20 replies to this topic

[Disco Dan]

Just finished my new dash, what do you guys think??

That looks brilliant, well done.

How did you do the edges? - the join to the top rail and bottom rail. Ie, is the bottom sharp and the top have a gap where the round meets flat?

Did you have to use a longer speedo cable? - it looks like the cluster is slightly forward than stock.

Would love to see a picture of your switchboard up close, as well as your top & bottom edge joins. I thought of doing something similar but with beading along the top and bottom with rubber trim of some sort. Just not as nice as that! Here is a link to a trim shop page so you get what I mean! (4322 would be my choice)

Also, what is the sound deadening like? I planned to fill the gap with polystyrene packing watsits or foam as there is a lot of space for it. Or does the steel do a good job on it's own?

Edited by Disco Dan, 05 March 2009 - 03:02 AM.

[Ru55boy]

as have i been for a vacuum, time clock and volt meter, glad i finaly heard of someone who bought one of his gauges.....is it like new like his ebay page sugests?

Yeah I'm well impressed with the rev counter, it really does look like new. He paints the inside of the casing powder blue and you can see this through one of the holes in the back, so you know he has actually taken it apart. He also emailed me a wiring diagram when I asked.

[Ru55boy]

That looks brilliant, well done.

How did you do the edges? - the join to the top rail and bottom rail. Ie, is the bottom sharp and the top have a gap where the round meets flat?

Did you have to use a longer speedo cable? - it looks like the cluster is slightly forward than stock.

Would love to see a picture of your switchboard up close, as well as your top & bottom edge joins. I thought of doing something similar but with beading along the top and bottom with rubber trim of some sort. Just not as nice as that! Here is a link to a trim shop page so you get what I mean! (4322 would be my choice)

Also, what is the sound deadening like? I planned to fill the gap with polystyrene packing watsits or foam as there is a lot of space for it. Or does the steel do a good job on it's own?

Cheers mate.

I just smoothes the edges with a file. Its 2mm thick aluminium so the edges aren't too thin (and sharp) but its still flexible enough to follow the contour of the upper dash rail nicely. A common thickness of aluminium is 1.2mm but I think this would've been too thin.

The original speedo cable is only just long enough to fit. I had to fit the dash, mount the centre clocks and then put my arm in through the hole I made for the switches to fit the cable to the speedo. Tricky but nothing compared to fitting the clevis pin in the clutch pedal if you've ever had to do that!! With hindsight I would've fitted a longer cable.


I changed the switch panel lights round before I fitted it. I removed the side light warning light and replaced it with the indicator tell tale light, and fitted a brake warning light above the brake test switch. Switches from Ebay, and the warning lights from Europa Specialist Spares.

Sorry, couldn't take decent pics of the edges..

Its actually really difficult to see the lip with the top of the dash. Its more pronounced at the sides where I haven't quite shaped the aluminium perfectly but you don't notice it. I had thought of the beading too but I was happy with the result without it.

I got hold of a blanking plate for the big hole in the firewall (I think its from a Clubman), a couple of bitumen sound deadening pads on the firewall and I've stuffed two old sweatshirts into the recess behind the dash. End result is pretty quite.

[Prawn]

that looks awesome, really nice mate.

Did you manage to find the correct switches for all the light functions and things OK?

[maph2]

be careful about the edges on the lower edge - as they will take chunks out of shins in an accident.

also, can you reach the switches OK. if the MOT guy has to stretch, he could fail the car

Edited by maph2, 05 March 2009 - 03:42 PM.

[Disco Dan]

I just smoothes the edges with a file. Its 2mm thick aluminium so the edges aren't too thin (and sharp) but its still flexible enough to follow the contour of the upper dash rail nicely. A common thickness of aluminium is 1.2mm but I think this would've been too thin.

The original speedo cable is only just long enough to fit. I had to fit the dash, mount the centre clocks and then put my arm in through the hole I made for the switches to fit the cable to the speedo. Tricky but nothing compared to fitting the clevis pin in the clutch pedal if you've ever had to do that!! With hindsight I would've fitted a longer cable.

I changed the switch panel lights round before I fitted it. I removed the side light warning light and replaced it with the indicator tell tale light, and fitted a brake warning light above the brake test switch. Switches from Ebay, and the warning lights from Europa Specialist Spares.

Its actually really difficult to see the lip with the top of the dash. Its more pronounced at the sides where I haven't quite shaped the aluminium perfectly but you don't notice it. I had thought of the beading too but I was happy with the result without it.

I got hold of a blanking plate for the big hole in the firewall (I think its from a Clubman), a couple of bitumen sound deadening pads on the firewall and I've stuffed two old sweatshirts into the recess behind the dash. End result is pretty quite.

Excellent work, yes I would now be concerned about any engine steadies breaking/being replaced - engine could rock and rip the cable out the back of the speedo. You have done a very nice tidy job with that, good on you.

I love the big toggle switches and light bezels. I always fancied using something similar to the buttons found in lifts - with light ring around them and tamper proof etc.

Cheers for the pics, saved them and maybe one day I may want to do something similar!