Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

So after looking at dash options, I decided to just "refresh" the one I had. It took about 8 hours total and cost $35 total. I used a white face kit (stickers for your stock faces) and some fake carbon fiber. I repainted the needles and replaced all the bulbs while I had it apart. I think it looks great, thought I would share. The install pic is bad because of the sun angle, but it looks great in person. Now if I can just finish the rest of the truck, I'd be set. :D

http://home.comcast.net/~jimmydean69/old_dash.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~jimmydean69/detail.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~jimmydean69/new_dash.jpg

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

love the look of white face guages on anything. Looks good. The white face guages on my dodge minivan really add to the "sportiness".;)

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Great job!. I just called the local sign shop Saturday to ask about carbon fiber vinyl to do the same exact thing. Now I know what it's going to look like. Perfect timing.:metal: Any problems with the vinyl adhering?

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Not at all. I used alcohol to clean the plastic real well, then used a hair dryer to make sure it stuck to the surface. The stock texture made the carbon a little more real looking.

I am real happy with it, I got the carbon and faces off ebay, the carbon is an Avery label and is very tacky. I can't decide if I want to cover the glove box door to match. It fits the budget build of my truck as well as matching the rat rod/modern mix I am going for.

The real carbon cluster with autometer guages is damn nice, but is nearly what i paid for my truck.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

The glovebox might look pretty cool to match. Did you use soapy water to apply?. I have a few clusters I'm playing with currently.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

That looks great - nice work :cool:

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

No soapy water on the carbon, it's made by Avery that is wicked sticky. I just made sure the surface was clean and dry, then used the heat to set it. The guages called for soap like window tinting does. They were sort of a pain because the hole on the fuel and speed were small and you had to stretch it over the needle without it sticking to the face. The volt guage is a little off, but you can't tell unless you look real hard.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Thanks. I know what you mean with the white decals.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

WOW, that looks great, I may look into that myself, thats for the pics AND the ideas

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Your restored guages look great!

Anyone know where you can find the decals in silver? I saw complete restored clusters on ebay in silver but never the kit like the white ones.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

looks great, awesome job.

jay

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

I was wondering where you got the decals from? Who was it, yours are a little darker green than the ones that I have.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

would it be too much trouble to get a link of where you bought the white faces from? thanks, looks awesome,
david

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Here is where I got my face kit from, WhiteGauges.net

The next step is to upgrade to LED's, but that gets expensive since they are like $25 each for 8.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

that looks awesome! now you need some more carbon fiber to match.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

That turned out really good.


JKR

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

:gi:
i'll watch for that answer

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

You really only need 4 colored LED's. No need to really do the turn signals and hi-beam indicator. I posted pics last month of my white face cluster showing how it's lit up with 4 LED's. I paid like $12 delivered off ebay for all of them. Board member byrd also sells the white decals.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

I clicked on the link provided by jimmydean and called them. The white face kit is $20.00 and colored, including silver is $30.00. Super guy to talk to. Thanks for the link.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Looks great! Looks like you next project is a steering wheel! LOL

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Looking good! :thumbs:

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Funny you should say that. I have one, I just haven't gotten around to borrowing a wheel puller from a friend to take the old one off.

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Nice look.

Thanks for the info. :cool:

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Hey, looks great. Thanx for the pics and ideas. I was just looking for something to do with the gauges. Where'd you get the carbon fiber? im lookin to do the glovebox and maybe a console with it. Oh, sorry to get off topic, but to the guy lookin to borrow a puller...you can make one real easy. I made one out of a used lawnmower blade. Works great.

Rock on:metal:

Re: Cheap dash rebuild (with pics)
 

Did I just see sportiness and minivan in the same sentence? :lol: