my skills could do that justice. Which leaves me the only option I can see is to purchase on of the inserts sold by redline or fastllane. Does anyone have another suggestion. If not, which of these two is "better"? I havent heard anything about the Redline set, and I was leaning towards the Fastlane becausethe holes were already cut. But after reading about Pauly's concern, Im not sure no. Any help/advise would be great. Thanks guys!
hemitheus
19? Plymouth Scampenstein
I am in mesa. meridian and southern. Mere footsteps from the abyss that is apache junction
pauly v.100
Well-Known Member
I've heard that since i got mine they have started making them thicker, just how much thicker i can't say. i would suggest calling them and asking.
i never called to complain about it so i guess somebody else did.
it really wasn't that hard to fab-up a piece of lexan and it made a big difference, but it sucks getting an expensive product that still needs to be improved upon to make it sturdy.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
I used to live right off of 80th St. between University & Brown. Just look for the place with the big garage right on the fence, he was my old neighbor. Very well might be staying there for a few days next month.....or out in AJ off of Tomahawk & Southern.....my buddies transmission shop is on Meridan just before it ends....
Buschi340
Well-Known Member
this looks exactly like what I want. Are these inserts available w/o gauges? Because I'm german an the Tacho has to be metric here... Different vendors on the market or just fastlane?
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