Locost 7 style dashboard.

[gzus11]

Im just reaching the stage to design a dashboard, and was wondering how other people have done it. does anyone have any plan drawings or layout ideas that they could pass on? what materials are good, and are there sva regulations regarding the bottom edge?

i have also been thinking about a centre console, is it worth having one? what is the best way to support the base of the dash, would it be sensible to weld a bar to the chassis and also use that to support the steering column?

[spartan_andy]

Regards layout whatever works for you. It's an ideal candidate for cardboard engineering ie create a mock of the dials in cardboard and syick them on sit in the car and move them about until you are satified. Thats what I'm doing

[grahambell]

As Andy says, make up some paper dials and switches so you can Blu Tak them on and play around with the layout in the car.

Obviously best with seat and steering wheel in place so you can check visibilty of dials and accessiblity of switches.

The best and most cost effective materials are probably thin plywood covered in thin foam and vinyl/leahercloth.

Most Seven type dashes are shallow affairs well clear of the chassis, but if you do want to run yours down to transmission tunnel, a couple of small brackets bolted through trans tunnel sheet metal should brace it well enough.

[tigerk]

With regards sva regs on edges etc, drivers side not too important as it is obscured by the steering wheel. Nearside needs to have a 19mm radius, either solid or padded, on the bottom edge. If you're making a padded dash some pipe lagging glued onto lower edge and then covered with vinyl or similar does the trick. You can always remove it later if you prefer the smoother look. (I didn't say that though!)

[traction]

Ways I've seen to make the padded dash done is to either use a few layers of that laminate wood flooring underlay or to cut up one of those spongy camping roll out sleeping mats. That against a ply back and covered in vinyl does the trick.

Ta.