Custom dashboard

[Pete]

Rite, my friend is making a custom dash for his mk2 golf and had done the dash out of polystyrene to craft it to how he wants, and then obviously fiberglass it.

Which got me thinking, and wanted opinions on my idea....


Designing a dash for a Nova, similar to a BMW with the smooth centre console that will come down between the seats and raised as an armrest. As most modern cars do.
I know it's not original and 90% of you will say it'll look **** but im not going for original. I want an old car to look modern.


So change all the switches to modern ones, better lookin vents & a few extra switches built into the centre console. Ie a built in ****nav.


Opinions welcome.

[Edd]

sounds like a lot of work tbh

[mowgli]

a sat nav on a nova??????? my god, you'll want air-con & a cup holder next

[autoworksnovasport]

expanding foam is easyer to play with

[Pete]

lol just want to add new features. so satnav was just a suggestion.
Defiantly a cup holder tho Mowgli. I like that idea ;)

And thanks Phill, did not think of expanding foam. Guess it'll be easier to carve and sand.

[Southie]

Go out and find a written off Corsa VXR and try and make it fit will probably easier lol

http://opelfan.com/im/2011/10/Vauxhall-Corsa-VXR-Nurburgring-Edition-3.jpg

[swedge]

the front of the dash would probably end up resting on the rear seats lol

[TeddyThom]

You'll have to do a build thread for it once you have decided what you want on it and how you want it to look. I assume you will flock it once done?

[Pete]

yeah if done ill get it flocked, but then its a case of what to do with door cards etc as they'd look out of place.
come next payday i think ill start the project and see what the outcome is.

[TeddyThom]

One step at a time haha, get the dash built before you worry about the door cards etc, walk before run :thumb:

[novalew]

nice idea, will be a very interesting build thread

[hotrod]

Sounds like a cracking idea mate definatly need to let us know how you get on!!

Just 1 thing how you gonna start with the expanding foam because you couldnt just spray it on coz it would go everywhere and stick to everything!!

[16xe_chris]

Here's one I made, this took 5 days solid to make the mould

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q496/16xe_chris/d497188c.jpg

[Pete]

Chris, what do you use to make your basic template? ie polystyrene/expanding foam etc

looks cracking tho mate

EDIT: and HotRod, i presume he means just expand it all onto something, let it dry and then start carving from there, and adding more as you go along lol

[Mike]

Chris, what do you use to make your basic template? ie polystyrene/expanding foam etc

looks cracking tho mate

Take a mould of either a standard part or an adapted part. Would not even entertain the idea of expanding foam either :S

Or just create your own part & take a female mould from that lol

[hotrod]

Chris when you make your moulds do you use gel coat first or just finish the fibreglass really well?:confused:

[autoworksnovasport]

ive made few things from expanding foam very easy to work with and mould then when you get the shape you want fiberglass over it!! not as scientific as should be but it works never made a dash though

[hotrod]

Ive made some sub box moulds for the cally out of expanding foam and fibreglass the foam was easy to work with but very messy!

[Mike]

ive made few things from expanding foam very easy to work with and mould then when you get the shape you want fiberglass over it!! not as scientific as should be but it works never made a dash though

Could do I suppose, not for me though :S I just carve it straight out of high density/high impact tooling block. Clean it, seal it, release it then make a mould from there.

Do most of it the usual way, take a mould straight from an OEM part then adapt from there though.

[Pete]

Well as ive been reading ill need to do it 1/8" thinner as that's what the FG will add apparently. as for using something to craft with im going to do a trial with Polystyrene for the pure fact of i can get biiiiiiig blocks from work for free so that wont cost me a penny.

So my plan now is to get the sketch book out and design what id like.



(Mike, if it was to make it out of FG, would it be worth adding a layer of CF to the back of the dash for extra strength? or should FG do the trick?)

[hotrod]

Could do I suppose, not for me though :S I just carve it straight out of high density/high impact tooling block. Clean it, seal it, release it then make a mould from there.

