17 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

Basically the original dash I had in the Mayfair, although looking great didn’t provide me with enough room to fit everything behind the clocks for the dash to sit back properly.

But seeing as I had the same problem as last, none of the pre-made dashes were to my tastes or budget, so instead I gave making one a go.

I’ve started off with making a hardboard template of a standard 3 clock rover style dash and adapted it so I don’t have to refit a padded top rail and then transferring and cutting it from 9mm mdf. Plus the bonus with this one over the last is I’ve found room to squeeze a pair of 4” speakers in as well.

I just need to wait for my cutter to arrive and I can cut out the glove box and door and then cover it (the speakers will hidden) and fit it.

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What I’m wondering is now I have a load of hardwood templates for a standard shape rover dash, would people be interested in custom dashes made to how you want?

I.e. a standard rover shape dash with either 2 or 3 clocks, flat or raised and with any thing else air vent speaker wise you like or even just a blank rover dash instead of dial cut outs for things like a digital dash.

Any thoughts?

Just trying to work out if its worth my time, effort and money at the end of the day.

[minilester]

i like it.... would love a copy of the template as i want to do something almost the same...

[matty121]

very nice!

[minimaff]

Nice 1, looks cool

[The Reverand]

I'd be very interested in making a home made dash. Could you pm me the measurements pretty please?

[1984mini25]

i like it.... would love a copy of the template as i want to do something almost the same...

I'd be very interested in making a home made dash. Could you pm me the measurements pretty please?

I cheated and used an old rover dash for the hardwood template; you can find the templates with a bit of searching. But most don't fit that well, hence why i used a rover dash to start from.

But then my template is also slightly smaller/larger than the original due to the extra I have to allow for when I cut it out with the router.

Once I had the template sorted with all the holes in the right place it took me minuets to cut it out and a hell of a lot neater than trying to do the same with a jigsaw.

I could however just cut out a blank one for you do as you see fit to, at least then i'll fit perfectly.

[minimaff]

Its easy to make a template, just get a couple long sheets for fluted board and start, keep doing it till it fits, then copy the patten on to wood.

If I can do it, anyone can.

[AVV IT]

What I’m wondering is now I have a load of hardwood templates for a standard shape rover dash, would people be interested in custom dashes made to how you want?

Sorry do you mean that you are thinking about setting yourself up as a trader & producing custom dashes for other people, or that you are going to supply the templates to others so that they can make their own?

[1984mini25]

What I’m wondering is now I have a load of hardwood templates for a standard shape rover dash, would people be interested in custom dashes made to how you want?

Sorry do you mean that you are thinking about setting yourself up as a trader & producing custom dashes for other people

If its worth my time and effort then yes, but probably not a full time business, just the odd couple of one offs.

[AVV IT]

If its worth my time and effort then yes, but probably not a full time business, just the odd couple of one offs.

In which case I would say that yes there is definatley a call for someone to make custom dashes to peoples specific requirements. There are a few traders out there claiming to do this already, but in my experience they really aren't interested. I spent months trying to get someone to make me a dash with 60mm gauge holes (as opposed to the standard 52mm ones). One trader agreed to do it but then stopped answering my emails when I came to ordering, then another just took my cash and ran. In the end I simply gave up on the idea and bought a standard item from custom consoles!

Good Luck with it!!

[1984mini25]

If its worth my time and effort then yes, but probably not a full time business, just the odd couple of one offs.

In which case I would say that yes there is definatley a call for someone to make custom dashes to peoples specific requirements. There are a few traders out there claiming to do this already, but in my experience they really aren't interested. I spent months trying to get someone to make me a dash with 60mm gauge holes (as opposed to the standard 52mm ones). One trader agreed to do it but then stopped answering my emails when I came to ordering, then another just took my cash and ran. In the end I simply gave up on the idea and bought a standard item from custom consoles!

Good Luck with it!!

Exactly. I’ve tried the readily available dash templates in the past and from personal experience if you follow those you’d be better off guessing measurements with how out some are.

As like you say you wanted a non-standard size hole/s and for mine I deliberately didn’t want a cut out for the head unit and the row of warning lights above the clocks. It’s pointless in my eyes in having a hole for something if I can’t fit one because of the bulkhead box. But then none of the premade and ready finished dashes have designs with or without those extra bits.

Hence why I bought a cheap genuine rover dash to take all the measurements off, as personally they’re about the only dash that come anywhere near to fitting perfectly and have a go myself.

The one above (I might remove the strips of wood, I’m just playing around with bits) was my first ever attempt at using a router. Even went to the trouble of chamfering the dials, which hopefully should look quite classy one I come to cover it in vinyl.

[1984mini25]

For now at least they would probably be plain and unfinished as it would just be simpler at the moment. But I did repaint a dash for the ex (it’s in a red 86 D reg Mayfair if it’s still around) that was originally a Huddersfield 3 clock dash with that horrid tinfoil fake checker plate stuff.

After pulling all the tin fold crap off and sanding it back I then painted it up in a blue/lilac sort of colour. Painted/hand drew a sort of vine with various types of flowers (all hand drawn) coming off it starting at one end of the dash and snaking its way to the other, with more bits round the dials, before lacquering it.

It’s a shame I never took any proper picks of it as I did spend quite a few late nights, blurry eyed over it. But then if it did do another I probably wouldn’t go into as much detail to keep it simpler.

[1984mini25]

As I’m still waiting on my cutter to arrive so i can chop out the glove box, well i could, but it would mean cutting the hole in the dash and then trying to make a door to fit. So will just be simpler with the smaller bit I’ve bought, so instead I thought I’d work out the fittings/mountings.

Pretty simples, just some bolts poked through the dash and a nut tightened up on the back, then the front filled over. With just a simple plastic blocks and some wing nuts to pull it tight into the dash rails.

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As for me making up blank and custom dashboards to order, I’m still not convinced, I’m not going to start making a load up if there’s no interest.

[1984mini25]

Anyways… the cuter I’d been waiting for finally turned up and I spent the day cutting out my glove box and covering (changed it slightly) the dash for the project.

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Edited by 1984mini25, 22 September 2010 - 06:06 PM.

[leadly]

Looks very good inded.

What did you use to cut out the glove box?