Elan S3 dashboard

[gentry74]

I needed a new dashboard for my s3 DHC. I made an MDF template and then used it to make the new dash. I veneered the teak onto 3/8 baltic birch ply in advance. In retrospect, it might be easier to cut out the glovebox and shape the glovebox door from another piece... then veneer over both together so as to avoid cutting out the glovebox. Not much room for error the way I did it. I installed inserts for the dash mounted lamp and for the under dash valances...so they can both be attached with machine screws instead of wood screws. I will be installing a hidden bluetooth receiver, so I opted not to cutout the radio blank.

I'm in Los Angeles...if anyone wants to borrow the mdf template... it will be up in the rafters. cheers

G

[elanfan1]

Have you saved the ferrules for the screw holes from your old dash and hinges etc are you staining it?


Nice job lot of work.

[gentry74]

Not staining it. Yes, I saved the ferrules. They are already installed in the new dash (if you zoom in you can see them). I saved everything off old dash. Sourced some new window toggles (the ones that were in it were not original). My dash has the little corner hinges. You can see them in this pic.

edit - i see zooming in doesnt work so great on this site. Here is a pic of the ferrules

[billwill]

edit - i see zooming in doesnt work so great on this site. Here is a pic of the ferrules

You have to right-click the picture and choose "open link in another tab" then the full-resolution picture should be expandable on that tab.

[2mAn]

That is some nice work! Id love to see the product in person, where in LA are you?

[nmauduit]

Your dash does look very nice indeed ! beautiful grain, smooth cuts, and just the gloss I like...
What kind of varnish did you use to refinish it, and what process did you follow to glue on the veneer ?

keep it on th road !

[gentry74]

That is some nice work! Id love to see the product in person, where in LA are you?

I live in La Crescenta. Car is currently at a specialist in Chatsworth. I've been in the midst of a frame off. It should be back on the road in a month or so!

Gentry
(apologies for the slow reply. I'm not getting notified when replies are made. I'll see if i can sort that out)

[661]

Lovely work.
I did the same as you , but it's worth the hassle to have the glovebox grain matching the dash

[gentry74]

Your dash does look very nice indeed ! beautiful grain, smooth cuts, and just the gloss I like...
What kind of varnish did you use to refinish it, and what process did you follow to glue on the veneer ?

keep it on th road !

I wish there was a flexible uv resistant product that would hold up in a ragtop that looked the way the pic of my dash looks.... but there really isn't. In that pic, it only has danish oil on it. I am part way thru the varnish process. I'm using a clear spar varnish (Epifanes). Semi-gloss. I'll post pics when its 100% done

Gentry
(im now going to poke around my profile here to see if i can figure out why I am not receiving notification when someone posts a reply. Apologies for taking so long to reply)

extra edit to add: You also asked about the veneer glue process. I vacuum bagged mine. Epoxy over 3/8 baltic birch plywood. Veneered both sides at same time. If I made another one, I would cut a 3/8 plywood blank at roughly 16"x45". Then I would drop my template on it and trace out the glove box door and use the template to route out the opening. Then I would make a new glovebox door and get a nice fit. Then I would veneer one side of the plywood blank with the new glovebox door in place... etc. Eventually veneering the other side too after the door was properly cutout.Though now that I type all that out... I realize how much longer it would all take. All to avoid the stress of perfectly cutting out the door. I used a fret saw to cut out my door. It took a while, was stressful....but worked great and left a tiny kerf.

[fatboyoz]

Hi Gentry,
Nice job on the dash. I did my own dash about twenty years ago. Unstained teak on marine ply, finished with clear lacquer.
I also have a hidden Bluetooth receiver. The item is a 12 volt amplifier with Bluetooth. Just needs power, an earth, and the speakers connected. Dimensions, about the size of a pack of cards.
https://www.electrovision.co.uk/public/ ... _id=B429BL
Cheers,
Colin.

I needed a new dashboard for my s3 DHC. I made an MDF template and then used it to make the new dash. I veneered the teak onto 3/8 baltic birch ply in advance. In retrospect, it might be easier to cut out the glovebox and shape the glovebox door from another piece... then veneer over both together so as to avoid cutting out the glovebox. Not much room for error the way I did it. I installed inserts for the dash mounted lamp and for the under dash valances...so they can both be attached with machine screws instead of wood screws. I will be installing a hidden bluetooth receiver, so I opted not to cutout the radio blank.

mdf template.jpg

20220901_112132.jpg

I'm in Los Angeles...if anyone wants to borrow the mdf template... it will be up in the rafters. cheers

G

[gentry74]

Hi Gentry,
Nice job on the dash. I did my own dash about twenty years ago. Unstained teak on marine ply, finished with clear lacquer.
I also have a hidden Bluetooth receiver. The item is a 12 volt amplifier with Bluetooth. Just needs power, an earth, and the speakers connected. Dimensions, about the size of a pack of cards.
https://www.electrovision.co.uk/public/ ... _id=B429BL
Cheers,
Colin.

Thats pretty affordable. Do you find that 30w is enough? (i dont need my ear drums blown out or anything. Not much of an audiophile... just wondering about ragtop and volume). I was thinking of getting one of these: https://www.outofsightaudio.com/mark-i.html but the price point is much higher than the one you linked

[fatboyoz]

Hi Gentry,
I have a DHC also. The 30w powers two stereo speakers mounted in the backboard. They produce plenty of sound even at speed.
Cheers,
Colin.





quote="gentry74"]

Hi Gentry,
Nice job on the dash. I did my own dash about twenty years ago. Unstained teak on marine ply, finished with clear lacquer.
I also have a hidden Bluetooth receiver. The item is a 12 volt amplifier with Bluetooth. Just needs power, an earth, and the speakers connected. Dimensions, about the size of a pack of cards.
https://www.electrovision.co.uk/public/ ... _id=B429BL
Cheers,
Colin.

Thats pretty affordable. Do you find that 30w is enough? (i dont need my ear drums blown out or anything. Not much of an audiophile... just wondering about ragtop and volume). I was thinking of getting one of these: https://www.outofsightaudio.com/mark-i.html but the price point is much higher than the one you linked[/quote]

[pharriso]

Beautiful work Sir, you are a craftsman!

[2mAn]

That is some nice work! Id love to see the product in person, where in LA are you?

I live in La Crescenta. Car is currently at a specialist in Chatsworth. I've been in the midst of a frame off. It should be back on the road in a month or so!

Gentry
(apologies for the slow reply. I'm not getting notified when replies are made. I'll see if i can sort that out)

Hi Gentry, Id love to come see the car when its done! Please keep us updated here

[gentry74]

Your dash does look very nice indeed ! beautiful grain, smooth cuts, and just the gloss I like...
What kind of varnish did you use to refinish it, and what process did you follow to glue on the veneer ?

I figured out a good way to finish it. 7 coats of varnish. A few weeks to cure fully. Then used my random orbital sander along with scotchbrite pads. Course grit followed by fine, then extra fine. Maroon, Grey, White. It leaves it glass smooth with some shine but without the heavy plastic looks (or high gloss). You can barely tell the difference between this pic and the original pic with just danish oil on it. (for those keeping score at home... skip the danish oil altogether. It caused issues for subsequent varnish coats even though it had cured for a long time)

the white stripey areas in pic are just light reflecting. I might buff it a bit more with the white scotchbrite pad before attaching stuff. 1200grit.