DigiDash - Test Installation
A few people have asked about how to mount the DigiDash. I wanted to mount mine flush into the dash and so decided that I could perhaps help people by documenting this process.
This is hopefully very useful for someone who has never made a flat panel kitcar dash before.
For the Striker the dash is a flat sheet, cut into a trapezoid shape. I used 20SWG Aluminium and because it is very hard to keep it clean and scratch free I opted to cover it with learthercloth.
Here the blank panel is fitted to the dash, with clearance for the steering column. |
 |
|
|
 |
This shows the immense "mop-up" nature of the DigiDash. The container on the right is the old instruments. The left one contains the few bits we keep. |
| Next cover the blank dash with paper to allow you to mark up the areas you can and can't see FROM the drivers seat. Use the template DigiDash to get a feel for position. |
|
|
|
|
Once you are happy with the DigiDash position mark up the panel for
cutting. I first scribed around the dash as a template. I then
drew a line around 2mm outside of this. This is to allow the
leathercloth (which is about 1mm thick) to be folded over the edges of the
cutout. |
| To cutout unusual shaped holes I use a Dremel tool. The tool is
held in a workbench with a milling cutter sticking upwards. Use some
board offcuts to create a "shelf" that is just under the height
of the cutter. The sheet to be cut can then be pushed into the
cutter, while sliding it on the offcuts. |
|
|
|
|
The completed panel with all of the other switches and controls.
For holes I used a stepped hole drill. These are really worth
their weight in gold as they allow nice accurate holes with smooth edges. |
| Test fitment of dash panel. You can see how I had to deburr some
holes before fitting the leathercloth. As the dash panel is covered
this can be a rough affair with a flapdisk in an angle grinder. |
|
|
|
|
I covered the dash with a leathercloth I obtained from a local coach
fitters. A 1.5m x 1m sheet was just £10 and could make about 4 or 5
Striker dash panels! Use UHU style fabric adhesive and make sure you
let the glue "go off" before you mate the cloth and panel. |
| Once the cloth is stuck to the panel you can begin to trim out the parts
not needed. Use a sharp scalpel for this job. Make sure you
leave enough to turn into openings, and overlap panel edges. |
|
 
|
| Once the main glueing is done, fold back the various flaps etc and glue
these. Here is the covered panel. |
|
|
|
|
To fit the DigiDash flush you will need to make up some angle
brackets. Here they are made from some 16SWG Aluminium plate I had
lying around. Put the DigiDash into the hole cutout and raise the
panel with cardboard etc until there is the desired amount of "stickout"
at the front. The brackets can be made to suit this required depth. |
| Here are the brackets fitted. Note that I decided to initially try
Epoxy Resin, but I found that despite keying the surfaces and providing
holes in the brackets the glue did not stick the brackets firmly
enough. I thus decided to use good old fashioned bolts from the
front instead! |
|
|
|
|
A rewired dashboard. Note that the main reason for it looking like
a rats nest is because I have to keep the rear of the dash flexible to
allow other product development. Every single connection has its own
plug. |
Completed DigiDash on the Car.
Note that the time taken to take a blank Aluminium panel, decide on
positioning, create the dash, and re-wire was around two evenings
work. The hardest part for me was guiding the Dremel tool
accuractely. A small imperfection in the hole is thus visible on the
close-up shot. |
|
|
|
