The Scott Travels: Its a race to the Dash

ScottDate: December 2013

With most of the engine area work completed, I have started to assemble the Dash as I want to have at least some of the gauges hooked up when I start the engine for the first time (looks like it will be March 2014). The kit comes with an Al dash with cut-outs already there to install the gauges. One of the kits they also provide uses the donor instrument cluster, cut it up, and install the gauges in appropriate positions on the Al dash. Dad had already started this process and I can not undo his work, so I decided to purchase some sheet Al on my own and fabricate my own dash using aftermarket gauges.

I decided to go with New Vintage 69 gauges as I really liked the look of them (ironically they are modern versions of the gauges in my 69 mustang, hows that for subliminal thinking). Mom agreed and she liked them too. A plus, these are smart gauges and I can program them how I want to provide feedback and such, so that is way cool too.

Dash: I first started with a cardboard template (of course) as I was not quite sure how I wanted to layout the gauges. I looked online at hundreds of dashes that others had fabricated and I wanted my to be unique, plus functional. I decided to layout the tachometer as the main focus inside the steering wheel and the speedometer as the lower end (which may be partially blocked by the horizontal spoke of the steering wheel). My intention was to mount the smaller gauges as an arc just outside the steering wheel which would be visible from the driver's point of view, hence you can see the blue arc line.

This was close, but I had one extra gauge to put somewhere and I could not find a visually pleasing way to put it in there. I decided to move the gauges over a little and place the bottom two vertically the same and the other two equally spaced above. Thus three of them "look" like the are on an arc, but they are only close. I placed the four toggle switches such that they are centered on the entire dash. They will control: fan, high bean headlights, hazard lights, and wiper blades. I put the ignition key at the same level and headlight switch directly above the ignition switch. The next step was transfer the design from cardboard to Al sheet metal and cut it all out.

I really wanted a glove box as well. I mean, you gotta be able to store somethings in a roadster with some level of security. I didn't want to spend $300 on one that you insert, so I decided to fabricate one myself. Yes, it took a lot of time, no, it may not look as nice as a "store bought one," but you know what, it looks pretty darn good for an amateur fabricator.

I went through many iterations of designs and placements of the glove box. I looked online for designs, sketches, etc. I decided to use one that used radius from some of my pot lids and rolls of tape, plus a bit of freehand drawing.

Cutting out the opening was easy and nerve wracking. I was surprised how easy it was using a jigsaw.

I wanted the inside of the glove box to be one smooth continuous surface, so I built a fixture and slowly bent the sheet metal strip until it matched the contour of the opening. This was pretty fun and interesting.