Okay. I have all the materials for making my new dash. Going to make a TD center instrument cluster thanks to the template from Roy.
Here’s what I have:

1   quart Mahogany stain
1   quart clear lacquer
1   3/4 inch thick x 48 inch x 12 inch oak wood; for dash
1   3/8 inch thick x 24 inch x 10 inch oak wood; for center instrument cluster
1   piece…[Read more]

That IS crazy!

John: pics of your dash? Your way sounds much easier than mine. Good on yea.

To me the aesthetic key is also adding the vinyl welting between the dash and the scuttle (several photos at link). That stuff covers most of whatever banding you use on your dashboard’s edges, hides any number of minor flaws and lends that overall finished look.

Crazy idea.  What about coating the dash with black Plasti-Dip?  🙄

Crazy idea.  What about coating the dash with black Plasti-Dip to simulate vinyl?   🙄

I made my dash out of walnut-veneer plywood from Home Depot, and sanded and stained it.  Two things I didn’t like.  The veneer made tiny chips along the edge while I was cutting it (but repairable), and the polyurethane varnish I used caught every dust particle in Las Vegas despite my best efforts.  I wish I could have found solid wood and used Ce…[Read more]

I made my dash out of walnut-veneer plywood from Home Depot, and sanded and stained it.  Two things I didn’t like.  The veneer chips easily, and the polyurethane varnish I used caught every dust particle in Las Vegas despite my best efforts.  I wish I could have found solid wood and used Cetol like Toller suggests, that would have been better bu…[Read more]

I made my dash out of walnut-veneer plywood from Home Depot, and sanded and stained it.  Two things I didn’t like.  The veneer made tiny chips along the edge while I was cutting it (but repairable), and the polyurethane varnish I used caught every dust particle in Las Vegas despite my best efforts.  I wish I could have found solid wood and used Ce…[Read more]

Allen. The stock Bug Speedo is 4 5/8 inches across the bezel. I don’t recall the hole size but 4 3/8 is probably pretty close. It’s just a hair smaller than the standard “5-inch” (actually 4 3/4) gauges you can get in the aftermarket. Given that the original TD had a slightly offset mount for the tach and speedo, I don’t think the size difference…[Read more]

Allen. The stock Bug Speedo is 4 5/8 inches across the bezel. I don’t recall the hole size but 4 3/8 is probably pretty close. It’s just a hair smaller than the standard “5-inch” (actually 4 3/4) gauges you can get in the aftermarket. Given that the original TD had a slightly offset mount for the tach and speedo, I don’t think the size difference…[Read more]

I opted for black walnut that I stained and sealed with the Cetol products. One of the few products that is still oil based and is UV resistant. I considered going with vinyl and using contact cement on the front and heating and stretching the vinyl over the edges and stapling the vinyl on the back of the dash. Problem with using the vinyl was on…[Read more]

Read through this thread…

https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/manufacturer-comparison/

Dennis,

Read through this thread and you’ll be the most educated TDr fan on your block!

https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/manufacturer-comparison/

Okay. New wood purchased for dash. Got the wood at Warner Robins Supply. So a quick question/poll. Before installing gauges…sand, stain and polish dash face or sand and cover with black vinyl? How difficult would applying vinyl be? Quick note…I’m not very good with curved surfaces.

One other question. Anyone know the diameter of  stock VW Bug speedo?

Okay. New wood purchased for dash. Got the wood at Warner Robins supply. So a quick question/poll. Before installing gauges…sand, stain and polish dash face or sand and cover with black vinyl? How difficult would applying vinyl be? Quick note…I’m not very good with curved surfaces.

I purchased a banjo wheel from Forever Sharp back in June. It was one of their “factory seconds”, meaning it had a flawed finish. It was about 40% off the regular cost; less than $100.The finish was WAY to glossy for me, anyway. So I stripped it back to the bare wood, stained it a flat walnut and buffed it a little.Looks COOL! Easy to install.…[Read more]

The car in the banner photo belongs to @jebarry.  It’s a Flat 4 banjo wheel.  Here’s a thread on banjo wheels.

Well ok then. 😉

Thanks Jack!

Hey Ed,

What a great story — even “greater” since I have met “Sharpy” and her owner.

…story was so well done that I had no choice but to “register” as a user on The City website so I read more “Ed”

Happy Jack

As the hinges are aluminum and the pins are likely steel what you may try after driving out the pins is putting the pins in a set of vice grips to put some longtitudal crimps in the shaft. When you reinsert the pins the grooves/crimps should bite into the aluminum hinge. Another option would be to put a spot weld on the pin shaft. You can then…[Read more]