Here is my mockup for my dash insert for the Elky I will make the final product from Fiberglass layed over a thin wood shell. All gaps will be filled in (sides) by the glass and the entire unit will be removable. Any comments would be appreciated. click links to see pics



http://members.cox.net/josephohara/pictures/Dash1.jpg

http://members.cox.net/josephohara/pictures/Dash2.jpg

http://members.cox.net/josephohara/pictures/Dash3.jpg

Having driven a '66 for 28 years, I have, at times found the dash restrictive in the personalization and aftermarket instrumentation department. I grew out of it. For the last 16+ years, I have come to terms with, and actually prefer the factory guage look, although it is interpretive (no actual figures or values, only graduated markings). '66 and '67 offer the least inviting design to incorporate quality guages, short of what your doing, below the dash panels offer your only recourse.

I will say, I maintain one 2" guage in a custom panel with two small switches, one a manual fan and the other, a fuel pump cut-out, far to the left, near the e-brake release and as inconspicuous as possible. It is a volt meter. I have bought a few differernt units, in hopes of creatively replacing the in dash sweep mechanism of the factory ammeter to still appear original, but actually read battery voltage. Alas, I have yet to discover a suitable candidate, hence the voltmeter below the dash.

That said, I would highly suggest replacing the ammeter with a volt meter. Besides the fact an ammeter gives no static information (other than indicating discharge when engine is not on....Duh...), a charge reading while on can be misleading. For instance, engine on guage indicates charging, turn key off, no start condition. Your screwed, The battery can be toast, but the ammeter still shows charging. A volt meter will tell you battery condition (voltage), as well as, output of the alternator, in volts. A system that has questionable voltage, say maybe a dead cell, the ammeter will display a charging condition, even if the alternator is producing only 10 volts, simply because it is excess of the current systems voltage, however, neither the charge or the stored voltage are acceptable to start your vehicle.

How do you intend to incorporate the rest of the dash? It looks like a tricky proposition. It appears that the remaining dash will be used. From the photos, the transition looks as though it may be awkward, in particular, the protruding upper panel that normally houses the various factory switches, as well as, the cigarette lighter. I see that this has been eliminated on the drivers side, will it be removed all the way across? Have you visited websites of Covan and other custom dash makers to get ideas or are you pretty much winging it? Just curious.

Good Luck

Whatever floats your boat.

IMO, I would left the stock feel. That looks too much like a drag car feel.

The dash had already been cut so Its all I have at this point. The instrument cluster will be an insert I know it looks awkward right now but once I lay up the fiberglass I will be incorporating closeouts on the side to clean up the look. I have factory gauges and when I take the car apart again (right now just want to drive it using what I have lying around) I will put a factory dash and instruments back in it. I will post pictures of the final product for comments. Thanks

i think it will look great. the updating of these classics can't hurt. i've been working on a similar project for my 69. i plan on covering it with carbon fiber contact paper. can i ask how you determined the angle that the dash sits relative to the driver?

thanks john

not to say anythng about your dash( what ever floats your boat) but the hump in your floor looks to be for an auto not a 4 speed.

did i miss somthing, what's the 4 speed vs. auto got to do with the dash?

did i miss somthing, what's the 4 speed vs. auto got to do with the dash?

nothing just pointing it out. trying to help out:beers:

To answer your question I just mocked it up and made the insert at an angle that looked good when I sat in the seat just kinda ad libbed it

The car was originally a 4 speed or someone just welded a z bar bracket to the frame for kicks LOL. The last owner took all the stuff out for his chevelle to include a large hunk of the floor, I cut away more of it to try and clean up what he had hacked out.

Thanks for the input I appreciate all of it weather you like it or not thats why I asked

I dont mind the looks so far. The only thing that may look odd is whats left of the upper strip.

i think it looks good...needs plenty more work, but, i think youre on the right track, if i remember my 66 correctly, you may have to blend in some curved corner type points right in the middle lengthwise...or just box off the passenger side angled to match the other side...maybe using spare far right side (near pass door) trim pieces?...theres a good article in (i believe) rod and custom or custom rodding about the marcell's redoing the inside window trim after a top chop, kind of the same deal...good luck

Thanks guys
I am going to lay the whole thing up from fiberglass which should make closing up the gaps a bit easier I will keep you posted as I progress

I wandered over to the Covan website, their offering is very similar to the approach that you are currently taking. The passenger side, as well as, that over the radio bezel, remain as stock. In my opinion, theirs looks equally awkward.

I'm curious as to whether the size of the aftermarket speedo and tach dictated the removal of the upper switch panel. I swear that I've seen either a 66 or 67 with the same 6 (2 large,4 small) round instrument cluster, however, still maintaining the original upper switch panel. I realize that you are well beyond that point, just wondered if you had considered this approach, only to find the available space inadequate? Kind of a reference for others that are anticipating their own conversions, now or later.

someone else had already hacked the upper panel up so I figured Id try and work with what I had and the approach I took semed to be the best route, or so I think plus the tach and speedo are 5 inches. I never saw the covans site I might check it out and see how mine compares to theirs. I am defineately too cheap to buy one form them.

I wandered over to the Covan website, their offering is very similar to the approach that you are currently taking. The passenger side, as well as, that over the radio bezel, remain as stock. In my opinion, theirs looks equally awkward.

I have seen it in person and completely agree. They just dont look right in my opinion.

IMO, I see a common "problem" with your dash, Covans and just about EVERY other "aftermarket/custom" dash I have seen for the 66/67...

That "problem" is that the guages point at the headliner, and NOT at the driver...

Alot more work, but I'D figure a way to angle the guages (or the whole panel) so the guages are actually facing the driver, instead of in the general direction of the driver... With the factory setup, the guages are not angled the same as the lense...

A bit more fabrication, but I think it would look better AND set it apart...


BTW, the shifter hump is incorrect ( thats ONLY if you are trying to go stock)... Looks like a GTO hump...

Thanks for the input on the dash I thought about building some pie shaped spacers to go between the panel and guages to achieve what you are proposing, do you think that would work? I may do several mock ups before final build, Ill post pics.
I was wondering about the hump I ordered it from ground up I ordered the 66 without console and thats what I recieved. I will use it for now and when I replace the pass floor down the road Ill locate the correct piece, what is it supposed to look like?