Which dashboard option (to match dark blue leather)

[Chris71]

I'm thinking about changing the dash panel in my Chimaera. The existing unit is very odd. I strongly suspect it was homemade as it's an un-varnished wooden panel, rather than the usual veneer on a metal backing plate. There's nothing wrong with it as such, but I'm really not keen on the look. So, I'm thinking about changing it.

Initially I was thinking of one of the deeper wooden veneers (I think you can get one which is sort of cherry wood?) but now I'm also considering turned aluminium.

The interior is very dark blue (almost black) leather and the exterior is bright yellow. What would you go for?

[pwd95]

I always think turned alloy looks good with dark leather.

[900T-R]

I must say I really liked the Top Gear road test 450 demonstrator (P xxx TFR) - yellow, purplish blue leather, yellow dials on a dark/reddish brown walnut dash.

I feel the veneer dashes work particularly well with the warmer/more colourful interior schemes; in my flint grey interior I felt it looked a bit out of place (a bit early '90s Japanese 'luxury' IYKWIM), the current stainless steel makes it hang together far better with the solid red bodywork and the OZ split rims IMO, more a no nonsense classic sports car feel.

[scotty_d]

Alloy or stainless every time i just dont think the wood looks all that great in a TVR its good for Jags and big bardges but not in a modernish sports car.

[Benjaminpalma]

[miniman]

Benjaminpalma said:

Nice, what's on the little plaque?

[Markh]

Always thought the wood looked a bit tacky myself and teh turned metal was trying a bit too hard so went for carbon fibre (the real stuff not dodgy stick on) Tim from ACT did a great job on mine

[deeen]

Wood looks OK if you want the car to look olde-worlde, goes well with green paint and sand leather, for example.

However, with yellow / dark blue, ally would keep it much more fresh and modern, IMHO. And that carbon dash looks great, never seen that in a Chim before!

[jsr]

A few before and after pics of my dash with dark blue leather. Originally wood, but i much prefer the metal.

[Milky400]

+1 GOOD CHOICE

[Harrytsg]

I'm going to be replacing the split veneer in mine this week, unfortunately in the "dodgy stick on" stuff Markh refers to, although to justify the low cost option if I don't like it it won't have cost much, and if I do I can look to getting it done properly.

I'm just negotiating the use of a particularly expensive hairdryer to mould the vinyl, apparently it's not for working on my 'bl@@dy' car with.

Edited by Harrytsg on Monday 27th December 09:03

Edited by Harrytsg on Monday 27th December 09:05

[peaktorque]

This is 'dodgy' stick on carbon fibre

[ralphy12345]

Harrytsg said:

I'm just negotiating the use of a particularly expensive hairdryer to mould the vinyl, apparently it's not for working on my 'bl@@dy' car with.

I don't intend to hijack the thread (which i'm really enjoying as my dash is also on need of 'something') but your comment did make me laugh as I've fallen foul of the "It's not for that!" ruling too:



R

[Harrytsg]

Ralphy

I'm tempted to ask what temperature you baked your rocker covers at and how long for, try as I might i can't find any reference in Jamie Olivers cook books. (Maybe we should start a thread on how many bits of cars have been in a dishwasher?!)

Chris

In an attempt at bringing your thread back onto topic, I was inspired this morning to get on with applying the 'dodgy' stick on stuff, I think it actually looks quite good, but then I'd be a bit biased.

Edited by Harrytsg on Monday 27th December 20:18

[Markh]

Markh said:

Always thought the wood looked a bit tacky myself and teh turned metal was trying a bit too hard so went for carbon fibre (the real stuff not dodgy stick on) Tim from ACT did a great job on mine

Sorry guys when I said 'dodgy' I feel if you are going for the carbon style, then use the real thing

[Krautchimaera]

what I like most about the Chim is that she is a real classic English roadster. No way I am swapping my wooden dash for anything else apart from a different veneer maybe

[900T-R]

Krautchimaera said:

what I like most about the Chim is that she is a real classic English roadster.

Granted but the plain stainless steel style has enough precedent in that stakes, too IMO. It all depends on the interior/exterior color combo.

Agree that some of the finishes do look a bit too 'try hard' for the wee Chimaera.

[Chris71]

deeen said:

Wood looks OK if you want the car to look olde-worlde, goes well with green paint and sand leather, for example.

However, with yellow / dark blue, ally would keep it much more fresh and modern, IMHO. And that carbon dash looks great, never seen that in a Chim before!

This is precisely the logic that made me think about something other than wood.

In general I'm a traditionalist, but I think it's fair to say my Chim is not a traditional example. It's very, very yellow and pretty shortly it's going to be running on some contemporary alloys (not the dubious boy-racer ones in the pics, but still something non-standard). If it was blue with cream leather and a set of pristine Estorils then I'd go straight for the wood. As it is I think I might be a bit more adventurous.

Also, I suspect I might find a huge mass of dark-coloured materials a bit overpowering. A shiny metal dash might contrast nicely and brighten it up a little.

Whatever I go for I need to do a few odd jobs while I'm there:

• Change the stereo head unit (it has a Minidisc unit there at the moment which is annoying!)
• Correct an intermittent fault in the wiring to the heater control LEDs
• Stick a decent bulb in to illuminate the speedo - as it is I don't know how fast I'm going at night (honestly officer)

Oh, speaking of stereo matters (going a bit O/T...) am I likely to need to get to the back of the head unit again if I change the speakers? I'm just trying to think of any up-coming jobs I might want to do while the dash was out.

[900T-R]

Chris71 said:

Oh, speaking of stereo matters (going a bit O/T...) am I likely to need to get to the back of the head unit again if I change the speakers? I'm just trying to think of any up-coming jobs I might want to do while the dash was out.

Only if you wanted to upgrade the speaker wiring. Mine came with the correct spade connectors for any run-of-the-mill aftermarket speakers you may install at the door end, so being the lazy barsteweard I am I left well enough alone.

Thing is you will likely end up with 5 1/4" speakers as no one seems to make the true 16 cm speakers the car orginally came with anymore, and anything with an outer circumference greater than 165 mm dia (grills included) will pose an installation challenge...

Just as you can't get Bridgestone tyres to replace the OE front Bridgestones the car came with anymore, you can't get Pioneer speakers to replace the OE Pioneers, these days... how's that for OE supplier support...

[garfys v8s]

I had my dash stripped and painted the same colour as my car (silver stardust) and love it , the surrounding leather is dark blue. It definately works.