Dash repair suggestions

[metriccrescentwrench]

I'm rebuilding a bassboat and need to replace the dash 'inserts'. The passenger side one is in very bad condition, it's pretty much just held together in places with the vinyl covering. Purchasing replacements is out of the question because the boat manufacturer has been out of business for nearly 20 years, plus the existing gauge layout isn't going to meet my needs. I'm considering my options, and would like to hear suggestions from anyone who's done this.

I'm thinking my options are to

1) Do away with the 'inserts' altogether and just build up the consoles with plywood and fiberglass. While that would work it would be pretty ugly.

2) Glass over the existing 'insert'

3) Using the existing pieces as a mold and make new fiberglass ones.

I wish I was a better carpenter, I'd make some nice looking wood ones and glass over those, but that's one thing I don't have the tools or experience for.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Dash repair suggestions

Not sure who's tin boat resto it is, but they took a page from car audio component construction and made a minimal frame to accommodate their new layout, stretched fleece over it, and coated it w/ poly resin. Limited only by your imagination & fab skills. I'm not sure being a great carpenter is required. It just needs to stand up to pulling the fleece taut....

Found it:
1987 Bluefin Sportsman 1900 - The Fun Begins

If you all remember my original consoles were trashed and was planning on making new ones. That has been a lot of the delay. Couple of mock ups didn't work out or feel right, so I kept fiddling around. Got to looking on youtube at fiberglass projects. Watched a few of these guys make up speaker boxes for their cars and I started thinking along those lines. Today I finishedup the port side frame work for the console. We got them placed in the boat where I believe they are gonna end up. Pulled out the windshield and gave that a test fit. Seems like it might work. Fiberglass resin should be here on Tuesday. Hopefully I will have fleece stretched over frames and any tweaking done by then. Then I can see if this is gonna work or not.

Got the ''skeleton'' for the starboard side console coated with resin yesterday. Stretched fabric and applied resin tonite. I like the way it looks. I'm hoping it keeps going the way I thought it would. Few minor setbacks with staple guns that wouldn't cut the mustard and a frantic run to Menards in the middle of resin coating, but all in all, not bad for first attempt ...so far. Going to get port side started tomorrow. Then if time allows start laying the glass