cpubugs

Complications?, Has it been done/tried? If so provide pics. Is the interior so different that this is impossible? I just think it would be a nice little addition... I am guessing the interior design lines would be thrown off a bit. I'm not really wondering about wiring and what not just will it fit, can it be made to fit.

TitaniumTT

It will not fit without heavy modifications

The dash is too wide on the top - the doors will not close
The curve of the glass is very different
The tunnel in the FD is much wider than the FC so there is a large gap
The shifter is in a slightly different location
The e-brake is on the wrong side.
The wiring is completely different as is the logicon
The signal/wiper switches are on the column on the FD, surround on the FC
The gagues themselves are different as well.

Having said all that - nothing is impossible.

kontakt

There was a guy I remember that had it mostly complete. If I remember there were a few other people that had popped in that had also either started or completed the project.

There was a good bit of information, and I believe it was in the 20b section (it was definitely a 20b car). I warn you however in your search, that I do not believe that is what the thread was about. IIRC people just saw it in the pics and got all ZOMG over it, and it was discussed for a few pages.

RB_eater

iTrader: (1)

How about that thread about the vert with the FD interior?

Flash

iTrader: (2)

TT is right, it would be a huge amount of work. I'd sooner get a junker fc dash from another car and modify that. One could keep the mounting points and make fitment easy while changing the shape of what's on top with FG or whatever then cover that with vinyl/leather/suede etc. Just seems that an FC base would be safer and easier...

TitaniumTT

I found the 20B project - over here

Where's this vert with the FD interior??

Thanks Flash - I agree, sometimes better to start with something that fits than make something fit and in the process ugly it up. FG is going to have a tough time sticking to the plastic. THere was a guy here who did a fiberglass dash from scratch that was pretty kickass. That link is right over meow

arghx

iTrader: (3)

why would you exchange one set of faded and cracked plastics for another set which is even harder to locate parts for?

CyberPitz

How about some pics up in here! :P

87 t-66

iTrader: (133)

rx7racerca

iTrader: (1)

Or, for less time and money, you could probably just get an FD...

Turbo II Rotor

iTrader: (2)

FCKing1995

iTrader: (3)

Not to be a dick, but why in the hell can so many RX7 owners not just be happy with what they have. So many people try doing FD exterior hybrids and interior mods, and almost all of them look like *** IMO. Leave it alone and stop ruining what little RX7 stock we have to pick from. Or less your car and get an FD.

cpubugs

I'll ride with ya on the exterior stuff but how many people are swapping fd interiors? People mod their cars becaus they are "their" cars and that is what they want. People mod their engines and everything else how is that any different. This comment is much like on one of the nissan forums where a guy insisted that leaving cars stockwas better.. Because any one modding anythingis stupid because the factory is all knowing... suck it up man. Tell me you have nothing modded on your car...

TitaniumTT

Seriosuly though - here's what I've done to my interior so far. I consider it an improvement... so maybe other things can be improved upon. Personally I think the interior of that 20B is a disgrace, but to his own admission it's not a show car.

lax-rotor

iTrader: (1)

Is that a radar detector on the lower portion of the door? or is it an amp (or something related to the big woofer you have there)? I can't tell. Bigger resolution dang it!

HAI-TEK7

iTrader: (31)

^^its a crossover

yusoslo

actually it doesnt seem that hard. You can make a custom piece out of mdf and wrap in viynal to meet the contours of the windshield. Also a little bit of fiberglass and vynal to cap off the sides and viola!

My only concern is the parking brake and how to fill that in.

Any left hand drives out there?

PS my car is fully gutted and I am running standalone and no heater...so the only OEM guages I use is speedo and fuel.... This would be a worthwile mod.

