Building a Custom GMC Dash Bezel from the ground up :).

[siggyfreud]

Hey all,

Thoughts I'd document my quest to build a custom GMC dash bezel. Looks like a few companies out there make aftermarket plates where you can get the gauge configuration to your liking, but it seems like all of them require that you have an original bezel to hack up and use for the trim piece.

My goal is to create something that could be used standalone, without having to hack up an original piece.

I'll either be printing it, or milling it from plastic block. For my truck, I'll be routing some carbon fiber as the background to give it a little pop.

Here is what I've done so far:

1. A forum member was kind enough to send me an original piece I could measure. I took measurements, but also scanned the piece on a regular scanner, and then drew out the outside path in Illustrator:



2. Next I imported the outline into sketchup, and starting building the model around the outline. I used a digital micrometer to get as close to the original specs as I can. That said, there are some tapers here and there I didn't include, hoping they won't be critical to the end-fit. If they are, I'll modify and print again.



3. With the outline to scale, I started thinking about gauge placement. I also wanted to include a New Vintage indicator set, so I made a space for that:



4. From there I added spaces for my other 4 gauges, colored the plastic areas black, and the carbon fiber with a carbon pattern:



5. Then I cut and paste my gauge faces for a final mockup.




Next steps:

My machine should arrive 1 week from today. It'll take me awhile to set it up and learn the ins and outs, but hopefully in the next month or two at the latest I can begin printing prototypes to test-fit.

I intend to update this thread as I make progress .

Cheers all!

[The Rocknrod]

That is going to look great.
I am thinking about doing that in Engine Turned Stainless unless I find a manufacturer who makes it already.
Keep up the posts.

[siggyfreud]

Thanks! Engine turned stainless would look awesome! Once I get a working/fitting 3d model I could send you the file if you can find someone who would mill it from steel.

[Captainfab]

That looks good

Is that the free version of Sketchup? I have never tried 3d CAD yet.

[siggyfreud]

Yeah I'm just using the free version right now. May upgrade if it hits some limitations but so far so good. I find it pretty easy to work with once you have the basics down. Should dive in cap.
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[sanford66]

That looks great, wish I had half the talent most of you guys do. Joseph

[siggyfreud]

Thanks sanford! I'll likely add some accent details to it soon and update the thread.

There are some truly talented people on this forum. Perhaps if I can actually build this, rather than just build it on a computer, I'll be able to call myself one of them .

[markeb01]

I really like what you’re doing, and the lower section built in below the gauges if you can actually pull that off. I did several flat panels in the beginning years ago, changing them to improve functionality as I moved forward.

Here’s what I started with, the ugly original gauge plate:



And this was my first change. It looked nice, but I couldn't see half of the gauges:



Followed next by this layout. Unfortunately, the panel was also ugly so it was changed again:





Here we go again with a different layout:





Ultimately I added a sculptured panel on top of the flat panel to more closely simulate the original panel. I added speed nuts to the rim in order to remove and install the panel without chipping the original paint on the dashboard.








I’m not suggesting any of these ideas should be considered, just showing the stages I went through in finally arriving at a plan that worked in my installation.

[siggyfreud]

Love seeing the iterations of your panels Mark! Question: What did you use for the outer part of the bezel? Was it the plastic from the original?

I shouldn't have any problem including the lower area built in below the gauges. I ordered the actual indicator/light set today so I can get exact measurements for it. Whether I print or mill I should be able to include that area.

Do you think I'll have any visibility issues with my layout? Perhaps hard to know without having it in front of a steering wheel lol. Maybe I'll do some dry runs in cardboard to ensure I'm not building something I'll immediately want to change.

[markeb01]

I don't think you'll have any visibility issues with your gauges or your stuff at the bottom. It will be even easier if you have a tilt column, but I eliminated mine as it just wasn't really needed any longer.

I never had a plastic original bezel to work with. Mine was always metal, and as a result it always chipped the paint from the dash when being removed. That's why I cut the rim off mine and screwed it to the dash opening. This way, I could add and remove the face plate without scraping anything up.

[siggyfreud]

Gotcha!

Where did you get a metal trim piece? Were some originally metal?

Depending on the fit of the one-piece solution maybe I'll consider doing what you did, and make the outer rim as a separate piece with tabs to screw the face plate into.

[markeb01]

The metal rim/baseplate was stock on the 1960-61 at least. I'm not sure when they switched to plastic. I just trimmed the center out of mine, added slip-on sheet metal nuts around the edges, and screwed the face plate to it. I would imagine the same approach would work with the plastic item as well, if there is enough thickness to hold sheet metal screws around the edges.