Do most of it the usual way, take a mould straight from an OEM part then adapt from there though.

Wheres the like button? lol

[Mike]

(Mike, if it was to make it out of FG, would it be worth adding a layer of CF to the back of the dash for extra strength? or should FG do the trick?)

Depends what weight glass you use &/or how much of it. Although you'd (well me anyway) Id lay it up in stages using a lighter weight matting for intricate areas (lighter weight = easier to work into crevices, radius etc) then build up the main structure using a heavier weight matting. Might sound a lot of faffing about but it'll make the entire part sooooo much stronger. Carbon rear lay would IMO be a waste of time/cash really.

Nothing stopping you do it though, as some the roof vents I make (as in CarbonMike, not at day job like) with a carbon infill, there produced in such a way that I can stand on them & they barely bend yet they only weight 110 grams & are only 2.5mm thick. Just depends on what you know & how you about it really.

[BRoadGhost]

Nothing wrong with a flocked MK2 nova or corsa dash :)

[Mike]

Nothing wrong with a flocked MK2 nova or corsa dash :)

Nail on its provebial head...

[16xe_chris]

Chris when you make your moulds do you use gel coat first or just finish the fibreglass really well?:confused:

I use gel coat on the part I'm wanting to mould so that when it's released it's got a nice smooth finish, and as Mike will know the shinier if that's a word the better :thumbs:

[hotrod]

What about a release agent? I used peelable paint but it was a bit of a faf to get off once out the mould!

[Mike]

Ooow yes, lovely glass smooth high gloss finish is where its at.

[16xe_chris]

Chris, what do you use to make your basic template? ie polystyrene/expanding foam etc

looks cracking tho mate

You can use pretty much anything, like thin mdf, Perspex as long as its not going to move whilst you apply your next products.

I even use plasticine to get into the tiny gaps.

I'd use 450g glass as this is easy enough to work with and get all of the air out.

[16xe_chris]

What about a release agent? I used peelable paint but it was a bit of a faf to get off once out the mould!

Lmao I bet it was.

I sometimes have the same issues with cheap or shoddy paint jobs on pannels as all the paint decides to stay in my mould lol

There is a few options and methods available with release agents.

Release wax is a good DIY friendly product.
PVA release agent which is a blue colour and comes off with water.
Or you can buy fancy liquid wax which is the best I've used so far.

[Mike]

What about a release agent? I used peelable paint but it was a bit of a faf to get off once out the mould!

Peelable paint, brave move :eek: lol lol

[16xe_chris]

Peelable paint, brave move :eek: lol lol

Lol could you imagine the clean up lol

[Mike]

Lol could you imagine the clean up lol

Id rather not lol lol

[Edd]

Instead of going through the hassle of making your own why not makes a mk4 astra dash fit?

Heds had one trial fitted in his build thread, those dash also come with optional sat nav so your could fit your own if thats what your after

[hotrod]

Lol could you imagine the clean up lol

I was just learning man! :tard: lol

yeah it was pretty messy!:(

[16xe_chris]

I was just learning man! :tard: lol

yeah it was pretty messy!:(

What were you trying to make?
Did you succeed?

[hotrod]

Yeah churned out a couple of moulded sub boxes for the back of the cally!:)

Still got the moulds too!:thumb:

[Lewis.]

Instead of going through the hassle of making your own why not makes a mk4 astra dash fit?

Heds had one trial fitted in his build thread, those dash also come with optional sat nav so your could fit your own if thats what your after

MK4 astra dashes are huge! they're easilly 3 times as deep as a nova dash, and wider too lol

I say fair play to you mate, have a crack at it, what's the worst that could happen?

[hotrod]

You can see the backs of them hanging on the wall in the pics!

Not too bad for a first attempt.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg609/HOT-ROD77/20120501_170358.jpg

[16xe_chris]

Get a box of latex gloves for this project as well lol

Hotrod : they look alright from the back lol

[brainsnova]

Hotrod i thought it was a couple of petrol tanks lol