Dougs951S

Trying to get a better feel for how guys generally do it. I'm getting ready to gut my car in the next few weeks and I'll be fabbing up a nice, simple dash for it. My goal for the car is a dual use track/minimalist street car in the vain of a GT3RS.

Paulyy

IMO keep your dash. there isn't much to save weight.
Add gauges in the air vents in the middle.
remove the ratio and pocket. room for 6 gauges.

333pg333

I'd have to possibly disagree Paulyy. I say possibly as it would be determined what you're wanting to keep. I didn't weigh everything that came out of ours but with all the wiring, HVAC , fans, insulation etc I'd guess quite a tidy sum of weight to be saved compared to what went back in with the f/g dash and no other stock parts left. If you are only doing the half/half thing then I'd keep the stock dash going.

Paulyy

it really depends what you want to keep.

The dash alone doesn't weigh much. the other crap behind it, well yeah.. It depends on how much you want to get rid of.

Not sure about the rules in the states but in australia, you need a heater in your car to demist the windscreen.

There's a bit of wiring back there, mostly for the electrics and switches.

Dougs951S

Sorry guys I should have been more clear. You may disagree with my motives, but my aim is to have an absolute bare minimum, essentially a track car that is still street legal. I am not in the slightest bit interested in any sort of real practicality or comfort. My aim is to make the car as simple as possible, make it easier to work on, and gut every last non essential thing. I'll be ripping out the center console, central fuse box and most of the wiring in the car and running the fans on a switch. I'll be pulling all the HVAC stuff out including the heater core. If its so cold I need a heater here in texas, I just wont drive my car. Patrick, what you have there is very much what I am going for. My car isnt caged yet, but I do have a seat and 5 point harnesses. I'll probably retain the carpet as well, but that is about it.

The car is set up with pretty aggressive suspension and alignment for the street as it is, I really just feel now like its basically a track car with an interior that needs to be gone, it just feels out of place now. Cars stiff enough to rattle your fillings out shouldnt have vinyl trim.

Paulyy

I see where you're going now.
Start stripping...

333pg333

The thing I like about my dash is that it still looks like a stock dash in terms of shape. Some real bare min race cars have very basic metal box type things which might be practical but just don't look the part. I feel by getting the f/g dash trimmed in Suede gives is a bit of that CS type look which while nice and light, is also aesthetically pleasing and wasn't nearly as expensive as Alcantara.

glen2002

Patrick that is one of the nicest race car dashes I have seen, wouldn't be out of place in a CS or outlaw style of road car. Good job by you.

Hard to believe real suede is cheaper than fake.

333pg333

Thanks Glen. Even the stitching is the 'real thing'.

disasterman

Stock dash with backing removed, trimmed for the cage and bottom cut off.

rlm328

Pictures of finished and unfinished dash.

67King

There is TONS of weight in the dash. Probably 25 pounds in just the dash. I made a mold of mine, and made a fiberglass one. Used some of the metal frame to hold my instrument panel. After I made it, I wrapped it in thin, lightweight vinyl I got from a fabric store. Probably weighs a couple of pounds, and unless you look closely, looks like a regular dash. This picture is with the lower portion removed, normally I have it in place as well, but have been doing a lot of work on the car recently:

harveyf

Here is a link to my blog article about my dash. Lots of pictures.
http://newhillgarage.com/2011/10/21/...interior-work/

Here is one picture for you.

V2Rocket

The early 944 dashboard weighs in at less than 7 lbs, bare (but still with vinyl on it)...I can't imagine the late piece is that much more.

Strip the vinyl off it, fiberglass over the foam and paint it to match your interior.

harveyf

Here's a better picture of the finished product.
If I had it to do again, I would try and move and
much of the electrical stuff out from behind the dash
and mount it all somewhere in the passenger side
footwell. Once you install the windshield glass,
even with my drop down centerpanel, it is hard
to access the relays and such. Forturnately
everything has been trouble free so I haven't had to
go in there.

Another upgrade I'm thinking about is going
with a digital set of dash instrumentation. But that's some bucks!