So close! yet.... so far..... Interior mostly done!

[Rian_Colorado]

Finally got parts back from my upholstery guys, and was able to finish them up and get them installed earlier this week. Still have some work to do on the ebrake shifter boot, but wanted to show off the work a bit. When you hear that it's tight behind the dash with the heat/ac tubing, they're not kidding! 2023-03-14 18.19.01.jpg2023-03-14 18.18.51.jpg2023-03-14 18.18.24.jpg2023-03-14 18.10.50.jpg2023-03-14 16.59.05.jpg2023-03-14 16.28.36.jpg

Still a lot to do, but car is almost ready to send for body and paint (I don't trust myself to do it......lol)

Rian

[Bob Brandle]

Very Nice Rian!!
I'm also in the later stages of my Type 65/Daytona Coupe build. Unique application of LED lighting around your cabin looks interesting!! I have a switches panel very similar to yours on the angled dash to transmission cover panel....Great idea! What material & color is your dash top under the windshield?
Bob

[Indy Shu]

Looking good Rian!
Interested in the 2 piece dash. Any down sides? How are the pieces attaching and did you have to stiffen the bottom?

[Rian_Colorado]

Hey Bob!

I remember seeing your dash a few months ago in another thread. I had actually saved pics of it as I had similar ideas to yours. (see attached pic with my finally installed shift knob, one of the first things I'd purchased, and something I recognized in your build too!)

Dash top and all other panels are Charcoal Alcantara. I'll be doing door cards, roll bar covers, and possibly a head liner in similar materials. The Charcoal is a few shades darker than I had anticipated, but looks great with the FFR black carpet2023-03-16 13.39.25.jpg

[Rian_Colorado]

That took me a while for sure!

Entire dash front is a new panel (ordered 1/8th thick panel from on-line metals). Panel has a bend under (90deg) at the bottom like the stock FFR dash, but the bend extends 2" under the dash which stiffens it considerably. It's also bolted to the switch panel, which is in turn fastened to the forward tunnel panel at the sides. It's ROCK solid.

The dash top is the stock FFR piece that I cut off, leaving about 3/4" below the 90 degree bend. This piece is sandwiched between the dash front and the cross member. Fasteners are behind the AC vents (unscrew them, and then you can access bolts from the underneath). This is very similar to what Paul did in his build as far at the fastening is concerned. I had the upholstery guys make the top and the front each with a seam so it LOOKS like just a normal upholstered panel when fully installed. If you look close enough, you can tell it's 2 pieces, but I think it looks pretty good, and most people won't even be able to tell2023-03-14 16.59.05.jpg

The biggest "pro" for me in doing it this way is that the dash top is completely removeable once the car is complete. I removed the bulb seal from the dash top, and it slides nicely between the firewall bulb seal and the fiberglass body. I might decide to add a small piece in the center where it rests if it will slide in with that as well. I've also considered trying to keep it on TOP of the fiberglass (pinched between the body and windshield) haven't really made up my mind on that yet. I'll see what it looks like once it's back from paint