Full out custom or semi stock dash?

[bskylerj]

I used this one from Covans classics. They do them in may different colors. I also have the matching glove box cover so one does not look out of place. I ordered it with the Ultra lite Auto Meter gauges.

[1lowdiesel]

what about like a 59 impala dash.

[muddpile]

Here's mine. It started life as a junkyard 3 hole unit and a fibreglass repair kit.

[PBFAB.COM]

Josh-
You've already gone all out on everything you've touched thus far! I say do something that's custom, yet maintains the factory feel... don't know if that sounds too poetic? Try and make it a modern kick-back to the original design.

[CMars45000]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

I'm working on the idea of using the dash and glove box from "No Limit Engineering", It is the same one that was installed in "Copperhead"---call me crazy, but I liked the look.

I am with you all the way. I love the look of the NoLimit setup with matching glovebox door.

[ghetto_superman]

not to hijack (man i do this alot) but speaking of dashes.. does anybody know of a place that you can get a hold of some bullet shaped pipe? my plan is to make some 'pods' similar to the factory A/C dr/ps vents, but i hate the plastic.. i know it sounds kinda lame, but everybody's got their visions... thanks!

[brak]

If you want to go custom, billet Specialties offers a wide range of gauge clusters.
Billet Specialties Website

This is the one i've been considering. flipped upside down.

[texanidiot25]

http://www.classicparts.com/products...t_on=&sort_by=
Various cluster faces and guages. Keep going through the next pages for more guage stuff.

What Id like to find, is a factory style fuel gage that fits in the center hole, and a factory style tac that goes where the oversized fuel gauge goes.

If any one knows where something like that is, could you post a link? Im still looking through classicparts.com, so maybe its on there, I dunno.

[Bishops Trucks]

I'm tore between hart-rods setup and the stock tach dash which I have. Damn, decisions, decisions, decisions.

[pkj]

i can mold the dash if somebody was to sketch it out. pkj

[1LoC10]

I think he is asking about the whole dash.. not just the gauge cluster

[abadsvt]

WOW! There is alot of nice dash setups. There is also alot of great ideas. This is what i was hoping for. I like to think outside of the box but lately i haven't been able to. There was a few sweet looking ones on that billet specialties website. Hmmmmmm? What i think i am trying to achieve with my truck is to be creatively different (probably didn't spell that right ). There is alot of our trucks out there and when i take it to a big car show somewhere i would like to stand out and not blend in. I have always been a big fan of cars and trucks that have upgraded the entire car (motor, suspension, dash and so on) to more of a modern car or truck. Well i found 2 sets of pics that i thought we sweet. The first few pics is what i would really like to do if i can figure out how do to it. Anyone have any ideas or comments on how i would go about it? The second picture is a newer chevy truck dash molded into our trucks. I think it looks nice. I have never done anything like this before so i am a little skeptical. If someone has a book or a link to a website or just knows how to design and build a custom dash i would love to here from you. Anyways thanks all of you for putting you $.02 in .


Josh

[abadsvt]

I just found this pic and thought this might be cool. It is a newer chevy truck dash but painted like ours is. Kind of a modern feel to our dash. Is this kind of what you meant Nathan?

Josh

[b&a72]

Originally Posted by muddpile

Here's mine. It started life as a junkyard 3 hole unit and a fibreglass repair kit.

What gauges are those?

[abadsvt]

Well I think i finally decided. I came across truckin mag website and there project truck called "Red Rocker". They have a 36 pictures of them molding in the seats and making the dash. Here is the link if anyone wants to look. http://www.truckinweb.com/tech/body/.../photo_03.html . I am going to try to make it look like the picture below. Except without the wood grain i am thinking alluminum or stainless. It will be slightly different but along the same lines. So what do you think of the alluminum or stainless instead of the woodgrain? Do you think that might complement the style of my truck? The only thing i am a little curious about is in the truckin project truck they made the dash out of wood that they fiberglassed. Doesn't it seem kind of cheap? Would you be impressed with a dash like that if you knew it was made out of wood? I am thinking about trying to use some steel instead of all the wood. I am aware that i will have to do a little with the wood but less wood, I think, would be better. What do you think?

