I had an old, cracked dashpad laying around and decided to try something with it. I stripped all the hard, cracked vinyl or what ever is on there off, left just the foam, fabbed up a guage pod to sit on top of it.

Then fiberglassed it. and yes I used more than one layer of glass.

Tried my hand at some bondo, need some work still. by far not a finished product.


Let me know what you guys think. sorry about some of the pics being blurry.

 

You have a good start.

But my question is, what are your intentions for the rest of the dash so everything matches nicely?

The boring route is to just paint your pad with the SEM black texture paint to match.

Nothing stopping you from smoothing and painting the whole dash though. 'Course if I was going to do that, I don't think I'd have used the stock dash pad as a form, I'd have gone completely custom.

Still, I think the stock dash could look good smoothed and painted one solid color.

But nicely done. I'm glad someone finally decided to quit trying to come up with another used dash pad and actually try to do something unique with the stock pad. I've seen guys try to smooth it with bondo and I don't see that working. The pad is soft underneath and there is no structure. Fiberglassing gives you a strong finished product.

Mathius

 

Definitely keeping an eye on this one. I've been toying with the idea of doing a custom pad using fiberglass and using my current pad as the base as well. Looks good so far, can't wait to see the finished product.

 

The whole dash is fiberglassed and bondo'd. The speaker grills are filled as well as the vents on the right and left side of it. I havent decided if i'm going to go with textured or if i want it smooth and shinny.

 

Good project you have there. It should turn out good.

 

looks good except for the gauge pod

 

yeah I know. I tried. but thanks for bashing me!

 

Actually, I think the gauge pod looks good. The only thing I would have done differently with it is angle it towards the driver.

 

Im gonna have to go out and buy a pos dash pad now!

Honestly I would have used fleece instead of actual glass because it forms really well when stretched. As for the filler I would use SMC type because it is so much easier to work with and has a better finish AND it is very flexible. But what you did is awesome if not for the work but the ideas you have generated.

 

my thoughts exactly. very good project.

 

the pod is angled towards the driver, I test fitted it and it seems alright to me. Given that in the pictures there was bondo still on the holes of the face of the guage pod that I havent removed yet. Ran out of money for the project... I'll try to pick it back up in a week or so...I have a problem with the bondo (didnt want to stick) where the speaker holes were and the lines of the dash pad need to be cleaned up. I like the fleece idea... How exactly would that be done? just use fleece and resin?

 

My thoughts exactly, but looking back at it, I guess it is slightly angled... I would have angled it more!

but VERY good start... I'll keep my eye on thread!

 

i'm contemplating redoing it on a different dashpad... so you all might get your wish.

 

Yea you stretch the fleece and form it to your liking and to get a smooth flowing look. I use it to make fiberglass speaker boxes and it is easier to work with and I always reinforce with cats hair for a super strong structure.

 

Nice idea. I have 2 spare cracked dash pads & have thought of doing the same thing. You beat me to actually doing it. I'm such a slacker.......

But I woulda angled them MORE towards the driver & made the sides more sloping rather than almost straight up. More of a gradual hill on the pad, rather just a pod sticking up.

But nice work on getting that far.

 

it was an idea... I knew it wasnt going to be perfect, thats why I posted it up here for more ideas. one of my biggest problems was getting the fiberglass and the bondo to stick to the front of the pod... i guess i should have just glassed over the whoel thing and then re-cut the holes huh? i've put it aside for now, doing some body work on the car. When i get time i'll try to re-do it. Thanks for the input guys.

 

Instead of putting the gauge pod in what looks like the middle of the dash, what about tucking it real close to the drivers side A-pillar? I would think that it wouldn't look quite as out of place, and it wouldn't hinder visinility as much. Only problem I see with this idea is that the dash pad may have to be removed before that A-pillar plastic could be taken out. I'm not sure though, because I don't know how that plastic piece gets installed/removed. If you put gauge pods on the A-pillar plastic and the dash pod there, it will look like the space shuttle with all those gauges looking at you.

I like the inginuity!
Mike

 

i already have a a-pillar pod... so the right side has a dip in it to fit the pillar pod. i was trying to stay away from putting a hole in the dash for the guages that i need for the car.

 

I have a question for you guys.

If I want to build up the foam on my current dash and then recover it with fleece and resin, then what type of foam would I use and where do I get it?

I was thinking some blocks of foam from home depot or something, then liquid nail it down on top of the old foam, reshape it and glass it. I have been drawing on this one for a while.

 

Looks good.
If you are considering redoing the pad, how about a semi "submerged" set of pods where the dash pad actually sinks inwards part way? You could use your line of sight as an angle to use into the pad as well as the direction of the gauges. Most of the time you only read the top portion of the gauge and you could play around with the shape some to make it interesting.

 

Take a cruise over to a couple of art supply stores; try some close to a college campus. Not saying this will work but, look for a product called known as, "foam-core", it comes in different thickness. Architects and art students use it to make scale model mock-ups.

Also look up some "industrial foam" warehouses or suppliers in your area; they'll have different densities, (compression rates / finger squish factors), to choose from.

Happy Hunting...

 

Alright, thanks. I will try and ask a few places tomorrow. We will see how it goes.

 

Looks really good so far. keeping my eye on this

 

i love the pods

 

could you show me some pictures of how it came out..thanks

 

This is my flag dash. Long time ongoing project. Almost done though.It is all flat black so it doesn't reflect light off windshield. All 50 stars and stripes. I have lots more pics of the process posted on my profile pictures. I have lots of ideas since I have started this project.Lots of fun and people love it. It is all flat black now,but I am looking for the right coating material.Lots of trial and error.Product fail under heat. Arizona sun is a bitch. It must be perfect for me I guess.

 

Can wait to see it done.

Tony.

 

hey got any updates on the pictures, urs are giving me some good ideas!

 

O and I read that you said it's stripped down to bare foam?
can you use foam as a base when using that fiberglass sheet because I got a coupple extra sheets and a gal or resin but it seems it's for more rubber like meterial so I might get some herder stuff?

 

sorry i havent updated guys. ive been at basic training... im not going to get another chance to work on it until i come home in may or june. but for those of you trying this post up your progress. i will be able to follow along.

 

ya no problem, ive been at school buizzy too, I wanted to make some sweet fiberglass mounts that space my speakers off the vehicle about 4-5 inches but probably gunna have to wait till summer?

 

any updates ?

 

Nope. I haven't been home since September. I get home soon though. When I have time to work on it ill post progress pictures.