41 replies to this topic

[Jackmorton]

I love this. I'm gonna have to get myself a Ford Ka dash and have a go.

[luke666222]

hows it coming along? any updates?

[minibarnerz]

hey sorry guys, will be out working on it again today, so check back this evening for updates!!

[Boycie]

I like the thinking behind this, modern (pretty funky imo) modification that is in plentiful supply in any breakers yard in the country! Would be great to utilise the dash vents, glove box etc.

Good work!

[malcs_miniturbo]

this will be awesome cant wait to see more

[minibarnerz]

well aftere a couple more days working on it, it is fitted, jsut need to fit the dials, and a couple of small finishing off bits.
will show you how i have done bits. sorry not got that many photos though, i know i took some but cant find them!

ok, so where did i leave off???
well having got it fitted in place, the ends of the dash need to be finished off, as i had cut the ends through the air vents, it wouldnt of finished off smooth so i cut out the raised bits left of the vents.
think you can see what i mean iin these pictures


once these were cut out, i used some cereal box cardboard over the end of the dash (from the front to fibreglass against. (these are the pictures that have got lost so trying to explain) this is so i will have something to fibreglass aginst and keep the shape of the dash.

drew this lil diagram... might help explain a bit...


so i used fibreglass on the back...

then filled in from the front.

then i can sand the filler down to get it all smooth!

im planning on getting it flocked but in the meantime i decided just to paint it matt black.


i started looking at the dash and wondering what to do with bits and pieces, i had three Tim guages lying around, so decided to utalise the holes left from the heater controls on the KA...

however when im sat in the car, i cant really see them too well, so may look for something else.
i think i will use the two holes below to fit some 12v cigerette sockets... usefull for sat nav/phone chargers etc.

ive got to find somewhere to put the dash panel switches and think i will use some little toggle switches in the hole left by air vent next to where the rev counter is!

i hadnt test fitted the dash with the steering cowel in place... (D'oh!) and had to do a little trimming here on the dash

i have moved flats recently n in the process seemed to of lost the cover for the airbag compartment! will have to go pick up another one.
so here are the pics of how it is now fitted.
im fitting the mini clocks into the KA dash pod, that i still have to do so watch this pace for that.





you can see how forward the dash sits with the door handles now very close to the dash, but looks modern!


so the bits to do... fit the clocks, fit the switches and close up the ends of the dash!

[drewsargent1980]

looks great nice modern twist on a mini, but i think having the handles so close to the dash would annoy me too much

[minibarnerz]

looks great nice modern twist on a mini, but i think having the handles so close to the dash would annoy me too much

think it looks closer with angle of the photo, but there is about 3cm space there, plenty to get your fingers into... what more do you need space there for?!

[maggies_minder]

looking good,
you could always mount the 52mm guages at an angle, like speaker pods using fibreglass. that way they will point towards you while you drive.

[Dan16v]

the main problem I found with that area is its the same height as the top of the gearknob in 1st, so your forever hitting your knuckles againt the switches/dials.

I did think of putting these gauges in the glove box area on an angled platform, but just kept the glovebox in the end

looking good though, mine took months to get the point you have with yours

[luke666222]

looking goood!

[Carlzilla]

You could always spin the door handles round so that theyre pointing towards the back of the car instead of tight up against the dash

[mini_mad69]

Your gearstick looks quite close to the dash, is it going to miss?

[h4wx1e]

the gear leaver issue is dependent on hand position on the gear knob when driving really, you can get away with it but i found with mine when i was making fast gear changes my one knuckle kept tapping the head unit and it got boring after abit so re made it so i can put a full fist over the gear knob with room to spare. you can always bend the gear stick if its a problem like dan did with his.

[minibarnerz]

i fitted the gearstick today, and it doesn't actually hit in 1st but is way to close for what i want! I havent bent the bar, and thought i HAD to, so im pleasently surprissed, gonna bend about an inch, and see how that feels!

i fitted carpets and door cards now too and it really does look good! will take some pictures with a camera rather than my phone so they are better quality!