Hey Pat,
I can't say I know why a dash is called a dash bu, I have always been told
that the dash was in three pieces to help prevent it from cracking abnd
breaking with the stresses of the car. my .02 worth.
Patrick Bowen
'79 Spit
At 10:02 AM 8/27/98 +0100, Pat Catchpole wrote:
> Subject: single piece dash feasible vs. 3 sections?
> Author: jw@mail09.mitre.org at INTERNET-PO
> Date: 26/08/98 19:08
>
>
> I want to make a replacement dash, and wonder if anyone has tried to
> use a single piece of wood, rather than the 3 sections my '72 has now.
> Seems like it would be just as easy to fit, but I thought I'd ask. I
> guess I could make it, and at worse, have to cut it into sections.
>
> Joe
> 72 Spitfire -> Norman
>
>
> _________________________ Reply Separator ____________________________
>
>
>Just last month my father-in-law finished my single piece dash, fashioned
from
>the side of on old mahogony veneer wardrobe. I admit that I have not
fitted it
>to the car yet, but it matches up to the metal spot on.
>
>I reckon there are several reasons why the factory used 3 bits:
> - commonality, the centre portion will be the same for LH and RHD cars
> - more importantly ease of fitting. I'm anticipating a more difficult job
>actually getting it into place. With the 3 sections, the centre one
hinges down
>quite conveniently on the wires to the fuel and temp gauges, while the other
>sections stay in place. I think there will be a fair amount of upside-down,
>head in the footwell contortions trying to connect the speedo and choke
cables
>etc. When the centre panel is lowered it provides a good hand access
point for
>fiddling around with the speedo cable.
>
>One point to remember, originally the dials are recessed into the dash so
that
>the bezels are flush with the wood. This required a second piece of
plywood to
>be glued to to the back of the front piece with holes cut slightly smaller
to
>stop the dials falling out. This also means that if the front holes are
even
>slightly off-size, or out of round the gaps to the bezels will stick out
like a
>sore thumb.
>
>The reason I wanted a new dash was was so that I could place the dials and
>switches where I wanted them (mainly for the old centre area whre I have
>included a hole for a clock). I also included holes for the eyeball air
vents
>found in the GT6. Finally I chose to use hidden fixings. Where the old
centre
>section has 4 screws holding it in place, there is now 4 threaded studs on
the
>reverse.
>
>All-in-all the old man (he's 78 so I'm allowed to call him that) has done a
>superb job - but then it was quite easy for him as he has already made
nearly
>all the furniture in the house! It keeps him busy - I'm just sorry that he
>never mastered the art of welding.
>
>Finally, as there are several people asking trivia questions on the list at
>present here's mine:- "Why is the dash board called a dash board?"
>
>Pat
>
>Spit 2000 in the making
>
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