Date:         Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:39:03 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dash Cluster Substitute + Reproduce It ?
In-Reply-To:  <CEC308C2-3F81-4D0E-961D-DED666B5027A@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

   You can "make" anything, given the desire and the $...  Putting together
an excellent dash is not difficult at all....if you concentrate on
functionality.   The dash in a vanagon....it is more accessible and
functionally simple than most vehicles....but they are pretty fragile in
places and they are a bit frustrating sometimes.

What makes for difficulties and for fragile constructs is the premise that
it has to be "slick" if it's made for a production vehicle at the factory.
It has to be cheap, yet slick and 'stupid-proof' so the makers don't get
sued when little Billy or Janie get left in the vehicle while Mommy runs
into the store and little Billy sticks a coathanger into a hot wire or
pinches his wittell fingies on an exposed nut or bolt.

  If you made a dash unit, I'd make it like a racecar.   Forget about
'slick' and concentrate on function.  Leave the screws right out front so
you could get it off and on with ease, repeatedly.  Have some easy access
to all the instruments and wires.  Put it right in front of the driver and
then....then and only then, start to worry about how it might look......

   Lexan makes a really nice instrument face and it's simple to work with
handtools.  Aluminum, carbon fiber sheet stock...those, too make for a
simple 'face' to mount the switches and instruments.   A couple of big
fasteners to release the whole cluster from what ever it mounts into,  so
you can put it in your lap and see what is what so you can work on the
wires and connections.....I like them like that....    We built some really
nice ones for the instruments in custom yachts using really dark Lexan for
the panel face...

  Don Hanson

On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 9:35 AM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:

> Frank G did a nice job Neil, I hope he chimes in. Meanwhile pics and text
> of his work here on this page in my blog
>
>
> http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/vanagon-frank-g-s-instrument-cluster-mod/
>
>
> alistair
>
>
> On 2011-11-21, at 9:11 AM, neil n wrote:
>
> > Hi all.
> >
> > On thesamba.com there's a thread on adapting a Fox cluster to the
> Vanagon.
> > I can't find the thread right now, but it should be there. The thread
> > content was aimed, in part, toward the Suby crew, but IIRC, the swap is
> > applicable to any Vanagon.
> >
> > What would it take to reproduce a new cluster housing? Is it even $
> > feasible to do this? Thoughts towards this?
> >
>