Custom Dash Mod - Picture Heavy!!

[madmodz]

Got a tad bored, and thought id have a go at fitting a 7" screen into my clio's dash.... its a bit of a guide incase anyone is interested in having a go... be warned, its not easy, but i think its worth the work (3days)..

I had done this once before in a blue 1.2 clio i used to own, which is now somewhere around nottingham, and decided to try it again, but obviously with it being the second attempt, it was a lot better...

Anyhows, I started with this....

Standard Mk2 Ph2 Dash...
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/634/28012010323.jpg
Ive removed the plastic part as you can see in the pic...

I then went on to fit in my headrest frame, which comes with my 7" screen. It was fitted into place, and supported at the rear with braces made from a wooden strip from trusty B&Q. Once this was solid, i removed the big curved part on the top of the plastic, as i wanted the top to be as flat as possible, as if it wasnt it would look pretty cr*p.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5775/28012010325.jpg

I then stretched some old dust sheet over, it all, and glued it into place where the small tray usually is. I then applied a layer of resin over, waited till it was dry, and then layered a layer of fibreglass matting over the top. Once this was dry, i removed the middle part out of the dash. The reason for doing this (learned from the time before) was that if you dont have the plastic moulded into the correct shape before removing from the middle of the dash, it will get mis-shapen with the fibreglass, and never sit's correct when it comes to refitting.
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5266/28012010328.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6939/28012010331.jpg
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6871/28012010334.jpg
I was then left with this...
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5817/29012010342.jpg

Once again, i stretched a second layer of dust sheet over tightly, made sure it all fitted, and was flat, and again covered in resin, then matting, then left to dry.
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6788/29012010345.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4329/30012010347.jpg

Then i sanded with some 80 grit, and covered the matting with some black paint... At this stage it could have had some P38 over the top, smoothed off and sprayed, or covered in some suede or other material... i opted for carbon fibre, only because im starting to wrap things in it, and thought this would look pretty cool...
The reason for the black is incase there are any gaps when laying the carbon fibre, If there are, they are not noticable due to the base being black.
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/3946/30012010353.jpg

Once the paint had dried, i applied some resin, and layed genuine carbon fibre over the top (2x2 twill to match my bonnet)... While that was drying i was sorting out some dash strips....
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8948/30012010357.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7406/30012010362.jpg

A few coats of resin later (sanding between coats) the pod was ready for some clear coat...
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/238/31012010374.jpg

It was then cut with rubbing compound, and given 3-4 coats of super resin polish, and fitted back into the dashboard..
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9049/01022010385.jpg

With the dash done, it was time to attack the car.... firstly behind the dash looks like this...
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4743/01022010382.jpg

The heater vents were removed with a good smash with the hammer, after spending ten mins being carefull and not getting anywhere!. After cleaning up, i made a solid wooden block which fitted into the vent part, and then was glued solidly in place... The reason for this, is removing the vents, leaves the heater open behind the screen.. now its sealed forcing the air out of the side vents a lot faster, and obviously it doesnt effect any of the other heater settings..
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9929/01022010384.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7389/01022010383.jpg

Now the dash was fitted back in... turned on and working sweet... i know the switch pannel hasnt been fitted, or the a-pillars... but this is down to these being in the process of being wrapped to match...
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7066/01022010389.jpg

 

[madmodz]

Ignore the 77K+ mileage, its a DCI lol and very well looked after....
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8077/dscf0072y.jpg
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2138/dscf0078h.jpg

 

[Riad]

Nice work mate!

 

[MK3]

Looks smart, a mate of mine recently did something similar in his astra. Car's looking good aswell, but standard bonnet would look better imo.

 

[madmodz]

Looks smart, a mate of mine recently did something similar in his astra. Car's looking good aswell, but standard bonnet would look better imo.

Thanks, the standard bonnet is fubar.. loads of rust due to a bonnet bra holding water over the last few years... This is on temp really until i can find a standard shape one in carbon, or a colour match in the same black.

 

[madmodz]

Nice work mate!

Thank you

 

[StevieG-09]

Thats really good mate!

Wouldnt mind that in mine tbh!

 

[iimushroomzii]

Thats great mate! You've got skillz

 

[Hazza]

That's awesome! Great work!!

But no centre heaters

 

[Leeshez]

What a stunning machine you have there .

 

[DB.]

Ace job! Very jelous!

 

[Robclio98]

Awesome job there! i like the carbon Wrap too!

 

[madmodz]

Thanks all for the good comments, i dont mind not having the middle vents, as with a dci, the heaters are pretty poo standard. The heat comes out of the side ones twice as fast anyhow..

 

[domjolly]

wow just wow...wish i could do something like this just dont have the time!!! you should start up a service lol

 

[IGotAClio]

Pretty damn impressive work!!!

Anymore pictures of the unit fitted?

 

[Beef-Mc]

Good work there.

 

[dajones]

Thats really good mate!

Wouldnt mind that in mine tbh!

give it a go

OP whats the jist of laying carbon on the dash strips? rub down, lay sheet of CF and laquer?
is it possible for you to do a short write up on that for me? and where do you get your CF from?

 

[richy22]

I did similar on mine when I had a PC in the car.

I didn't get rid of the vents though and put it in place of the hazard switch. There was less cutting to do!

Ignore the screws they were only temporary!!

And this is all that had to be removed for it to go there

 

[BIFCAIDS]

only thing id change on your car is the bonnet to a flat carbon one, oh n maybe paint the rear drum mad black

 

[Rocky_24]

nice work, love it

 

[Paul.M]

Brilliant work there
looks good quality craftsmanship

 

[Clio-Ell]

Thats really smart that. Could you of not just removed the clock and kept the vents?

 

[madmodz]

Thats really smart that. Could you of not just removed the clock and kept the vents?

Could have, but didnt want to have the monitor stuck up really high, as its in the perfect position for me where it is.

 

[madmodz]

give it a go

OP whats the jist of laying carbon on the dash strips? rub down, lay sheet of CF and laquer?
is it possible for you to do a short write up on that for me? and where do you get your CF from?

Well as im not allowed to host pics due to 172Ben informing me its slowing the thread down i will have to give you a written explanation rather than an easier piccy guide.

Get your strips, sand down with some nice 80-100 grit. Lay some resin onto the strips and leave to go to a tack, where you can touch it and nothing comes off onto your fingers. You then lay on the carbon fibre onto the strip, and push into place. Once this is done, tape the edges back behind the strip and leave to cure. Once cured, mix up another batch of resin, and apply a coat to the top of the fibre, making sure that all the gaps are full of resin, again leave to dry. When fully cured, smooth with some wet and dry (around 400) just taking off the imperfections off the resin, and get a more uniform coat. At this point, where the carbon meets the edges of the plastic strip, remove the carbon with a detail sander and 100 grit, upto the very edge of the strip. Clean with a mix of water and washing up liquid, leave to dry. Then apply the second coat of resin, and repeat the last step of smoothing down. With my resin i was using, i was throwing it on thick, and only needed 2 coats, but you can do thinner coats, which you would apply around 4 resin coats. Just use common sence as you want the last coat to be around 1mm-2mm higher than the carbon. Smooth back with some 600-800 wet and dry untill all imperfections are removed, clean with water and washing up liquid and leave to dry. Then when dry, apply several coats of clear coat spray, smoothing between coats, cut back and polish...