[Average joes]

Any one made a plain metal dash
Able to show me pictures or links to pictures
Cheers

[Gwagensteve]

There's heaps of photos of these around, predominantly from the US where apparently it's required to have a metal dash in order to drive off road.

In my opinion it's a time consuming, expensive and pointless modification. They are also typically ugly, and make the ergonomics and function of the car worse.

Here's some examples:











I don't think custom dashboards ever really achieve the goals the builders set out. Yes, it's easy to provide room for lots of switches and spread gauges you don't need all over the place with a metal dash, but that typically means a birds nest of wiring, hundreds and hundreds of dollars in gauges for things that aren't important, and sharp edges everywhere.

Also, it's also very difficult to remove the stock dash and retain the heater box and demister.

Just my 2C.

Steve.

[Gwagensteve]

Here is probably the gold standard of custom dashes.



From BCZuk on Pirate.

I think this is pretty awesome and it highlights that it's worth building a custom dash when it's required because of other factors, so in the case of BCZuk -

Firewall cut for the TDI eliminated any possibility of running the stock heater box, and the electronic TDI motor required the stock VW gauges to be used. Both of those things pretty much make the stock dash unworkable. This car runs a Mojave heater and demister.

I imagine that was an epic truckload of work though.

[droverdave]

That last one looks like its got a hammer finish on it?

Those first few dashes would look miles better if they were painted/powder coated the same as that last one.

Most of the aluminium looking dashes look very tacky I reckon, but the same thing looks much better with some powder coating.

[Gwagensteve]

It's definitely some sort of crinkle finish.

I agree they look better painted, but I think the stock dash looks better again.

Steve.

[royce]

Ive never understood the need to have 700 switches which seems to be the main reason for making an ugly dash

if you cant automate it you either dont really need it or one day you'll forget to turn something on and break something else

[Gwagensteve]

Likewise gauges. Why would I need an engine wear gauge (oil pressure)? EFI cars don't even need a tach as they have a rev limiter and idle speed is computer controlled. A stock dash definitely doesn't look hektik though. Rocket launcher switches and two water temp gauges equals 100 more horsepower.

Steve.

[royce]

I can see a point in oil pressure on buggies where silly angles might mean a dry pickup, but then you probably aren't watching anyway

[31zook]

BCzuk also plans.

[pezz]

To the O.P.
why do you want a metal dash?
What cant the stock unit do for you?

[Gwagensteve]

royce wrote:

I can see a point in oil pressure on buggies where silly angles might mean a dry pickup, but then you probably aren't watching anyway

Which is where a big bright warning light is much more useful than a gauge.

Steve.

[droverdave]

I was service crew on a rally car once that had a trailer stop light mounted to the dash for oil pressure light.

[Gwagensteve]

I think that's quite common. I've also considered a buzzer, but it would need to be wired through a tachometric relay so it didn't buzz whenever you had the car on acc or ign and the engine wasn't running.

In off road applications I'm not all that interested in staring at any gauge whilst I'm on a critical angle. Buzzers/warning lights are far more effective than a gauge.
Steve.

[pyrohamish]

Here's one I made and used in my old sierra.
IMO not worth the effort and time, but it does add a lot of real estate for mounting stuff you're into that.
Still had the heater box and ducts up to windscreen for defrost