Fiberglass Cluster Bezel

[Blurred Talon]

It's been a while since I've worked with fiberglass but I still remember the basics. I do need some help in figuring out the best way to go about this project.

As some of you might know, I've swapped an S2000 cluster into my 2G. The wiring is mostly done and now I need to make it look pretty.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

How can I go about this? I've got the stock bezel to work from, I was thinking of cover the cluster and using fiberglass to build it up but I'm not sure how to go about it.

Any advice?

 

[nuclearr]

What are you trying to acomplish with a fiberglass bezel? The reason I ask is it could affect how you apply it. Are you tring to add guages to the cluster or just make a new housing for the S2k cluster?

 

[DSM IN MN]

Use both a S2K and DSM one and work them together. Start by placing the S2K one over the cluster, then maybe the DSM one over that. Anything that will give you insight/an idea how to accomplish what your after.

Good luck!

 

[turbodude]

I'd use the stock cluster surround bezel as a template if you still got it. You know, that piece of plastic that screws in around your gauge cluster? Thats what i was going to use when i build my custom cluster one of these days as a frame.

What you could do is wrap the backside of the bezel in felt which is allot easier to work with that fiberglass material and just as good for fiber-glassing jobs like this, resin it up, let it dry. start sanding, dremeling the edges so they are smooth until you can insert it into the dash as you would if you were installing it around an oem cluster.

You should now be left with a flat/ blank panel so to speak... an empty canvas for you to work on, yet all the edges and empty spaces around the sides are sealed.

Start cutting/dremeling the opening for your gauge cluster to flushly mount your new cluster through the panel you just created. Not worrying to much about perfect size of opening right now. Once you get it where you want, make sure to protect your new cluster by fully wrapping it up in blue painters tape and start bondoing it in place, from the front and around the sides on the back of the panel. making sure not to bondo it in a way that will prevent you from popping your cluster out the back of the panel once the bondo sets.

Here's a link to my website page of my project i just completed on my car which is kinda similar, just on a smaller scale:

FTW Performance and Sound - Current projects

From there, use filler, sand, dremel, test fit often so you don't accidentally over sand or dremel to much away. You can also use bondo or filler to smooth out the edges where the resin and felt meets the bezel surround to round it out if you prefer giving it a more clean look, should look pretty good when all done and painted whatever color you prefer. Keep us updated!

 

[Blurred Talon]

What are you trying to acomplish with a fiberglass bezel? The reason I ask is it could affect how you apply it. Are you tring to add guages to the cluster or just make a new housing for the S2k cluster?

No gauges just making a new bezel for the S2000 cluster.

I'd use the stock cluster surround bezel as a template if you still got it. You know, that piece of plastic that screws in around your gauge cluster? Thats what i was going to use when i build my custom cluster one of these days as a frame.

What you could do is wrap the backside of the bezel in felt which is allot easier to work with that fiberglass material and just as good for fiber-glassing jobs like this, resin it up, let it dry. start sanding, dremeling the edges so they are smooth until you can insert it into the dash as you would if you were installing it around an oem cluster.

You should now be left with a flat/ blank panel so to speak... an empty canvas for you to work on, yet all the edges and empty spaces around the sides are sealed.

Start cutting/dremeling the opening for your gauge cluster to flushly mount your new cluster through the panel you just created. Not worrying to much about perfect size of opening right now. Once you get it where you want, make sure to protect your new cluster by fully wrapping it up in blue painters tape and start bondoing it in place, from the front and around the sides on the back of the panel. making sure not to bondo it in a way that will prevent you from popping your cluster out the back of the panel once the bondo sets.

Here's a link to my website page of my project i just completed on my car which is kinda similar, just on a smaller scale:

FTW Performance and Sound - Current projects

From there, use filler, sand, dremel, test fit often so you don't accidentally over sand or dremel to much away. You can also use bondo or filler to smooth out the edges where the resin and felt meets the bezel surround to round it out if you prefer giving it a more clean look, should look pretty good when all done and painted whatever color you prefer. Keep us updated!

I've heard felt is easier to work with.
The cluster is mounted to the stock screws with some strapping.

Here's some more pictures to give you guys an idea.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[turbodude]

Okay i see.... Yeah i'll be excited to see how this turns out once it's done. Keep us updated with pics for sure! Now that i see how it is in there. You can probably wrap the back of the surround bezel with felt while securing it at the edges. Leave the S2K cluster in the dash as in the pic above (make sure to protect the face of it with blue tape completely first). Then install the outer bezel allowing the felt to "bend" around the cluster's shape naturally outlining it. Then, screw the bezel in place and start resining! once the felt and resin start to harden, unscrew and remove the bezel from the cluster/dash and boom, you have the exact form and shape you need, even the outline you need to dremel out for your cluster to come through.