TitaniumTT

Then you haven't done much interior work. Or much wood work and certainly little to no fiberglass work. Sorry to sound like a dick but that's honestly how I feel. There is alot more time and effort into that stuff to make it look nice. I could bolt an FD fash into an FC & build mount in about 2 hours, but it'll look like a 500lb ***. Wobbly, shaky, no form, jiggles alot and certainly won't be anything that you would want to claim as yours. Now, if you want a nice, formed fitting, sweet playmate looking *** for a dash, you're looking at @ probably hundreds of hours. Seriously probably close to a hundred hours to make a bitching, FUNCTIONAL one off dash.

btw - someone bumped the Smonty fiberglass dash thread. Take a peek at that...

oh - fiberglass and vinyl to cap off the sides and viola! Let me ask you something.... how many hours do you think I put into those door panels? Ignoring of course the fact that fiberglass and plastic are nearly incompatible. Flex the dash in the wrong way and your viola cap pops off.

yusoslo

Well I hate to burst your buble bro, but I have done plenty of work like this. I rewrapped my doors in suede in about 40 min a side. I think 1 weekend would be fine to get this dash into my Fc.

Honestly I am going to do it just in spite of everyone.
All I need is the shell and the guage cluster. I would keep all the wiring from the FC and hide the Logicon in the dash for my Defrost...the only thing I use in my car. everything else will be standalone and custome guages.

A carboard template put onto mdf and wrapped in vinal would take about 1 hour to make a trim piece that matches the countour of the FC winsheild and the FD dash. The side pieces.....well damn son, how much flex does your dash have.

And your doors....well it probably took about 30 min to put up the indoor outdoor carpet on it.....and about a good 3 days of FG work to make the pods (which are very nice btw).

my car's stereo is a BB turbo and my right foot.

TitaniumTT

I hate to tell you bro - but rewrapping door panels is nothing like fiberglass work. That's like saying your a mechanic because you can pop a hood.

I'd really like to see you try it. I'm telling you, if you take that appoach, it's going to look like the above described 500 lb ***. How is your miracle piece of MDF going attach to the dash? You realize that the original metal piece has a lip but it's thickness is about 1/8" Oh yeah, MDF constantly absorbd too which is why almost every year, the vinyl will start to peel. Especially if you leave it in the sun. Oh wait... that's right, all you use is the defrost which is where your solid 1/2" piece of MDF is going to be.

Metalwork and fabrication are your friend and since all you can say is MDF, cardboard and I recover in suede, I don't think you'll get it done. You'll have to completely redo the doors to becuase they won't close. Or you'll have to butcher your dash, but what the hell its just a little fiberglass and viola. & it's not about the amount of flex, its about the different rates of flex that will allow it to seperate.

& indoor outdoor carpet? wtf? No way man, tha's a very VERY nice almost anthracite (sp) material.

As for the entire panels themselves..... they represent probably about 30-40 hours of time. Again, proving my point about how little you know about this type of work. RE-COVERING DOOR PANELS IS NOTHING LIKE CUSTOM FIBERGLASS WORK. I really want to see your finished interior. Then I'll show you mine

TitaniumTT

Ah - also - fiberglass gets it's real strength from a chemical bond which is why when you start laying up glass, you can't stop as there is a very specific time that you need to catch in order to maintain a constant chemical reaction and achieve one solid piece. You can't do that when applying it to plastic. THe only thing you can do is scuff it up to give the plastic some teeth than mix a hot batch to melt the plastic a little. The only problem is when you do that you get a lot of deformation and a very brittle layer of glass.

Believe me when I say I know my **** when it comes to glass work.

yusoslo

I'm sure you do.
And I said 3 days of labor on the panels...giving them time to try and have the resin cure properly etc etc.

I am all for the competition. Albiet friendly on my part. I wasnt bashing you, but just saying its a lot simpler for me considering my situation with a track car/standalone/my fabrication skills.

I am not going to make a metal piece like oem to fit the winsheild area....as would no one.

I just dont know what to do about the parking brake situation.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Does a track car need a parking brake?

Problem solved.

MidnightOwl

Those panels look bitchin'

FCKing1995

iTrader: (3)

Engine and suspension mods are one thing. taking a front end or interior from a much newer car is retarded. The lines dont match at all, and overall looks like ****. Curvy modern dash in a boxy 80's sports car.