Dash- cut ends of not?

[Mastertech5]

I have been debating this in my mind for a while now. The manual doesn't mention having to fit the dash like other panels. It fits well other than the ends. The body is recessed there but the dash panel goes all the way to the door opening area. The first picture in the manual with the padded dash it appears to be cut to fit into the recess. The second picture showing a different layout with silver paint, it appears to go all the way to the door opening area. What have others done? Opinions please. If I cut the ends to fit the end recesses of seems like the dash panel may not sit flat into the recess.

[DanQ]

To match my engine turned firewall, I made my own dash (using the fiberglass F5 panel as a template) from 14 ga. aluminum. Mine fits into the recess at the ends. After looking at the completed dash, I realized the doors have a wedge that appears to be a continuation of the dash line going down the inside of the door to a point, so I made two more aluminum panels for the doors, engine turned them, and will somehow install them on the doors to give me a "wrap around" dash.

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[RoadRacer]

Yes, I have a gen2 body, and I trimmed the ends and actually all the way around to a lesser extent. It fitted perfectly flat in the recess with very little work (in my instance anyway).

[DanQ]

How did everyone secure their dash to the fiberglass cowl? I used sixteen 1/4"-20 rivnuts with back up washers, plus epoxy into the dash mounting lip, then secured the aluminum dash panel using stainless 1/4" button head allen head bolts. This will make accessing behind the dash real easy. I like the old school look of exposed fasteners.

[DanQ]

Yes, it does require quite a bit of trimming of the dash panel to fit into the recessed area.

[RoadRacer]

How did everyone secure their dash to the fiberglass cowl? I used sixteen 1/4"-20 rivnuts with back up washers, plus epoxy into the dash mounting lip, then secured the aluminum dash panel using stainless 1/4" button head allen head bolts. This will make accessing behind the dash real easy. I like the old school look of exposed fasteners.

LOL. Clecos. I'm behind there a lot :D

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[Mastertech5]

I was leaning towards trimming the ends, so I will, now that this seems to be the general consensus. I was planning on wrapping the dash with VVivid carbon fiber gloss interior wrap. Still up in the air on that.