Goodbye ashtray! Hello Gauges...

[my2ks10xtreme]

Ok decided to start a thread with my progress and see if I can get tips and pointers from fellow forum members since this is my first fiberglass project I'm attempting.

So far I think I'm on the right path. As of now I have the first layer of fiberglass laid and its all dry just ready for me to start sanding.

This is how it first started:



One side in place out of cardboard from my frosted mini wheats cereal box



In the truck for test fit:





How it sits today:






Should I fiberglass over the front where the 3 gauge holes are or just leave it as is and let the sanding and body filler make it look all nice and smooth... I would love to hear opinions and constructive criticism.

Again this is my first time with fiberglass so any helpful techniques would be great. Thanks guys

[Blitz Noma]

looks good Tom...

[lows10blazer]

tom no ash tray?....... what about

[Mr Blue]

You should cover the face and the upper trim piece aswell. So it flows better and holds together as one unit. Other than that it looks great.

[sonomanator]

damn looks nice im stealing the idea.i would fiberglass the front also and paint it all the same color.

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by lows10blazer

tom no ash tray?....... what about

Haha whos needs an ashtray for that theres always a window

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr Blue

You should cover the face and the upper trim piece aswell. So it flows better and holds together as one unit. Other than that it looks great.

Yeah I was thinking the same exact thing, I want this layer to dry first then I'll work on getting the face all flowing together a little more, Thanks Jay!

Quote: Originally Posted by sonomanator

damn looks nice im stealing the idea.i would fiberglass the front also and paint it all the same color.

Steal the idea! I didnt want to put them in the A-Pillar or where the HVAC controls are and didnt want to work on my center console so thats what I came up with.

Yeah once its all done the color will match my bezal, door cups, and defrost vent, all smoothed out and painted already.

[Garage Customs]

thats nice work and a good idea

[WhiteS-10]

Kinda similiar to mine, except mine's metal.

[my2ks10xtreme]

Thanks for the compliments guys, I will be working on this slowly each day until I'm happy with it, then will be given to my painted and shoot it, should look good, the gauges are angled perfectly to me when I'm in the driver seat

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by WhiteS-10

Kinda similiar to mine, except mine's metal.

Thats some nice metal work

[lows10blazer]

hey tom can u still close the ash tray ?

:edit: i get it never mind

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by lows10blazer

hey tom can u still close the ash tray ?

Haha what ashtray? I chopped up the assembly and basically just using it for the mounting brackets. I bought a stock one from S10warehouse if I ever decide to put it back to stock.

[sonomanator]

im not a fan of a pillar gauges maybe if its fast then its ok.

[my2ks10xtreme]

so I was reading more about applying body filler after the glassin is completed, I thought this was interesting and wanted to hear some feedback.

On the12volt.com I saw someone mix body filler and resin 5:1 ratio and basically painted it on instead of using a body filler knife. Has anyone used this method, what works better for what I'm doing?

Heres the link to the sub build on the12volt.com:

http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/....asp~TID~74519

[hiatts10]

looks sweet!

[my2ks10xtreme]

well I got some sanding done on the 1st layer of glass, don't think I will be throwing a 2nd coat on there, its sturdy as hell and I dont want to make this thing any thicker.

Its already going to be a tight fit after the body filler and paint.

The shape is coming out very very nicely, I put it in the truck for a test fit and visual, looks good so far I just need to figure something out for the front make sure I'm all happy with it before I put filler on it.

Here are some pics:

[boricua4_life]

lookin good man!

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by boricua4_life

lookin good man!

Thanks! Did a little more sanding on my lunch break, thing should be ready for body filler this weekend.

I want to have it complete by saturday night so I can give it to my painter Sunday when I get back my other interior pieces painted. We'll see how that goes because I want this thing perfect.

I'll post up pics in the different stages and installed once its all complete.

[my2ks10xtreme]

Got some good progress today, got a layer of filler on there and some sanding, still need to take care of a few areas but I'm dont working on it today. Here are some pics:

[purplepassion]

looks good man

[my2ks10xtreme]

Thanks still have some work left on it but this stuff is fun to play with, I'm going to get crazy with my interior soon...

I want to run 4" components in the pillars, 8" woofers in the doors, and 6 1/2" in the kick panels

[my2ks10xtreme]

[01cherryreds10]

Cool what color is it going to be?

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by 01cherryreds10

Cool what color is it going to be?

Well my bezal, door cups, dash very are paited like a metallic black but looks charcol, its a crazy color, pictures dont do it justice but this is my bezal painted:

[01cherryreds10]

Holy crap it almost looks chrome, sick color.

[Noremac]

damn! looks good.. i am taking the idea too lol.. i like my gauges down there, and they are jsut sitting in the little pocket area behind the shifter right now... thanks

[Mystic_Knight]

Is that a Chrysler color. Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat? I know the Chargers and some other cars have a metallic black. I priced it out and it was like 3 times the cost of a standard metallic. I'm learning that the longer the paint name the more expensive it usually is.

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mystic_Knight

Is that a Chrysler color. Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat? I know the Chargers and some other cars have a metallic black. I priced it out and it was like 3 times the cost of a standard metallic. I'm learning that the longer the paint name the more expensive it usually is.

Haha I'm not exactly sure the color I have to ask my paint guy, its a mixture he made for me... has blue pearl added to it, he sprayed a sample for me I fell in love with it...

Its crazy in dark light or at night looks solid black, in the sunlight you can see the blue, green and silver sparkles and different angles it looks like graphite... pics dont do it justice!!

I'll find out when I talk to him again

[my2ks10xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by Noremac

damn! looks good.. i am taking the idea too lol.. i like my gauges down there, and they are jsut sitting in the little pocket area behind the shifter right now... thanks

Thanks for the compliment, yeah go ahead take the idea but make sure you post up pics so I can see

Its at such a perfect angle and I dont loose space on my center console, thats where i put my remote, wallet, cell phone, cigarette pack, lighter, etc



UPDATE:

Final coat of body filler is on, still need to sand it down but should almost be ready for paint, I should be dropping it off probably next week sometime... I'll post pics in the next few days of how it looks complete before paint

[my2ks10xtreme]

Just finished the final sanding before I hand it off to my paint guy, I'm very happy with it!!

Some high build primer and shoot it the same color as my other intererior pieces and I'm good!!

[Crazygenius13]

Sweet, looks like it'll give me no problems in paint. should I post the pics of your interior pieces? They are all done