Rebody Rebody Dashboard

[Pond]

A full set of 'veglia' replica gauges, speedo, rev counter, clock, water temp, fuel, oil pressure and oil temp from John at ETB is around £1,000.
That includes three new sensors to fit to the block.

I wouldn't think their 250 gauges would be right for 507, but it's worth having a conversation with John to see if he can o something.
After all, his gauges are just generic ones with new dial faces stuck on, basically.

 

[Duncodin]

Well it's not a replica so wrong dials won't be a problem. Just wantnto look period. The only reason I'd want the etb 250 gauges is because they have leds for battery, main beam brake etc to avoid drilling holes for lights. But for a 1000 quid I won't bother.

 

[Duncodin]

Seems people usually paint their dashboards? Crinkle paint, or whatever it's called.

Anyone done vinyl?

 

[Pingu]

I saw a Youtube short of a vacuum wrap on a 1983 M3 dashboard. It looked quite good.

I painted mine with satin black, then a satin lacquer.

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[Jezza]

Well it's not a replica so wrong dials won't be a problem. Just wantnto look period. The only reason I'd want the etb 250 gauges is because they have leds for battery, main beam brake etc to avoid drilling holes for lights. But for a 1000 quid I won't bother.

They do have all sorts of guage sets at much less than the 250 prices - full sets at around £500

Gauge Sets https://share.google/114eMXkCBRYu2blGW

 

[Pond]

Seems people usually paint their dashboards? Crinkle paint, or whatever it's called.

Anyone done vinyl?

If you do paint whatever you end up with, I have loads of unused black (and red) crinkle paint you can have for a small fee. I over-ordered by quite a bit!

 

[Duncodin]

I'm likely going to try vinyl on the flat top surface. Rest painted body colour as per beemers of the period.

Getting back to attaching it to the remainder of the z3 dash. I'd like to screw it on but don't want to screw through the vinyl. Thinking of sticking with tigerseal but once stuck I'd never get it off again ie to repair/replace vinyl if it starts lifting.

 

[Pond]

I'm likely going to try vinyl on the flat top surface. Rest painted body colour as per beemers of the period.

Getting back to attaching it to the remainder of the z3 dash. I'd like to screw it on but don't want to screw through the vinyl. Thinking of sticking with tigerseal but once stuck I'd never get it off again ie to repair/replace vinyl if it starts lifting.

When I was looking to get my dashboard upholstered, everybody I spoke to said DO NOT use vinyl on a dashboard, as it gets damaged very quickly by UV and by being heated/cooled a lot.
Leather is OK, apparently, but obviously a lot more expensive.

I only painted mine because the complex curves were proving too tricky to upholster TBH. And that was coming from professionals.

 

[Jezza]

When I was looking to get my dashboard upholstered, everybody I spoke to said DO NOT use vinyl on a dashboard, as it gets damaged very quickly by UV and by being heated/cooled a lot.
Leather is OK, apparently, but obviously a lot more expensive.

I only painted mine because the complex curves were proving too tricky to upholster TBH. And that was coming from professionals.

Leather is OK, apparently, but obviously a lot more expensive.

Actually this is not the case. Good quality vinyl is not much cheaper than leather. The cost is in the labour which is the same whichever material you choose.

 

[Duncodin]

When I was looking to get my dashboard upholstered, everybody I spoke to said DO NOT use vinyl on a dashboard, as it gets damaged very quickly by UV and by being heated/cooled a lot.
Leather is OK, apparently, but obviously a lot more expensive.

I only painted mine because the complex curves were proving too tricky to upholster TBH. And that was coming from professionals.

I assumed you'd gone for paint because of the complex curves around the double binnacle.

My dash top is quite flat but I'd still like to be able to take it apart if it goes pear-shaped.

 

[Duncodin]

I will post 'actual' work in my build thread but just wanted to give you guys a feel for where I'm going.

First, let me remind you what a 507 dashboard looks like

With the Z3 windscreen at a totally different angle and all the gibbins behind the Z3 dash, it's not easy to make anything like a 507 dash in a Z3 - likely why nobody has done it yet.

On the other hand, it can never be a replica because the shape of the whole car is wrong with just an ever so slight 'nod' to the 507. So with that in mind I'm not going to make a replica dash either. I just want something that doesn't look like a Z3 dashboard.

Determined to keep the Z3 instrument cluster exactly where it is - changing only the overlay - I come up with something like this.
Ignore the centre console, that isn't even started - it's just an idea how to integrate the existing centre console to avoid having to hide all the under dash gibbins. But, if I do it I've got horizontal sliders for the heater controls in the old radio slot and gauges in the old round heater controls and other switches in their original position at the bottom.