 

[nuclearr]

What was wrong with the prototype? Other than it need some work. What did you not like about it? How do you want to change it?

I thought the old one could use streching glass or felt from the outer base to the new suround. Like you would to do to make a guage or a raised speaker.

Here is an example of what I am talking about. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/413178-custom-gauge-pod.html

HOW ever I do not recomend panty hose as it would be very thin and brittle.

 

[turboglenn]

If i was doing the same conversion here's how i'd do it..

Take the old cluster and remove the clear part..

Mask or protect the gauges or remove them from the "shell"

USe the shell as a mold to lay fiberglass over it as if you were dulicating the clear part you removed..

Once that part's done, remove it from the shell you used as a mold, clean it up and it should sit nice and snug in the main opening in your dash, fine ways to secure this piece in securely and mount the honda gauges into it..


from there cut a hole in the peice you made for the S2k cluster to sit flush (the fiberglasss you made will be the final "face" the s2k cluster sits in, i think you catch my drift on this, so you'll want to sand, smooth and paint it after you're done doing your mock-ups and fitting of the honda cluster into it

When it's done it should look like you had the original cluster in there and just spray painted the clear part black and cut an openign to put the honda parts, i think that's the best and cleanest way i can picture mounting it all and making it look factory... and if there was any room left between the honda cluster and the edges where it meets the main dash area you could cut extra holes to mount other small indicator lights, gauges etc..

hopefully you understand what i mean, if not i can probably do some crude drawing or something

*** I have a few questions though

is the tach able to run off the same signal that runs the OEM tach?

Are you able to hook the speedometer up to the mitsu signal as well or how does that work (or can it be made to work accurately at all ?)

 

[Blurred Talon]

What was wrong with the prototype? Other than it need some work. What did you not like about it? How do you want to change it?

I thought the old one could use streching glass or felt from the outer base to the new suround. Like you would to do to make a guage or a raised speaker.

Here is an example of what I am talking about. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/413178-custom-gauge-pod.html

HOW ever I do not recomend panty hose as it would be very thin and brittle.

The prototype I made with lexan broke, mainly because the lexan was so thing and also because I made it without the dash in the car, the dash was able to flex when installing the bezel. Once I bolted the dash back into the car the bezel I had made would fit properly.

If i was doing the same conversion here's how i'd do it..

Take the old cluster and remove the clear part..

Mask or protect the gauges or remove them from the "shell"

USe the shell as a mold to lay fiberglass over it as if you were dulicating the clear part you removed..

Once that part's done, remove it from the shell you used as a mold, clean it up and it should sit nice and snug in the main opening in your dash, fine ways to secure this piece in securely and mount the honda gauges into it..


from there cut a hole in the peice you made for the S2k cluster to sit flush (the fiberglasss you made will be the final "face" the s2k cluster sits in, i think you catch my drift on this, so you'll want to sand, smooth and paint it after you're done doing your mock-ups and fitting of the honda cluster into it

When it's done it should look like you had the original cluster in there and just spray painted the clear part black and cut an openign to put the honda parts, i think that's the best and cleanest way i can picture mounting it all and making it look factory... and if there was any room left between the honda cluster and the edges where it meets the main dash area you could cut extra holes to mount other small indicator lights, gauges etc..

hopefully you understand what i mean, if not i can probably do some crude drawing or something

*** I have a few questions though

is the tach able to run off the same signal that runs the OEM tach?

Are you able to hook the speedometer up to the mitsu signal as well or how does that work (or can it be made to work accurately at all ?)

I'll have to look at maybe doing it that way Glenn, I'll bring the stock cluster out to the car this weekend when I work on it.

As for getting it all to work, check out my thread here: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/appearance-interior-exterior/382910-s2000-cluster-swap.html
I've got a video of the tach working but haven't uploaded it because my oil pressure gauge was on the fritz and beeping in the background (freaking me out). If I didn't delete the video I'll upload it this afternoon.

 

[4g63tc]

you can use Fleece as an "Organic" form to match any curves, and deflections needed to make it look "right"

Take a Look at this Vid, Pay attention at around 1 min.
Car Audio Fiberglass Fabrication II - YouTube

 

[turboglenn]

In your other thread it looks like you'd already finished this and had it mounted in the dash nicely, what happened to that setup?