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by markeb01

The metal rim/baseplate was stock on the 1960-61 at least. I'm not sure when they switched to plastic. I just trimmed the center out of mine, added slip-on sheet metal nuts around the edges, and screwed the face plate to it. I would imagine the same approach would work with the plastic item as well, if there is enough thickness to hold sheet metal screws around the edges.

Yeah I think it would, and would certainly be easier to make custom plates. I'm not sure how available original units are, which is why I'm trying to make a nice one-piece replacement unit.

[aerotruk63]

1965 GMC Option booklet.


1964 GMC Option Booklet.



1960

[OldGMJon]

I think you will probably have your steering wheel in "line-of-sight" directly over your four smaller gauges...
You will probably have to reverse their positions like Mark did in his 2nd version to make it work absent a tilt column.

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Hey all,

I added spaces for my other 4 gauges, colored the plastic areas black, and the carbon fiber with a carbon pattern:[/B]



Then I cut and paste my gauge faces for a final mockup.[/B]



Cheers all!

[siggyfreud]

Just a small update

CNC Router has been built and I am currently dialing it in. Cut a few pieces of pine last night, and tomorrow am picking up some foam I can quickly zip through to prototype fitment of the gauge piece. I'll send photos once it's cut out, and of how it fits into the dash opening.

[aerotruk63]

Just like the Heinz commercial " Anticipation"

[Free Candy Inside]

I have that metal cluster piece and don't need if you want it. I know you said you took measurements but if you need to own one let me know.

[siggyfreud]

A kind member sent me a plastic one they had available, so I was able to get all the measurements I need off that. Next steps are to let the machine build one in foam and test fit. Then I can trim the foam manually where needed, re-mic it, update the design, and carve out another.

Once the dimensions are solid I'll add some more design details, rebuild in foam, and verify my toolpaths look good on the machine. Then I'll throw in a big hunk of plastic and carve it out as one piece. From there I can iterate on whether or not making it a two piece is beneficial, as some people have mentioned that the trim ring scrapes paint taking it in and out, so if the trim could stay in place while the backing separates that might be handy.

Two pieces might be better if I was going to make these for others, as then it would be easier to select backing material (wood, carbon fiber, aluminum, plastic). My fear is that the ring in plastic might be too frail to stand alone, but we'll see.

[siggyfreud]

A night of great progress

Didn't get started until around 8pm or so tonight, but made some great progress on this project. I picked up some 1" insulation foam at the hardware store to do a test run of the design. Worked great. After it was cut I compared it to the original. Very close in size, but not there yet.

I made a rookie mistake. When I drew the profile line of the design, I think moved OUTWARD from that line for the trim ring, rather than inward. As such, my design is too big by exactly the size of the trim ring. I need to swap the trim ring to be on the inside, and it should be nearly an exact fit.

I also didn't mill the inside as deep as the final design to save on cutting time, since I'm primarily concerned with outside size fit at the moment. Will try again in the new few days and then test fit. I also used a 1/4" bit for the entire thing, so some of the rings couldn't be fully cut due to the distance being less than 1/4" between pieces inside. But for now, some eye candy:

[aerotruk63]

Eye Candy is right, nice start.

[aggie91]

I love seeing things like this that guys are doing at home. I wish I never had to get rid of my CNC Plasma table...someday I will get another smaller one for my shop...

Can't wait to see more progress!

[siggyfreud]

Thanks guys. Will try and resize and carve another one tonight. If I can do it early enough I'll test fit on the truck too.
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[siggyfreud]

Fitting better

So I had a bit of time to work on the project tonight. I scaled down the design a bit and routed just the outside pattern to see if I got the fit. I think it's right where it needs to be. BUT, as I mentioned before it does not have the taper of the original cluster, and I haven't test fit yet to know if it needs it. If it does it will mean I need to do some redesign and mill both sides, which means the mill time will go up by 50-60% and become more complex.

Perhaps someone out there knows . . . is the taper on the original dash cluster needed? Meaning, does the opening in the metal dash a taper fit? My memory is saying it might be, but my truck isn't in the garage and it's been awhile since I've been in the cab.

In any case, here is how the cutout aligns with the factory cluster housing:

[RKS0069]

I don't believe it needs the taper all the way around only in the area where it mounts. I have my truck in the yard with dash out so I'll check it out and drop some pictures in the morning. Are you going to be willing to make these for other members with the GMC cluster? If so would you be willing to try eight gauges?