New dash panel and gauges
 

Greetings,

I usually post in the Baja forum, but since this is about gauges and panels, I'll post here to a wider audience. I'm installing new panels and gauges, and had some questions about what to expect on a couple of situations.

I found a shop locally that can duplicate the two panels I have on my 92' 270 baja. I would like to remove them so the work can be done in a month rather than later in the spring because they aren't very busy and I won't have to worry about turnaround time being a factor in getting the boat in the water if the weather is sweet early on. The boat is in storage but is accessable. My question : How tough will it be to remove the panels? I have tools but will have to bring them with me. What I don't want to happen is to get part way into removing the panels and run into technical stuff that becomes time consuming especially when it will be 20-30 degrees F outside. Am I asking for trouble not waiting or spring to remove them?

The process recommended from the shop will be to bond carbon fiber weave twill to 1/8" aluminum plate. Then CNC machine all the wholes and squares out for the gauges, switches, etc. Suggestions? It looks like the cost will be about $250-400 for the completed 2 panels.

What do you think. Below is a pic of the panels in the boat currently.

http://users.adelphia.net/~wgwarren/...t/IMG_0078.JPG

Thanks for any advice!

Regards,
Bill Warren
Sebago Lake, ME

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

Hi bill I also live in maine and would rather not be outside doing a project like that right now. however it should be real simple. the biggest thing wil be lableing the wires. My sugestion is if there is room remove the gauges one at at time and replace them below the panel. so in the spring you will just have to do it in reverse. all you should need is basic sockets wrenches, wire cutters for tiewraps and screwdrivers. Good luck Brian

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

i have a couple suggestions..... you are likely to find the wiring and connections behind the dash pretty shabby so i would reccommend that you get the ring terminals and tooling you need to do proper crimped, soldered and heat shrunk connections... about 150 of them ... and practice a bit. second i would check w/ ebay or some such to see if someone has a old dash panel you can borrow or buy cheap that is identical to yours. take THAT one to your guy and have him make the panel you need and 2 or 300 bucks is not out of line for a nice NC pc altho im not sure i undersaynd the carbon bit... third, when complete, i would assemble your new panel in your living room with all your new gages in place ready to go... that way it goes in as an assembly...

i suggest all this so that you don't have the dash apart for months while all this is going on... that way you don't lose or forget stuff. with new panel in hand and your tools and your connectors ready you can pull the old one, do the swap in 6 hours having made all new terminations and be back together before the frost bite sets in.

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

I just made this one out of balsa , fiberglass and a little bondo. it took some sanding and some imagination but it was well worth the work

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

wow, nice job:D

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

Very nice job!!!


I have a brand new Faria Tach with the BAJA Logo if you are interested. It has the built in hour meter also.

Kirk

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

Interesting design.... WERE YOU STONED WHEN YOU STARTED SCULPTING?........... :D

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

LOL Reed!

You might want to just go with a straight carbon fiber sheet instead of bonding to the aluminum. Since your panels are flat you should be able to purchase 1/8" carbon fiber sheets and have them CNC those to the correct dimensions. If you bond to aluminum you have issues with oxidation and debonding as a possibility. Premade sheets of carbon fiber are available all over the internet and on e-bay fairly cheap.

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

Also I just noticed from your picture, it looks like the gauges are recessed under the panel, they may not have to be removed to replace the panel. Or are you changing the way they are mounted too?

Re: New dash panel and gauges
 

i was not stoned when i started but i wanted to be once i started sanding all those radius's. what a huge pain in the ass.
I just started working on a race fairing and all the great ideas i originally had were thrownout the damn window once i started thinking about the final sanding...

this is why they invented a CNC wood router.... which i am now looking into purchasing ....