PDA

View Full Version : coverting to center steering



LBS
09-14-2002, 04:47 PM
Hi!
I am converting my project boat to center steer, I have to fill in the holes where my gauges are now and redrill for the helm. I have two questions.

1) Do I need to beef up the area behind the dash, the original gauges are just off ether side of center line (3 1/2 gauges)?

2) I would like to cover the dash face with something that looks like carbon fiber. Can anybody tell me where I can find maybe something in plastic that looks like carbon fiber?

Thanks
Larry.

TTriton
09-14-2002, 06:19 PM
How about just useing carbon fiber.. I have used carbon fibre before just for the look. You can spray PVA onto a sheet of glass then lay up a sheet of carbon fibre with SURFCOTE resin which is super clear. Once layed up you can pop it off with pressurized air or a water hose.. You can cut this to shape and you would want to paint to back side of this black since you layed this up as one layer and it will show thou. then you can epoxy this to your dash giving it a REAL carbon fibre look with and only cost about $40

BarryStrawn
09-14-2002, 06:25 PM
Why use fake? I noticed this the other day.
Very thin so if your panel is unsupported you would probably need to add a layer or two of regular glass to the reverse side.

http://www.tapplastics.com/fiberglass/fiberglass_fabrics/169_carbon_fiber.html

vector mike
09-16-2002, 07:07 AM
Look behind your dash to see if it has the same support all the way across the back. On my Viper and Vector they have the same reinforcement all the way across the dash with no need of extra support for converting it to center steer.:)

Rickracer
09-16-2002, 07:59 AM
...you may want to re-inforce it from behind with some aluminum. Relatively inexpensive, and easy to work with. :cool:

Techno
09-16-2002, 08:23 PM
I laminated a top hat that contained graphite. It made the part black. If you want the look then use glass and make it black. Paint it or whatever. This part used linear fibers and I assume you want cloth or bias- the crows foot stuff? laminate it with the look you want but very dry so the weave shows. Then paint it black and clear it. Wa- La, graphite.

I don't understand why people want the graphite look or why you wouldn't fake it, that stuff is spensive! If you have to tell someone its graphite then - well it should stand on its own.http://members.lycos.co.uk/technostv/hpbimg/tophatm1.jpg