Race car dash fabrication

[devo]

Hey guys. Anybody have experience with fabricating dashes for race cars? I'll be building a simple one in my friends drag racing truck. I'm looking for a few suggestions, tips, and tricks, if anybody has any.

I was thinking about making a frame out of steel, and cladding it with 0.063 aluminum, 3003 or 5052. Maybe fasten the panels that need to be removable (or all of them) with Dzus fasteners?

Just in the planning phase right now. Once I get started, I'll throw up some pics...

Thanks!

 

[cyamaha2007]

Dont over build it.Or you will end up with a heavy piece of scrap. I always over build things then realize there was no need for that extra 10lb brace,

 

[ironheadtom]

Fun and easy project. There's a holesaw made for every size gauge you could imagine. The only mistake I've ever seen people make is putting more toggles in than they need...in case "they need extras later". Whatever you decide you need at first will probably never change and it's just confusing if you have more than that. If you're doing your own wiring, I always recommend a terminal strip mounted somewhere that's easily accesible. What type of racing?

 

[rsanter]

063 is thicker than needed
make it from thinner material and just add another layer of material where you are going to mount the guages.
many full on drag cars only have a small dash section to hold the guages and nothing on the pass side

bob

 

[devo]

Thanks guys.

Thinking about just doing a center console type, rather than a dash across the base of the windshield.

Tom, it's a diesel, 4x4. Going to be drag raced in the street class I suppose. I'm just the fabricator.

Bob, I thought 063 would be good for general durability since this thing may be street driven sometimes. What have you used, 040, 032? I didn't think about doubling up where the gauges mount, interesting idea.

I have to wire the thing too, so I'll be adding a terminal strip / fuse block somewhere in this dash or console.

 

[iamironman]

Just a thought about the alloys. If you plan on bending/braking (not breaking) it you'd probably want to stick with 3003, it will bend easier and is less likely to crack when bent.

 

[bobadame]

I've used lexan sheet.

 

[devo]

Thanks Ironman, that's what I was thinking. A couple of the panels will probably see the brake.

 

[eborcim]

We always made them from sheet (0.054" I think) aluminum for stock cars. It's a simple 3-piece design bent once where it folds over the dash bar, then usually folded over at the bottom for stiffness. Two wings and a center piece allow easy installment. Also a little panel cut out to access electrics and m/c. You can hinge that panel or just make a slip in with flipover latches either way. Never had to stiffen the guage holes just cut them with a hole saw and go. Pop rivets hold it all together.

 

[kbs2244]

At the ETs there getting now, do the drag guys even have time to look at guages?
Let alone react to what they are telling them?

 

[Kevin54]

Just a thought about the alloys. If you plan on bending/braking (not breaking) it you'd probably want to stick with 3003, it will bend easier and is less likely to crack when bent.

3003 is dead soft material. You could use 6061-0 as it will be soft but a little tougher than 3003 for roll forming it by hand. Using a sheetmetal brake you can go with harder material, as in 6061-T4 or T6, 5052-H32 or H34 or a 2024-T3 . And for a thickness, I think you would find that .050 would suffice.

 

[NUTTSGT]

At the ETs there getting now, do the drag guys even have time to look at guages?
Let alone react to what they are telling them?

Usually not, just a look at the guages before the pass and afterwards to check the temps. Most guys will have red light for low oil pressure and a shift light. They rely on the tachs memory or a computer/data recorder to record the rest.

 

[econoaddict]

Tom, it's a diesel, 4x4. Going to be drag raced in the street class I suppose. I'm just the fabricator.

Bob, I thought 063 would be good for general durability since this thing may be street driven sometimes.

Just a thought, might check local/state laws and regulations about what you have to have for street operation.

I got nailed for not having an operating speedometer/odometer in my street strip car.

Wipers are another must have here.

 

[Brookesy]

This is the centre console in my car, I made the pods where my extra guages will sit & then its been flocked.

 

[eborcim]

I got nailed for not having an operating speedometer/odometer in my street strip car.

How was it determined not operating? Failed at inspection with same mileage as before?

 

[chevelle67]

Haha, I guess I wasnt the only one that thought I was clever and they wouldnt notice that the mileage hasnt changed between inspections.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I didn't really think about it but here's mine. Stock '86 Mustang dash with Autometer gauges.

 

[crewchief888]

Hey guys. Anybody have experience with fabricating dashes for race cars? I'll be building a simple one in my friends drag racing truck. I'm looking for a few suggestions, tips, and tricks, if anybody has any.

I was thinking about making a frame out of steel, and cladding it with 0.063 aluminum, 3003 or 5052. Maybe fasten the panels that need to be removable (or all of them) with Dzus fasteners?

Just in the planning phase right now. Once I get started, I'll throw up some pics...

Thanks!

in my off road truck, i removed the center/right side dash and built a steel frame of 3/4" wide angle, mounted new guages in the center, with prolites for oil press, & eng temp along the side. guages are mounted to sheet metal, the rest of the "dash" is covered in plexiglass, held on with self drilling screws for easier access to the acc. fuse block, fan relays and coil. CB radio, and tach are mounted to the cage dash bar
in our CORR race truck, we had a hinged steel box (industrial 1st aid kit)on the pass. floor that held both ign systems, coils and a 100amp breaker. guages were mounted on a small frame that was welded to the dash bar, switches for fans, ect were in a console that we robbed from a cat loader. there was a small compartment in the console that was big enough to stash the 2way radio in.

 

[E.rodz]

sometimes things are just cheeper and quicker to buy them done already.sometimes there not depending on what gauges that you are trying to house there are tons of street rod pannels that have single gauge to 6 gauge pannels that are pretty cheep but if you want to build your own go for it. here is a quick pict. of a dash that I built in a machine shop class when I was a apprentice used 063 alum. and used some fiber optic fibers for signals and used alum conduit for visors.good luck with your indevors.

 

[tdoty]

3003 is dead soft material.

Umm, I think not. 3003-H0 would be dead soft and 1100-H0 is dead soft "pure" aluminum. You'll pay out the nose for 6061-H0 (again, dead soft). The H numbers denote the heat treat condition of the aluminum. 0 is basically the same as annealed aluminum, and it goes up from there.

The "norm" for 3003, IIRC, is H14 and will work fine for a dash.

Tim D.

 

[poprockcrusher]

PAY THE TICKET AND LAUGH AT THE NO SPEEDO COP
my trans brake wires used to go thru the speedo hole in the trans - screw em