broke7

iTrader: (1)

I decided that an aluminum plate to fill the radio hole just wouldn't be enough so I fiberglassed over the plate and removed the ashtray and put some gauges in place of it. I started out orginally making a plate to fill the radio hole so my radio would fit. I then removed the astray and filled the area with two part expanding foam and sanded to the shape I wanted. Next a couple layers of fiberglass cloth and resin. Then trimmed the glass and filled with bondo ,sanded, and primered. I decided to use some left over gauges I had left over from some other projects to keep the cost down oil temp, oil pressure, water temp, and where the clock was I added a led shift light tach. I may paint it next week will post more pics when the console and ***** are painted. Check out the pics.

broke7

iTrader: (1)

more pics

Skidtron

iTrader: (1)

For a second there I thought you made a whole new one from fiberglass but now I see what you did. Looks good. My car has a sheet of lexan that replaces that whole thig. It's painted black so you can't see through it. I think I'm going to switch to a piece of aluminium since the lexan cracked near where the gauge holes are from the hole saw I guess.

broke7

iTrader: (1)

.025 to .032 alum is about the perfect thikness

Skidtron

iTrader: (1)

I was going to use one sixteenth thickness So it's indestructible this time. Plus it's aluminium so it's light. I wish i could just buy one that filled that whole area including around the shift lever. I can make it but that stuff always consumes so much time. Maybe I'll just tie all the gauges up in a ***** and just toss them in the passenger floor board. I hate gauges but you have to have them. Too bad I can't afford one of those digital dash things form a race car. So simple and nice.

85 FB

That is badass. Nice job. Tho, I wonder if you can make something that'll set the gauges at an angle? I have one lone gauge under my radio and the fact that it stares straight ahead, it's hard to read the top of the guage properly.

It'd be cool to figure out a way that'll have the gauges stick out a bit at an angle to where you can read them better.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

They sell mounting rings that go under gauges that tilt them at a slight angle. I bought 3 of them for the center console, they were to wide to fit 3 across so I left them out.

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

yes rings are available to make it look like the old Z's. I tried it but it wont work since the gauges are so close together. Basically, with a ring, each gauge need to be mounted in an angle as well.

KansasCityREPU

iTrader: (9)

The console looks great. I've been doing one that is similar. I used an old console and removed the round section. I used JB weld to bond the parts together and a single din insert to ensure a stereo would fit. Still some sanding to do.