DIY Carbon Dash

[Brightonuk]

As I have sprung for the NRG wheel buttons all the switches on my dash are not needed (5 were never connected anyway as I have a Superlight)

 

I would love to be able to afforded a new Carbon dash and reconfigure it without the switches but as I am now on a strict budget I was wondering how difficult it would be to make one out of CF using the original as a template

Anyone attempted this?

 

And if it is an option how the hell do you get the original one off in one piece.

[escondidoron]

Besides a serious Lotus addiction issue it turns out that it's really more serious as the diagnosis of my condition has been confirmed that I actually suffer from a severe case of Geelyitis; I own 4 Lotus and 2 Volvos. That said, while working on my one-owner '73 145 I have found a wealth of helpful information on the TurboBricks.com Volvo forum. One of the long term posters over there is going through a Volvo Amazon and has a very serious case of scope creep in his maintenance and restoration blog documentation. He has posted extensively WRT his home fabrication of CF parts for the car. He's just doing minor stuff like pretty much all of the bolt on panels like the hood and trunk lid as well as parts like door skins and parts like the intake manifold and air cleaner. Here is a link to the forum that documents the build, Volvo 122S Build Thread: Scope-creep the Sequel

 

If you don't care to follow his progress or peer that deeply into his obsessive compulsive activities you can go direct to the builder's youtube channel, Throttle Stop Garage

 

With something like 73 videos there is lots of good information on mold and pattern making as well as tips and tricks regarding general composite fabrication technique.

 

I hope that this helps.

[Brightonuk]

Thanks gonna check it out

[JeffersonRaley]

I think in a Seven you could get away with just cutting a completely flat piece of carbon. My carbon dash is totally flat except for the lower edge where it bends around the metal frame tubing.

[Brightonuk]

Yes that's my thinking it is the under dash bend that is the only real concern

[CarlB]

I was thinking about making my own carbon dash. I didn't want the lay out Caterham supplies. I recently found this company Ultimatecarbon.co.uk . I was a little confused when they suggested having the dash lacquered, but they are talking about regular automotive clear coat. I am very pleased with the quality. It is a vacuum bagged part and very high quality. The first picture is the dash I made from aluminum and I am not particularly pleased with. The second is the ultimate carbon dash on top of the alu dash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[panamericano]

How do you make the various holes?  

[JeffersonRaley]

Nice.  I did something kind of similar, but bought the carbon dash from Tom.  I only cut the one hole for my digital dash (with a Dremel).  

[CarlB]

Carbon can be sanded or cut with the same tools as steel. To cut carbon I typically use a cut off wheel. For drilling I use a carbide bit. The kind that looks like sandy bumps.  

[Anker]

When you cut carbon it is essential that you wear a filter that ensures you don't breathe fine carbon shards. They don't dissolve in you lungs, but wander through your body, possibly doing serious damage to your tissues. Also, you should do it in a space where there is lots of air exchange so you can be confident that when you remove the filter there are no shards floating in the air. Finally, wear gloves, because you may inadvertently push shards that settle on your hands into your skin. I still have shards that work their way out of my skin several years after I stopped working on carbon fiber!