Custom Dash

What sets your Spider apart from the rest?
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rodman

Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

ll the Vinyl on my dash was brittle and cracked up, so I am experimenting with bondo too see how it will do, it seems to be doing a good job. Now I can paint it same color as the car. I still have few more coats to add and a lot of hand sanding but I think it will turn out nice.

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Untitled by fiatcs2000, on Flickr


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Untitled by fiatcs2000, on Flickr


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Untitled by fiatcs2000, on Flickr
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courtenay
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Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:41 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000
Location: Courtenay, BC, Canada

Re: Custom Dash

Post by courtenay »

It will be very interesting to see the final product as well as seeing how it hold up over time. Hope you will keep us updated.
Bruce Shearer
'80 Spider Fi
'10 Volvo XC70
'06 GMC 1 Ton PU
'72 Spider a long, long time ago
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

courtenay wrote:It will be very interesting to see the final product as well as seeing how it hold up over time. Hope you will keep us updated.

I plan on over laying fiber glass and resin that will give it strength to hold up over time.
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azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: Custom Dash

Post by azruss »

the bondo has no strength and needs a solid backing to stay put. it will crack on you sooner or later and my money is on sooner. If you want to do it right, glue vinyl on your bondo and pull a mold off it. then make a fiberglass part using gelcoat as a surface. it will look and feel just like the vinyl and will give you years of great service. Use a UV stabilized resin and gelcoat.
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

Dash is almost ready to be made into a mold. Just a couple more hours in sanding...

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603031_277367565724094_1175311524_n by fiatcs2000, on Flickr

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184764_277367419057442_361046396_n by fiatcs2000, on Flickr
So Cal Mark

Re: Custom Dash

Post by So Cal Mark »

have you weighed it?
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

So Cal Mark wrote:have you weighed it?

what does weight have to do with anything? I am going to make me a negative mold out that and then cast a dash with the negative mold.... Duratec® Polyester Surfacing Primer is a fiber glass mans best friend. This stuff is wonderful,All in one coat! Duratec Polyester Surfacing Primer provides rapid coat buildup and a smooth surface with high gloss.

Low porosity---provides a super fine leveling and filling system on a variety of substrates with superior release properties.

Adhesion to most epoxies---with heat distortion level of 201°F, 94°C, the primer also adheres to fiberglass, properly prepared metal, wood, MDF, brick, concrete and polyurethane foam.

Rapid coat buildup---to 40 mils, 1000 microns, wet on wet, on composite plugs and master mold surfaces; saves time and labor cost.

Easy sanding---also saves time and labor. The primer cures to a surface that polishes to a high gloss, when required.
So Cal Mark

Re: Custom Dash

Post by So Cal Mark »

I thought you wrote that you were repairing your dash with bondo.
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

So Cal Mark wrote:I thought you wrote that you were repairing your dash with bondo.
I was but I thought why not just make a negative mold from the dash and cast a new one out of fiber glass.
Daniel

Re: Custom Dash

Post by Daniel »

rodman wrote:
So Cal Mark wrote:I thought you wrote that you were repairing your dash with bondo.
I was but I thought why not just make a negative mold from the dash and cast a new one out of fiber glass.

just in case you didn't already know this it's been done before and the guy above you sells them might be close to the
same cost just to buy one. :mrgreen:
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

Daniel wrote:
rodman wrote:
So Cal Mark wrote:I thought you wrote that you were repairing your dash with bondo.
I was but I thought why not just make a negative mold from the dash and cast a new one out of fiber glass.

just in case you didn't already know this it's been done before and the guy above you sells them might be close to the
same cost just to buy one. :mrgreen:

It is not the money its the self pride that comes with building things yourself. I am very good at fabrication my own stuff. The photo below is my trucks The one on the right used too look like the one on the left. It took me 8 months to build it... Total custom from 2 door truck too 4 doors with 53" tires.

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224593_3654258654483_325642088_n by fiatcs2000, on Flickr
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Custom Dash

Post by RRoller123 »

That is a common feeling around these cars. Great sense of satisfaction seeing the result. :mrgreen:
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle
Daniel

Re: Custom Dash

Post by Daniel »

It is not the money its the self pride that comes with building things yourself. I am very good at fabrication my own stuff. The photo below is my trucks The one on the right used too look like the one on the left. It took me 8 months to build it... Total custom from 2 door truck too 4 doors with 53" tires.
I can respect that answer ! and understand the feeling, go for it !
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RRoller123
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Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Custom Dash

Post by RRoller123 »

Disclaimer: I am not associated with these fellows other than being a customer and liking them. I got an email from them stating that they just had a large supply of ~150 exotic burl veneers come in. They would be great on dashboards!

Pete

http://www.veneersupplies.com/
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle
rodman

Re: Custom Dash

Post by rodman »

RRoller123 wrote:Disclaimer: I am not associated with these fellows other than being a customer and liking them. I got an email from them stating that they just had a large supply of ~150 exotic burl veneers come in. They would be great on dashboards!

Pete

http://www.veneersupplies.com/
Yeah they do look good....
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