Dashboard Debate - Original Veneer or Carbon Fibre??

[PJ57]

Hey folks. My original veneer dash is knackered, and I need to decide whether to go with a refurb of the existing wood finish and have the possibility of having to do the whole lot again in a few years, or go Carbon Fibre.

The issue I have is that the car and I may well be in NZ in a couple of years time, with far harsher sunshine, so trying to think ahead as to whether there will be more cracking problems with the veneer?

The chim is being sorted by Carl Baker in a couple of weeks, so have to hurry and make a decision by then, as I can get it fitted when the dash top is off.

Carbon looks like good value for money, just wondering how it would look vs the original wood design?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated

Thanks

[ukdj]

+1 for carbon here, but think it totally depends on the interior/colour scheme of the car whether it looks better than wood veneer - beauty in the eye of the beer holder & all that ....

[PJ57]

Thanks, colour scheme as below.



Thinking it would match the roof well, but the veneer looks great too......barr all the cracks

[TJC46]

covered mine in a silver carbon effect vinyl, and very pleased with it too.

This was approx 3 to 4 years ago and still looks as good as new.

Heres a link to my original post, and a few replies with different alternatives.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Alexdaredevils]

Black suede for me, not chavy or old man spec

[PJ57]

Ooh, that looks rather nice. definitely suits the lighter dash panels though.

Need to photoshop that against the dark blue dash top.

Think it looks like a modern take on the chim dash

[Discopotatoes]

TVR made the mistake of veneering directly onto metal they should have glued a wooden base veneer on first so it minimises the movement in the top layer

[Nosh]

Did mine in the same colour as the car.....



My original post is here >>>>

But I must say, I have a hankering for the veneer again.....

Nosh

Edited by Nosh on Sunday 23 August 21:16

[Bassfiend229hp]

Alexdaredevils said:

Black suede for me, not chavy or old man spec

Just a little 'porn king'...

Phil

[Alexdaredevils]

Bassfiend229hp said:

Alexdaredevils said:

Black suede for me, not chavy or old man spec

Just a little 'porn king'...

Phil

Going for something abit different with my new dash

[Bassfiend229hp]

Alexdaredevils said:

Bassfiend229hp said:

Alexdaredevils said:

Black suede for me, not chavy or old man spec

Just a little 'porn king'...

Phil

Going for something abit different with my new dash

Have got back on to mine too ... just trying to get an AFR gauge custom made my the guys who now make 'Smiths' gauges.

Making up wiring looms is a bloody PITA though...

P

[pwd95]

Carbon can look great or a bit 3h1t.

The last Chim I bought had a carbon dash done by the previous owner & I thought it worked well......




I'm also a fan of the traditional wood but the brushed alloy look will work well with the darl blue...

[Mr Plow]

PJ57 said:

Thanks, colour scheme as below.



Thinking it would match the roof well, but the veneer looks great too......barr all the cracks

Same colour scheme as me. I've been thinking about going the same colour as the body, but more of an enamel effect?

Be interested to hear more about the AFR gauge you getting done?

[TV8]

I put a carbon dash in my last car which was similar colours to the OPs. Pic attached.

On my current car, I put in a piano black dash. It is vinyl sandwiched on aluminium, it is very solid and I think it looks great!

Pics here : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[TV8]

pic is to large! sorry about that. pholt is the current owner and has lots of pics of the car, so might be worth looking him up

[shake n bake]

For what it's worth op, The dash in mine when I got mine was awful, as in some hand pump had put varnish over split veneer in the hope of magic happening.
I replaced it with a squared steel type thing, it looks better, but I'd prefer a veneered dash now.
You make your choices and that.....

[Pupp]

FM follows function doesn't it. Stainless or a composite are the way to go... veneer is pretty but ultimately futile if the car gets used

[Zippee]

Have you thought about brushed stainless? This was the interior of my old Chim and I really love the look, especially with the wooden personal wheel;

[Cokes]

I've just put brushed stainless in mine.
Although I have the black dials so can't quite show how yours would look.

[J400GED]

How about this?