 

[Blurred Talon]

In your other thread it looks like you'd already finished this and had it mounted in the dash nicely, what happened to that setup?

See above:

The prototype I made with lexan broke, mainly because the lexan was so thing and also because I made it without the dash in the car, the dash was able to flex when installing the bezel. Once I bolted the dash back into the car the bezel I had made would fit properly.

 

[turboglenn]

oops sorry i missed that part about it breaking, but your work looked great, just try it with the fiberglass. Or if you want it more tick looking you can pick up some carbon fiber cloth, then just just sand and clear it instead of painting it black

we had a bunch left over from when we wrapped the body of my friends car (only wrapped what couldn't be bought in carbon fiber parts so that it would match) and i used the left overs to make some sweet parts, i even made a body for my 1/5th scale RC car out of CF, then put some automotive clear on it and it looked pimp!!

 

[Calan]

...Or if you want it more tick looking...

What the hell is "tick looking"?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[Blurred Talon]

, I'm pretty sure he meant trick.
I'm not sure how CF would come out but it's certainly an idea. It's too bad my current panel is trashed or I could use it with CF.

Glenn, did you just buy a wrapping kit some where?

 

[turboglenn]

Yea, calan, sorry i meant trick

I will have to ask where it came from but the friend who's car we wrapped ordered a roll of carbon fiber cloth, and since we were only going for apearances instead of the resin for CF we used fiberglass resin, then sanded it smooth and cleaered it with automotive high solids clear coat. Looks beautifull, and is at least as strong as fiberglass.. I still have some of the cloth here for a project i'm working, if i end up having some left over i could send you enough to do one layer of it for looks. You could use plain fiberglass for the bulk of the build to get it thick enough to be sturdy with the top/final layer in the carbon cloth (i'm gonna text him now to ask where it was ordered from)


EDIT: After unwrapping it to take a picture i realized i don't have enough to complete my project let alone send you a piece big enough for the dash part, sorry, but you will have to order some I guess, i'm waiting to hear back about where to get some at.

to give you an idea of what it comes like here's a pic of the piece i have left for doing a few of my interior pieces with

 

[gixrman]

I would suggest a matte clear if you do it in CF. The glossy coat will cuase glare on the guage face. Also you can get your fabric in several different colors or patterns to match your theme.

 

[Calan]

Yea, calan, sorry i meant trick

I know... but I couldn't resist.

 

[turboglenn]

Calan, it's all good, there's times when i see similar things and i can never resist either, it's all good

 

[KazooGS-T]

What the hell is "tick looking"?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

This seriously had me laughing for several minutes... Thank you, sir.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Yea, calan, sorry i meant trick

I will have to ask where it came from but the friend who's car we wrapped ordered a roll of carbon fiber cloth, and since we were only going for apearances instead of the resin for CF we used fiberglass resin, then sanded it smooth and cleaered it with automotive high solids clear coat. Looks beautifull, and is at least as strong as fiberglass.. I still have some of the cloth here for a project i'm working, if i end up having some left over i could send you enough to do one layer of it for looks. You could use plain fiberglass for the bulk of the build to get it thick enough to be sturdy with the top/final layer in the carbon cloth (i'm gonna text him now to ask where it was ordered from)


EDIT: After unwrapping it to take a picture i realized i don't have enough to complete my project let alone send you a piece big enough for the dash part, sorry, but you will have to order some I guess, i'm waiting to hear back about where to get some at.

to give you an idea of what it comes like here's a pic of the piece i have left for doing a few of my interior pieces with

No worries man.
I've seen it all over the place on eBay but let me know where your friend got it from.

I would suggest a matte clear if you do it in CF. The glossy coat will cuase glare on the guage face. Also you can get your fabric in several different colors or patterns to match your theme.

Good idea/point.
I know when I had this cluster in my old car the glare was crazy bad, however it sits much deeper in the dash on the Talon then it did in my 93 Integra GS-R.

 

[Blurred Talon]

So I'm looking at buying one of these kits to do the cluster surround in CF.
Carbon Fiber Kit -cloth, epoxy, TRIPLE SIZE BEST DEAL$$ | eBay

Any experience with this kit? It's got good reviews.

I think at the same time I'll do my vent gauges, door boxes and headlight bezels

 

[spyderdrifter]

I suggest splicing the s2k cluster to the dsm cluster. Cut the s2k part that surrounds the cluster out and attach to dsm cluster so it still has OEM fitment...