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Need pics thoughts on tube dash built into cage

CK5

CK5

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Well, I wasn't going to do the "dash removal" thing for a while but I do need to get new seats tied into the cage and want to do something similar to Watsons where I can move my Art Carr shifter up onto a center section and this would mean that I need to pull the dash so might as well do it all at once.
Anybody have any pics or suggestions, here is Watsons:
interior3.JPG


interior1.JPG


interior2.JPG
 
Yeah, it kind of snowballs doesn't it, I want to mount my shifter up high on a center section, to do that it woud tie into the dash bar that is not there yet, so the dash would have to say by, all the plastic heater stuff as well.
 
why would dash have to go? I've seen K5s with dash bars that still have factory dashes. I've been thinking about removing the dash from right next to the radio over to the passenger door. Leaving the factory instrument cluster. No big reason just something to do I guess.
 
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why would dash have to go? I've seen K5s with dash bars that still have factory dashes. I've been thinking about removing the dash from right next to the radio over to the passenger door. Leaving the factory instrument cluster. No big reason just something to do I guess.

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Could you leave the dash in tact and bend the center bars down to the center hump just under the dash? That would allow you to keep the dash& heater plus still have the shifter mounted higher.
 
Yes, I could do that but another reason to just do a custom dash is so that the widest point of the dash does not run past the cage so that in the future when it gets narrowed the cage will be the widest point. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
The only constraint I was considering was keeping the stock heater set up. But running an aftermarket unit wouldn't be a bad idea, either. Plus, this way you have an awesome place to put you Kick a$$ system w/dvd and multiple monitors. That way you could plug in a PS2 so your co-pilot can play video games on the trail. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

(Yes it has been a long day, and I need more sleep) /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 
go ballz to the wall steve, 100% custom dash. That'd ROCK. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

j
 
Yes it does. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I think I'll hold off on the dash for now. Get the other stuff done and then maybe take a look. I'll learn from your adventure. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Ok I'm in, as soon as I do a cage I'm puting one of those dashes in it. One step closer to 100% off road use.
 
I have a custom dash...with an artcarr shifter also.
I'll try and get some pics asap. I don't run a stock tilt column. I run a custom steering column with a removable (i.e. Nascar) wheel.
 
Which shifter does he use or is that one of those dual automatic tranny deals? /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
That's a B&M, forget what they call (Pro Shifter or something?) If I'm not mistaken, that's the ratchet shifter that can be switched to linear.

As for the dash, you’ve seen mine. It’s like that because I can’t decide what I want to do with it. I like Stephen’s, and several others I’ve seen, but I just can’t seem to settle on anything. And, being that I had plenty of other things to work on, I haven’t been forced to decide yet. Like you, I want the shifter up where I can reach it without leaning forward, so for now I built a little shelf thingy that lifts it up and angles it back about 30*.
 
I've got a Megashifter on the shelf that I want to mount in. Looks like I'll have to build up a console or something also. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Well, my advice as someone who just installed a B&M is, don't. Get the Art Carr or other true gate shifter. My B&M is really hard to find gears in when you need to shift in a hurry. Also, I would avoid ratchet shifters like the plague.

On the subject of dashes, I uploaded some pics of various dashes to consider. I put them on my site with a simple page to keep from overloading eveyone who downloads this page. You can see it here. But fair warning, there is over 1 MB of pics on that page...
 
Oh, one more thing to keep in mind. You probably want to keep the guage pod shrouded to keep the glare from making the guages hard to read, especially when they get a coating of dust.
 
Some advice to all:

1: I recommend the art carr style shifters over anything else, they are super durable and make a good grab handle. Mine has held up really well to being in an open vehicle, which considering they were designed for marine and desert race use, isn't surprising. I have friends that have played with b&m stuff specifically and had problems with durability since they have a lot more moving parts.

2: Building that dash was kind of a pain, you need to stay somewhat dedicated to it to get the thing finished. Mine had TTC as inspiration since it had been 1/2 done for about 2 years previous. That glovebox took my brother a significant amount of time build, so you might want to consider looking at some tuffy boxes to see if you can incorporate something easier to build around. You definitely need a glovebox of some sort, there's too much little debris that needs a place to go in the vehicle, I still use a lot of bags that get clipped to the cage but that box is great.

3: you should try to incorporate the dash into the cage structure, mine runs through the firewall to the shock hoops in front and it definitely did the job in the big roll. I took a really hard hit right on the front end and nothing bent too bad. The paint's flexed around a lot of the tube joints in the dash area but it's all in one piece and didn't move enough to screw anything up too bad.
 
I'll take a look at the Art shifter. Thanks.

One thing I learned from my Circle Track days os not to use anything shiny as a dash base. That brushed aluminum looks real good untill the sun hits it and blinds you. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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all the plastic heater stuff as well.

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can stay there. you can put a few 1/4 inch spacers behind the vent for the defroster. if you have AC then put vent holes in your dash. do the same for the heater. the the top bar can be made to just chace up against the defroster vent. the controlls can be bolted right onto the dash as well. they are all vacume and cable controlled. if needed, custom cables can be made.

you can keep it all for just a little bit more work.
Grant
 
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