Console and dash Construction

joeford · #1 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 07:27 AM

I have a 36 ford coupe that I wish to construct a custom console and dash.
While deep into my 50's I'm a beginner in hot rodding....I have some wood working skills and wondering if the best approach to building the dash and console would be to frame it in plywood and cover it with either foam and leather or some material like rodor offers. What ideas or experiences are out there? Pics if you have them...thanks...

302 Z28 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 08:55 AM

Don't use plywood, use MDF board (medium density fiber), it's much easier to work with than plywood and is also lighter. Once you finalize the shape you can either cover it with vinyl or leather, or you can use it as a buck and form a fiberglass console.

Vince

**willys36@aol.com** · #3 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 08:58 AM

keith1 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 08:20 PM

Hi,

Dont want to sway you one way or the other , but you might think about aluminum.

I made the following out of .063 al. 3003 h 14. It works easy and if you position your joints right you can bolt it together without welding. It is for a 1940 Ford.

302 Z28 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 08:52 PM

Wow, that is awesome. Did you form it around a wooden buck?

Vince

keith1 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 08:58 PM

Thanks,

I used a piece of plywood for a buck on the opening in the console.

Keith Daleen
Sedalia, Mo.

joeford · #7 (**permalink**) 06-11-2005, 11:18 PM

Now there's a great idea....will definitely be lighter....
And absolutely an awesome console you've got going.....

gothrod87 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-12-2005, 02:56 PM

Thats a wicked console man..with the buck do you just bend and hammer the alumminum around it and then pop it up off the mold? ive been wanting to do a metal dash for my 84 s10...something like that would be awsome,
thanks,
GOTH

keith1 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-12-2005, 06:58 PM

Thanks , It is pretty much that simple , I just used the plywood to form the metal for the inner opening, I used a brake to form the sides and a little slapper and dolly action at the very end.

Keith

**willys36@aol.com** · #10 (**permalink**) 06-12-2005, 10:12 PM

I hadn't thought of using aluminum but that is a neat trick. You can make any shape bump or bubble you desire. Just cut the proper shape profile of a hole in a piece of 3/4" plywood and hammer the aluminum into the hole as deep as you want the blister to be. Finish it w/ a little TLC hammer and dolly work.

Neophyte · #11 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willys36@aol.com

Thanks for referring to my journal Willys. I appreciate the extra exposure.

I am currently busy with upholstering the console's panels. Last night I gave the console frame a quick blast of paint to cover the raw metal. I have now also painted the instrument bezels blue to offset them again the white face and the white console. Only after cleaning my spray-gun I remembered I didn't paint the handbrake lever. Hopefully I'll have the console panels done tonight and post the pictures when the journal is working again.

Keith, I quite like your idea with the aluminum. Looks great! To be very honest I doubt if I'll try something like that at this stage. It's definitely something I could look at trying when I eventually start my 48 GMC panel truck. I think a console like that should then look quite cool.

Neophyte · #12 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 02:48 PM

Hi guys,

Here's a pic of my console so far:

Kevin45 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 05:45 PM

Quote:

I hadn't thought of using aluminum but that is a neat trick. You can make any shape bump or bubble you desire. Just cut the proper shape profile of a hole in a piece of 3/4" plywood and hammer the aluminum into the hole as deep as you want the blister to be. Finish it w/ a little TLC hammer and dolly work.

Not always that simple. First off you need the right grade of aluminum. 3003 is dead soft aluminum so it will form pretty easily. 6061-0 is soft and can be formed but will be tuffer than the 3003. If you pick a piece of 6061-T6 or a piece of 5053-H, then you will have a heck of a time forming it by hand. So picking the right grade is a must. I work in Tool and Die and work with all types of forms and types of aluminum. If you try to go too deep on some pocket shapes without a punch and die to shape it, you can develop wrinkles, stretches, and tears that can be a bear to get around. But for larger simple curves and shapes should be no problem. If you know how to weld aluminum it is an added plus.

Kevin

**willys36@aol.com** · #14 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 08:34 PM

True, you do need the proper grade of material. However, doing it carefully and annealing it every so often (heating it with a torch then quenching), you can take the metal to amazing depth. I took a metal working class in college and one of our projects was to hammer a jar from a flat piece of metal. You can literally hammer nearly a sphere if you take you time and anneal a lot. brass and copper are easiest since they are no problem to anneal. Aluminum is goosey since it melts before it give you an annealed color change. Just heat it with a feathered flame until a pine shaving is scorched by laying it on the surface and you got it. No big deal, like everything else in life just takes a little practice.

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