New dash design

[John Dol]

After a vicious kayak attack on my daily driver last year I got to drive a Chrysler 200 for a rental car. Not my favorite ride but the dash top seemed to be a fairly close fit for the coupe. After searching the internet for a while I found one at a "nearby" junkyard. In my attempt to make the gauges more visible through the spokes of the wheel, I already did some design work last year but now incorporated more of a whole dash approach.
Pics below will give a rough idea of what I'm thinking.

Overview

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/jdcoupe1969/IMG_4267_zps7ae9b3d7.jpg (http://s956.photobucket.com/user/jdcoupe1969/media/IMG_4267_zps7ae9b3d7.jpg.html)

Speedo, tach and water temp gauge.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/jdcoupe1969/IMG_4268_zpsdef512ed.jpg (http://s956.photobucket.com/user/jdcoupe1969/media/IMG_4268_zpsdef512ed.jpg.html)

Passenger side view

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/jdcoupe1969/IMG_4271_zpse34a219f.jpg (http://s956.photobucket.com/user/jdcoupe1969/media/IMG_4271_zpse34a219f.jpg.html)

Center console with cubby below

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/jdcoupe1969/IMG_4270_zps8f64287e.jpg (http://s956.photobucket.com/user/jdcoupe1969/media/IMG_4270_zps8f64287e.jpg.html)


John

[Tom Mauldin]

I think it looks pretty cool. I like it! The only thing I'm not sure about is the center console height. Did you try taking it all the way up to the level of the dash pad? Or curving the pad down to meet it? Just a thought.

[WIS89]

I like your ideas here. I also second what Tom has said concerning the center console. However, I thought of an alternative. Are you able to reach the top of the center console from a seated position (or will you be able to)? If so, you have a nice spot for a cup holder or holders. If that is too tacky for you I understand, and in which case, I think either bringing the height up as Tom mentioned, or perhaps sloping the dash down to meet it would look nice.

I have always liked the dash and consoles that wrap themselves towards the driver. It just seems natural, and I think your idea does that nicely. Very cool.

Regards,

Steve

[Tom Mauldin]

Steve, I thought cup holder or cell phone tray would work good there as well.

[John Dol]

Guys,

I thought of the same things however the other thing I need is ac/heater vents so I might continue the console up to house those.

Thanks for the feed back!

John

[SoCalMike]

John, The concept is awesome. Agreed that raising it up to the dash pad hight thus providing room for the vents would serve both functionality and looks. Not sure if you have seen the dash QSL and Mrs QSL have in their coupe. May help inspire on some level, maybe not. Just an idea. Can't wait to see the completed dash, it will be sweet either way.

Mike

[Garry Bopp]

John,

I love to see creative ideas like this. Please post lots of pics as you develop this.

I think you might be a bit optimistic on the tachometer, though (0 to 11,000) ...

Garry

[John Dol]

Mike,

I did see the dash for the QSL's coupe. That is more then I can do with metal, but LOVE that dash!
Garry, did I tell you I put a Hayabusa engine in my Coupe! LOL I wanted to have some markers on there for visual appeal. Guess I just kept going until I ran out of room, and never thought about it but you are right.

John

[Rodster]

John -
I like it. And - funny enough - I was watching the old movie "Grand Prix," and started to take mental notes on those old-style racing dashes. My thoughts are very similar to yours, but I have not mocked anything up yet.

I am thinking of keeping the triangular-shaped "switch box" below the dash, and just angling the gauge pod towards the driver - Not sure about the angle, but maybe very slightly tilted for the driver to see - maybe 15 degrees or something.

For the steering wheel area - I might have the tach at the one o'clock position, and the speedo at 11 o'clock, but with the 2 gauges very close together.

If there's room, I would have the oil pressure at 7 or 8 o'clock and water temp at would go at 4 or 5 o'clock. The other gauges - fuel, volts oil press - would go into the cluster to the right.

But - the small bar across the dash area is killing that idea. I would have to cut some of that out and re-build the frame to accommodate the back of the gauges.

I think you did some cutting and welding in that area, right?

I will post pictures of this idea later.

-wayne-

[John Dol]

Wayne,

Yes I did cut the bar across the dash to be able to raise the gauges.
There is not a lot of room to view gauges through the wheel but I hear what you are saying . It might be a little crammed in order to still see all of them, but try it.

John