Sourmug's Decklid Vent Build ** 56K Warning!!** (Page 28/69)
Sourmug JUL 24, 01:31 AM
Thanks Jonathan:

I was hoping that you could lend me some insight on how you made the infill piece that sits against the windshield on your dash swap. How did you form it and how did you attach it once it was made?

Thanks
Nolan
Sourmug JUL 28, 10:11 PM
Just a bump. I have been working on the fill pieces at the "A" pillars. I will have some progress to report in the near future,

Nolan
Sourmug JUL 28, 11:10 PM
OK, they are not done yet but some progress has been made.

IIRC, the Firebird dash guys used masking tape to make the form on the dash filler piece that they need. So based on that I decided to do basically the same thing. In order to do this though I needed something to attach the tape to along the "A" pillar and the windshield. On the pillar I cut a piece of plastic angle to length and attached it using double sided tape:

I then cut a piece of sheet styrene plastic for the edge along the windshield:

And then inserted it against the windshield and taped it to the plastic angle:

I then taped the crap out of everything!


You will likely find that the tape wont want to adhere well to you dash and trim pieces. I used a degreaser, the same one shown previously that I use prior to painting, to remove the goop that has been applied to the interior over the years. Worked great and the tape stuck! I had a real problem getting the tape along the windshield as my hands are simply too big. I soon realized that I could only get so far with the dash in the car and that it would have to be extended afterward.

Once both sides were taped up I applied the first layer of mat:


As you can see, it is tough to get the fiberglass and resin into the corners. I ended up with resin all over the windshield but it can be easily removed later.

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-28-2007).]

Sourmug JUL 28, 11:12 PM
OOPS! Double post

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 07-28-2006).]

Sourmug JUL 28, 11:14 PM
WTH, triple post DOH!

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 07-28-2006).]

Sourmug JUL 28, 11:24 PM
[booktextOnce these had set I pulled them free and removed all the tape that was still stuck to the pieces. I also removed the dash and re-taped the corners and reattached the styrene plastic to use as a form. I then started to apply more mat and resin to build the pieces up and extend them along the front edge of the dash:


These will remain as two separate pieces as the center of the leading edge of the Stealth dash actually makes contact with the glass
After these were built up a little more they trimmed and shaped to fit:




I also made a cardboard template of the front edge of the Fiero dash and used this to set the curve of the fiberglass pieces.

There is still lots of work yet on finishing these. There is a small gap on the driver side that you can see in the pictures which needs to be filled. I'm not sure how I will attach them. I know the leading edge will sit in the "groove" between the glass and the glass frame. I will need to devise some method of attaching the rear projections.
[/booktext]
Anyone have any suggestions??

Thanks
Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-28-2007).]

Toaster_Man JUL 28, 11:34 PM
Is it just me, or Is there an echo in here?

I guess I better substantiate this post. Do you think the fillers would be easier to make if you had a test mule with no windshield in it, or would that effect how accurate the fillers were in the corner and along the windshield? Also, do you plan on upholstering them seperatly, or blending them into the dash somehow so it looks like one piece? The corners are the part that concerns me most about when I get to do this swap.
Sourmug JUL 29, 12:57 AM
Oh, it would definitely be easier with a windowless test mule. They could be made to match almost perfectly. I don't think that they can be finished in a manner that makes them completely blend in so I'm not yet sure how they will be finished. I may do something to make them more of a feature rather than trying to hide them if you know what I mean.

Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 07-29-2006).]

Blacktree JUL 29, 01:06 AM
So I'm guessing you don't want to reupholster the dash. I can't say I blame you.

Just out of curiosity, what is the dashboard made of? And how thick is the dashboard material (the structure, not the upholstery) near the edge? I might have an idea...
Fiero1Fan JUL 29, 01:07 AM
Fantastic work there Nolan!! I beg you to make molds of the corner pieces for future use!!!!!!!!!