Thanks alot

Josh

[FarmTruk]

Josh,

This is, hands-down, one of the nicest custom interiors I've ever seen, regardless of the vehicle. Assuming you have the skill to pull it off, I think it would make you very happy.

Regarding the "wood vs. metal" question, keep in mind that wood products have been the #1 choice in fine furniture and cabinetry for...well, forever. Wood is much easier to work compared with steel. I think either would be a suitable medium for the construction. The execution of the finished product would be more a matter of the time and effort spent, and your skill level, rather than the base materials used.

Good luck with yer project.

[jimmydean]

I would love to do something like that, but I don't have a shop and I don't have the time.

I could use a friends shop, but I still don't have the time. I used to do some cool molded stuff back in the IASCA days.

[SCOTI]

Fiberglass/MDF use is common on the custom stereo stuff so it would work well for your goals. Plastics, MDF, closed-cell foam & fiberglass are better suited for custom fabbing the seating area/console & use steel (or aluminum, or any material readily available to you) for the dash.

I do like that style of interior (I hear them being referred to as a corvette 'water-fall' or 'cock-pit' ), but they are increasing in popularity (meaning many high-end vehicles are using them which decreases the 'originality' of the design).

[Alvin]

I like the look of the interior as well. But I think you might try to combine some of the styling elements in the new 2008 Malibu interior/dash as well. It has much of the same "waterfall" shape, but with a modern flavor.

[1LoC10]

sense your dash is metal, you could just weld a couple of nicely shaped humps on each side or something cool

[Stroker]

Originally Posted by abadsvt

Well I think i finally decided. I came across truckin mag website and there project truck called "Red Rocker". They have a 36 pictures of them molding in the seats and making the dash. Here is the link if anyone wants to look. http://www.truckinweb.com/tech/body/.../photo_03.html . I am going to try to make it look like the picture below. Except without the wood grain i am thinking alluminum or stainless. It will be slightly different but along the same lines. So what do you think of the alluminum or stainless instead of the woodgrain? Do you think that might complement the style of my truck? The only thing i am a little curious about is in the truckin project truck they made the dash out of wood that they fiberglassed. Doesn't it seem kind of cheap? Would you be impressed with a dash like that if you knew it was made out of wood? I am thinking about trying to use some steel instead of all the wood. I am aware that i will have to do a little with the wood but less wood, I think, would be better. What do you think?

Thanks alot

Josh

I noticed from you build thread that you are very good with metal. It looks like the dash could be built using a skeleton made from tubing.

Take a look at this site and see if theres anything you might like for the inserts. They carry a selection of perferated, textured and embossed metals that I've always thought might look good for dash inserts.
http://www.mechanicalmetals.com/

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by texascowboy593

How about the dash pad? This is from www.justdashes.com

I also painted the interior of my gauges...Simple process!

How long have you had the tripod dash on your truck. So far you are the only one on this site I have seen with one of those Justdashes pods.I am wanting one of those for my truck but have heard from a few people on here saying you would get reflection and/or glare on the windshield from the black vinyl pad , that is why GM originally painted the dashes kinda flat colors. What you say will probably make my mind up one way or the other. If anyone else has one of theses Tri Pod dashes I'd like to hear your comments too.

[texascowboy593]

Hey A.G. Ive had it for 2- 2 1/2 yrs now... Now cracking, no glare. The only problem I have is that it dosen't sit as flush as I'd like on the dash next to the windshield. I used some high-strength glue and industrial tape then put weights on it to hold its form. Overall I'm very satisfied with it...:hj: < Dont mean to hijack!

[PBFAB.COM]

Josh- Look at the dash in a 60-63 Chevy pick-up... maybe you could find one and modify a bit to achieve an outcome like the c-10 you have a pic of.

[BigMike]

Here is mine, just painted to match the truck with silver face gauges. I like the billet bezels but that is what everyone seems to get when they go for the custom look. I also sprayed the needles to match as well.

Mike