Ugly Dash Panel |
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Jim_In_Houston
Platinum Member Joined: September-06-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1120 |
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Posted: April-13-2005 at 9:01pm |
I just tore into my dash panel on my '68. I thought sure it was aluminum and all I had to do was buff off the old paint and repaint. Boy am I surprised to see it is made out of paper. It looks like it may have been fake wood paneling at one time.
So now it looks like I have to draw it in autocad and have a panel shop cut out an identical sized piece of 1/8" thick aluminum with properly sized and placed instrument holes. I think I can have the CC logo engraved along with the names of the switches. This will be a lot of work and I hope someone knows a good source for dash panels that are close to original. Anyone? (And I gave up going to the river today to make quick work out fo repainting my dash!) |
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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Bhedbloom
Senior Member Joined: December-01-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Jim,
Just a thought.....I know it would not be exactly original, but I have seen other CC owners make them out of teak. When they are finished and teak oiled they look really sharp! Another thing I have seen is to make a new plate out of plywood and cover it with the same vinyl upholstery that is in your boat. That looks good also. Best of luck! |
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Barry, South Carolina
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skyhawkflyer
Senior Member Joined: February-08-2005 Location: Zimbabwe Status: Offline Points: 275 |
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I shouldn't be too hard to make up a panel, it looks like what you have would make a good template. Wood might work out better because aluminum turns to white powder when it gets wet and starts to corrode, unless you alodine it followed with paint. Teak would look pretty trick with some new fuse holders (or circuit breakers) and stainless steel screws. Harbour Freight sells cheapie hole saws for your electric drill that work good-won't work for your tach though.
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Jim_In_Houston
Platinum Member Joined: September-06-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1120 |
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Those are great ideas! Just what I needed. Wood it is. Thanks fellows. I'm leaning towards black stained Mahogony! (I am used to looking at a black dash. The pic of the dash was taken after I scraped off the loose black paint).
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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skyhawkflyer
Senior Member Joined: February-08-2005 Location: Zimbabwe Status: Offline Points: 275 |
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You might be able to really spruce up a piece of wood with a router! You should put in a digital depth finder in that 4th hole if you have some cash to burn! That a great upgrade for any boat.
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David F
Platinum Member Joined: June-11-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1770 |
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I replaced my panel ('77 Martinique, originally wood grain vinyl on plywood) with solid teak. I oil it every year, and it still looks great after 16 years. In order to make the panel out of one solid piece of teak, I had to buy a one inch thick piece that was of sufficient width and length. I then had it milled/planed down to the proper thickness (I think about 3/8"). I then eased all the edges and drilled all the holes. I think mahogany will look great, but I wonder if mahogany will tend to warp given its propensity to swell when wet. Maybe if it is sealed against moisture real well, you will not have a problem.
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Morfoot
Grand Poobah Joined: February-06-2004 Location: South Lanier Status: Offline Points: 5320 |
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How about Carbon Fiber. That would be SWEET!!
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"Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman"
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swamp demon
Groupie Joined: March-15-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 55 |
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if you wanted some wood grain vinyl I may have some from a 76 mustang.
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How bout
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laying up some carbon fiber to form you a sheet and then cut, finish and install. Could end up looking pretty trick. Just a thought.
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Jim_In_Houston
Platinum Member Joined: September-06-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1120 |
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Thanks Swamp. I think I am now leaning towards teak. The swelling thing with Mohogany seems bothersome. The carbon fiber may be nice but I know less about carbon fiber than I do wood, and that ani't much. (I'm a metal and bolt kinda guy.)
Can you have lettering engraved into wood? (I don't want to think I have my blower running and all I have done is turned on my lights - you have to think about these things when your mind starts going.) Any thoughts on a brass plate? |
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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swamp demon
Groupie Joined: March-15-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 55 |
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A trophy store could do the brass plates and should have many styles of plates. They may even have some kind of plastic plate that has some sort of laimenent.
might be an easy way to solve this. You could check with your local wood workers store I'm sure somebody does this type of engraving. Clear lake,indiana |
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882001
Senior Member Joined: October-21-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 332 |
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what about 1/8 black plexi? i can get you some.
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kemah texas
1988 skinautique "2001" |
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skyhawkflyer
Senior Member Joined: February-08-2005 Location: Zimbabwe Status: Offline Points: 275 |
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if you have a Boat/US nearby they have a section of plastic engaved placards, they may be able to make you brass. I know they cut custom decals for boats all the time, might be worth giving them a call to inquire. I think West Marine does the same.
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Tim D
Grand Poobah Joined: August-23-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2641 |
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Treated luan would work great,stain it and get a roto zip to cut your holes. I see there's a gas gauge, what year did they start putting them on the dash? My '66 originally had one at the back under a glass cover.
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Tim D
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Jim_In_Houston
Platinum Member Joined: September-06-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1120 |
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I wish there was a gas gauge. There is a mechanical gauge that can be viewed through a window in the back. I have to shine a flashlight through the window to see my gauge.
By-the-way, to get the boat back in the water this week-end I sprayed the panel with flat black. It's amazing what a little paint will do - it looks better and even OK from a long distance away. This will give me more time to build a new panel. It's just time to head to the river, know what I mean? |
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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Tom Southwind
Newbie Joined: September-20-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 12 |
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If you use wood you can have all the markings lazered in to the wood even put you a pic. in the panel. That should give you one of a kind.
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Jim_In_Houston
Platinum Member Joined: September-06-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1120 |
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Thanks for the idea Tom. I have been living with the painted dash all year. It does not look embarrasingly bad. After I get the '66 restored and in the water I will resume restoration of the '68 including the dash replacement.
Where do you get wood lasered? I would like to know. It sounds like lasered teak would look sharp. |
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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Tom Southwind
Newbie Joined: September-20-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 12 |
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I get the wood lazered at a golf club company Louisville Golf In Lou KY. you might try trophy shops.
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Jared Johnston
Newbie Joined: September-08-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 31 |
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I'm actually going to redo my dash in Carbon Fiber when I finish with the rest of my boat. I think it will look sweet!
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A boat is just a hole in the water to toss your money into. Here is mine! http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=865&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1976&yrend=1980
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