Just got my maverick last week and it needs a lot of work. I'm gonna start out with the work to the dash and was gonna do a fiberglass dash but don't know how to make it. Does anyone have step by step instructions on how to make one, and how much a price range would be?
Try to find some big rigid polyurethane foam (or closed cell polystyrene) blocks at a hobby store or craft store. You'll want the density to be somewhere in the 4-15 pound range. Just be sure they're the variety that can be shaped. Mount them to the car and start sanding away on it to get the shape that you want. You can also use a hot wire cutter for rough shaping. Now you have a mold with which to make your dash. Cost depends entirely on where you buy your materials and what kind of mat you end up using. Check out marine supply stores. They should be able to set you up with some course weave and fine weave for the structural support and finish that you want. Get some mold release and a roller to get all the bubbles out of the glass when you lay it down. Two layers of coarse weave, and one layer of fine weave with a generous amount of resin should create a pretty good surface. You can probably get some kind of roller to texture the surface if you want that instead of super smoothe. Then prime and paint and you're done. Then just remember that if you want to ever re-use your mold, you'll have to be careful about concave shapes or you'll never get the mold out in one piece. For instance, if you have some kind of curved lip on the front of your dash, the shape of the mold is such that it will not come out when the glass hardens. Working with glass is disgusting and messy and you need a dust mask when you sand it. Other than that, it's great. You can also do the same thing with carbon fiber mat and resin if you vacuum bag your mold.
If this is going to be a one time deal I wouldnt recommend building a plug and mold due to expense. I would just build a plug and pull the final fiberglass dash straight off that. Its alot easier and less expensive. The part wont be as super smooth as if you had built a mold off the plug then made your final part from that, but if done right its nothing and coat or 2 of primer wont fix. I would say your going to spend at least $200. I've done parts for other cars this way. One thing I can tell you is make sure you have enough resin. You'll be very surprised at how much resin the fiberglass cloth or matt soaks up. Usually you weigh the cloth your going to use and that will tell you how much resin you need per the manufacture. Good luck!
Check out fiberglast.com ....they used to have a lot of "how to" articles there. You can also buy supplies from them. HTH... Later,
