Dash Placement

[karlos]

I know this is a dead horse, but I'd like to make it a little deader :D

Getting ready to mount the dash on my MK4. I'll be using angle brackets to mount it to the dash hoop, so the dash will be removable and I plan to make it adjustable as well (about +/- 1/4" in the vertical direction). Nonetheless, I'd like to get it close now so there's minimal futzing around with it when I get the body on. The pictures below show where I think it needs to go. Note that the angle of the bottom of the dash matches (or is level with) the angle of the 2" X 2" chassis tube underneath it.

View from the engine compartment shows it's about flush on the passenger side and about 5/16" high on the driver's side. This seems consistent with what I've seen documented out there. However, the view from the passenger compartment shows that the passenger side of the dash is really low, nearly to the bottom of the 3/4" tube. Midway between the two ends the top of the dash is about 3/8" below the dash hoop.

Look about right to you guys? Don't want to do anything permanent until I can confirm this is in the ballpark.

Thanks.


View from right front
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56900&d=1469824089

View from left front
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56897&d=1469824087

View from right rear
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56901&d=1469824089

View from left rear
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56898&d=1469824088

Overall view
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56899&d=1469824088

[j.miller]

You want to see 3/16-1/4 in of the hoop behind the dash.....looks like you're already there. Driver side, hand roll the end of the dash and let it float in the gap next to the W/S mount. Pass side, cut 2.5in off the end and hand roll (because of the bulk head). The reason you don't want to attach the ends is that once the body is on you want to be able to tuck them back because the MK4's love to sit on those rolled corners if they're not tight enough....da Bat

[Bobby Doug]

Since my dash is installed and covered any suggestions as to fixing as Jeff M suggested? I am probably not the only one in this situation.

[edwardb]

That dash placement looks fine. Very similar to what I've done a couple times. X2 (or whatever) on the ends. If they're not curved enough, they will interfere with the body. For my current build, even though I trimmed off the ends of my dash before covering, I didn't trim enough. That along with a too gentle curve and my dash ends interfered with the body when I started fitting it a week or so ago. This didn't happen on #7750, so clearly I did something different. Who knows. Anyway, the curve needs to fit behind the steps molded into the body for the door. Like this:

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Body/IMG_0467_zpsq94zozj7.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Body/IMG_0467_zpsq94zozj7.jpg.html)

As stated, the DS is open so if you don't trim enough, it just floats back into the opening. But the PS has that little additional firewall piece and is closed. So getting the length right is important. I had to peel back my covering, cut another 3/4-inch or so off, and then re-wrap the end. It turned out fine. You can't see it was ever reworked. Plus it's pretty much hidden under there anyway.

[karlos]

Thanks much, all. Off to do the final mounting...