http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/PB240062.jpg

So, the previous owner of my CJ7 had made quite a mess of the dash with trying to install a radio & speakers. The radio hole was crooked, and the original speaker slots had been butchered in order to try & fit different speakers. I had added another hole myself to the left of the steering column to add an in-cab winch remote, and botched that job as well.

In an effort to try & fix this, I trimmed all the openings, and tried to weld in patch panels. My idea was that I could weld in the patch panels, slap a little bondo on it, and it'd be good as new. Long story short, it almost looked worse after I got done with it, than when I started.

I got to thinking I could probably just reverse-design the factory dash, putting it into AutoCAD, and then sending the flat layout out to some places around to see what having one 'cut' would cost. I checked prices on basic 'replacement' dashes, and found them to be ridiculously expensive for a piece of tin. Besides - I wanted to customize mine a bit, so that it looked 'kinda' factory, but more suited to my needs.

I sat down with my dash & my laptop one evening, and a few hours later I had a preliminary layout for my dash. After going back and forth on design & capabilities with the company doing the work (they were awesome to deal with)this is what showed up a few nights later:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P1250004.jpg


Originally, my dash was 'loaded' - radio/w speaker grilles, clock & tach. My clock has long since hazed over, but my tachometer is still operable. It was very difficult to see in it's stock location (to the right of the steering column, above the wiper switch). I decided to get rid of the radio & speaker holes, get rid of the clock opening (left side of steering column) and rearrange the oil pressure & voltage gauges so that I could have the factory tach more in the 'center' of the dash, where it would be easier to see.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P1250001.jpg

I'm actually have to do a slight redesign on it right now, as the tachometer hits the defroster plenum - I'm just going to relocate the oil & voltage gauges so the reside vertically next to the speedo, rather than horizontally. That will allow me to move the tach down a little, and give the plenum the room it needs.

Oh - did I mention I wanted something a little beefier than the stamped original?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P1250002.jpg


Not sure what factory is (18/20ga maybe?) but I had this one cut out of 11ga. Nice and rigid, without being overkill.

After smashing one of my fingers a couple weeks ago, I hadn't been able to do much work in the garage. Finally though, this past weekend I got some time, and enough dexterity in my hand to work on the project again.

I didn't have the tools or money to build a custom steel glovebox, so I'm using the factory cardboard one for the time being. I made a new glovebox door out of aluminum treadbrite because the factory one wouldn't work.

Here are some pics:

Test fitting the new hinge for the glovebox:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5250012.jpg

Getting ready for paint:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5250013.jpg

First coat of primer on the backside:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5260015.jpg

First coat of color:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5270016.jpg

Two cans of color, two cans of clear, and some gauges:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5280018.jpg

I put new indicators in, but everything else is factory (switches & gauges):
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5280019.jpg

A shot of the glovebox opening:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5280023.jpg

And finally some installed pics:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5280024.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/OlBlueCJ7/Dash Project/P5280025.jpg

The reason I changed the dash was because my old one was a cluttered mess. It had butchered speaker holes, a crooked radio, and was just a general mess. My Jeep came with the factory tach (to the right of the column) and clock (to the left of the column), and I could never see the tach very well past the steering wheel. I relocated the tach out to the center of the dash where it's easier to see, as well as stacking the oil pressure & voltmeter on top of each other rather than the stock configuration of side by side. I also moved the glovebox up a bit for leg room (this dash is about 1/2" shorter than stock).

I'm very happy with how it turned out - huge thanks to www.ironscorpion.com (Clodhopper here on the board) for cutting this out for me, just the way I wanted! Much cheaper than an aftermarket dash, and it's custom.

Looks nice........


Too bad you have to have your passanger read the tach for you

Actually, I can read just fine from the driver's seat. It's a hell of a lot easier to see now than it's stock location.

Looks great, I have my Tach (aftermarket) in front of my face on the cage upright. Was there when I bought the jeep. Don't mind it during the day, but any night driving and the light from the tach is a pain.

sweet work, nice quality. me likey!

Good job

Very nice. I'm planning on replacing my dash one of these days. Same problem: all factory options but half work! I take it you have a program on your computer (autocad) to make that? I'd like to keep all the stock HVAC/headlight/wiper switches but customize everything else. Probably Autometer gauges (already have oil pressure/temp gauges from Autometer).
Looks great!

Very nice work! I'm jealous.

Looks good smooth work, I did something similar a couple of years ago...turned out good...to me cj dashes make it hard to read the gauges no matter what...I wish I had taken the time to make the center section where the gauges are angles out towards the driver...may still do that when I go to an auto

I thuoght about doing that as well, either with angled gauge cups, or the entire section being angled, but to me it was more important to maintain a stock-ish appearance. I like the flat dash - it's seems so uncomplicated compared to a lot of rigs out there that have all sorts of crap in/on the dash.

Any 'other' stuff (switches, winch controls, radios, etc) will go in a center console, which is next on my agenda.

dash.http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=247957&stc=1&d=1149207255
Dash 2.jpg

Just one of those complicated ones out there that have all sorts of crap in/on it. Stuff from ebay.:grinpimp:

The stainless center of the dash where the gauges are is tilted back about 10 degrees or so for easy viewing.

Very clean dash, Nice job.

Looks great, just don't know about the diamond plate glove box. It looks like an after thought.

i had the same problem like olblue had. here is my dash http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/horselaff/jeep030.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/horselaff/62ee6341.jpg


http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/horselaff/jeep018.jpg


overlook that 160 speedo lol

resqme - what's that big stainless box at the top for? Looks like it's hiding something :)

horselaff - How were you able to mount those two upper small gauges (to the right of the speedo)without hitting the defroster plenum?

It's a stainless storage box. It's actually the same dimensions as the stock CJ dash pad and takes its place, provides some storage. I think the pic just makes it look huge. Great place for a sidearm, radios, sunscreen, a snack, whatever.