Anyway - what do you guys reckon?

 

[Pond]

If you can fabricate it to look anything like your photoshop picture, it will be great IMO.
It looks extremely difficult to do to a good enough standard IMO; I know how tricky a pre-made dash is to fit and that was purpose-made to fit. I wouldn't attempt it from scratch, but fair play to you if you can make it work.

But if you can make it work, keep the templates, drawings, etc, as you may be able to sell the rights to Tribute.

On my dash, the lower centre section (under your radio and above the heater matrix) has a return piece which is angled. The idea is that the heater matrix vertical piece fits under that snugly and goes right to the floor on both sides, so supporting the underside of the main dash. It may be wise to try and incorporate this, as there is not a lot to fix the underside of the dash to with the BMW pieces removed, especially with all the wiring behind there, and the crash bar, and all the other stuff!

 

[Duncodin]

Already started. I started with a 250 dash, like yours, because that is already shaped to fit onto the chopped stub of z3 dash. You can see the 250 dash under my new GRP flat-top.

So yes. I think I can get it close to where I want it.

 

[Pond]

Already started. I started with a 250 dash, like yours, because that is already shaped to fit onto the chopped stub of z3 dash. You can see the 250 dash under my new GRP flat-top.

View attachment 351715
View attachment 351717


So yes. I think I can get it close to where I want it.

Oooh...more cutting, filling and sanding of GRP. Rather you than me. Makes me itch just looking at the pictures!
I hated working with GRP and have vowed never to go near the stuff again.

I will be interested to see how you get on. Good luck.

 

[AndersFIN]

Looking good.

A question, how easy is it to remove the dashboard? The reason for asking is that I would love to have the grp dashboard with the Veglia style gauges but problem is the MOT as the dash airbag and original gauges needs to be in place

So I have two options;

1) Remove the grp dash each year for MOT, Install original dash,create cable set which would make it possible to install the standard gauges . This would be a challenge if the GRP dash will be glued during installation?

2) Modify the original dashboard for the new gauges,remove vents, modify it and keep the airbag in place

Third option would be not to do anything

 

[Duncodin]

I haven't removed my dash yet. I bought a z3 dash on ebay to chop up.

Looking at instructions for dash removal it does look like at least a day's work. But just getting it out and in isn't you only issue. Looking at some of the build threads there's quite a bit of rewiring involved in getting the veglia instruments connected up. It might not be realistic to rewire that every time you go for a test.

 

[Pingu]

Looking good.

A question, how easy is it to remove the dashboard? The reason for asking is that I would love to have the grp dashboard with the Veglia style gauges but problem is the MOT as the dash airbag and original gauges needs to be in place

So I have two options;

1) Remove the grp dash each year for MOT, Install original dash,create cable set which would make it possible to install the standard gauges . This would be a challenge if the GRP dash will be glued during installation?

2) Modify the original dashboard for the new gauges,remove vents, modify it and keep the airbag in place

Third option would be not to do anything

1) About a day's work with good access and guaranteed dry (so workshop, or good weather). It is possible to create a set of plugs that you can use to swap the wiring over.

2) The airbag needs to be able to explode out of the dashboard in a safe way. I think having an airbag in a grp dash would spoil the aesthetics of the dashboard.

3) Given your constraints, this would be my option. I'd consider (1) if I had plenty of workshop space.

 

[Duncodin]

Oooh...more cutting, filling and sanding of GRP. Rather you than me. Makes me itch just looking at the pictures!
I hated working with GRP and have vowed never to go near the stuff again.

Oh. This one is just for you then.

 

[Pond]

Oh. This one is just for you then.

View attachment 351839

Gives me goosebumps from here. I still have micro glass splinters in my fingers from months ago!

 

[Pond]

but problem is the MOT as the dash airbag and original gauges needs to be in place

I don't know the requirements of the MOT in Finland.....but remember no-one can 'test' an airbag. They are a 'one use only' product. They can only rely on the lights going out to prove the SRS system doesn't have any faults, which then presumes the system is operating correctly.
That can be very easily overcome with a cheap timer for the light!

Why do the original gauges need to be in place? Surely any gauges which give the correct information would suffice.

In the UK the 'rules are the rules' apply to everything, but we can get through an MOT easily with airbags removed and any gauges you like (as long as the MOT inspector can tick the right boxes on his sheet).