So one of the winter projects for my ‘90 Miata is taking the dash out to do a heater core and new carpeting. So it got me thinking about making a simple race inspired aluminum dash and not replacing the stock dash. There aren’t any airbags to deal with but I would retain all of the other functionality as it is my summer driver.
Your thoughts will be welcomed. Thanks!
Sultan wrote: So one of the winter projects for my ‘90 Miata is taking the dash out to do a heater core and new carpeting. So it got me thinking about making a simple race inspired aluminum dash and not replacing the stock dash. There aren’t any airbags to deal with but I would retain all of the other functionality as it is my summer driver. Your thoughts will be welcomed. Thanks!
My thoughts are that it would be cool. You would probably spend the rest of eternity chasing down rattles, but cool. Also, glare?
Joey
Isn't the dash in a '90 pretty damn light to start with? I'm betting you could save more weight in other places.
I'd sand blast it to get rid of the glare, or paint it a flat black (heat?). As for the rattles, mount it with some rubber isolators or that foam stuff around the edges. It'd surely be awesome, but plan ahead for things like this and it won't drive you crazy.
Unless your stock dash is trashed for some reason, I wouldn't bother. You can make a stock dash pretty damn light. What about a half-dash?
I am doing this to my E30 after the silly season. I am going to emulate the pic below from my friends 2002 vintage racer - and also finish it with flat black crinkle paint.
That is really sharp.
A 1990 Miata dash is almost weightless, especially if you cut the lower half off. Under 15 lbs, including the cross bar that supports the steering column. See some pictures here: http://targamiata.com/tags.php?tag=weight%20loss
The idea was born out of form and not function. Thanks everybody.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I am doing this to my E30 after the silly season. I am going to emulate the pic below from my friends 2002 vintage racer - and also finish it with flat black crinkle paint.
Do this in the Miata. It's friggin gorgeous!!!
I sure wish there was a company(Flyin Miata) who specialized in Miatas would offer one for sale……:-)
If you keep all the HVAC, it's never going to look as pretty as that BMW. Too much stuff on the firewall, and you'll need to add vents on the face and along the base of the dash. The factory vents will integrate well, however.
Note that this car does NOT have HVAC, it has a blower in the footwell instead. The HVAC bits are pretty hefty.
Bumping this thread since I found an old picture on my computer. I have always liked the way this Miata interior looks but I want to keep the HVAC...at least for now.
I wonder what kind of seats those are.
In reply to EvanB:
ok, thats seriously cool.
edit: I just noticed thats the radio trim modified to extend the center console.....maybe the HVAC still works thru the 2 vents that are now facing upward???
Woody wrote: I wonder what kind of seats those are.
the expensive kind...
Ok that is cool! Those seats are pricy. The company is classic seats or something like that
That's a gorgeous dash. Someone's put a huge amount of work into it. It's odd that he left the big center console armrest in place, I'd remove it. Makes the car feel much bigger. I did the same to the MG.
Woody wrote: I wonder what kind of seats those are.
Seats from an Elise? They look like the non-Probax ones in early Federal Elises.
Keith I was thinking the same, all that modification, he could have either shortened the stock one up, or replaced it with a shorty console from some aftermarket vendor.
I also really liked my miata without the center console. You just get used to using your nuts as a cupholder after a little while.
Or replaced it with the Nakamae center delete thingymabobber.
I wonder how it'd look with the entire plastic piece removed, leaving just the shifter sprouting from the trans tunnel. I think it would complete the retro/LBC look he seems to be shooting for (with the seats and Moto Lita wheel etc.)
Sort of like:
Here's two miatas with Nakamae "consoles."
^Nice! That's exactly what I was getting at.
If/(when?) I have a Miata, it'll definitely be 'retro'-themed. I figure that's basically all of the 'cool' of an old British roadster, with superior driveability and performance.
Luke wrote: ^Nice! That's exactly what I was getting at. If/(when?) I have a Miata, it'll definitely be 'retro'-themed. I figure that's basically all of the 'cool' of an old British roadster, with superior driveability and performance.
Take a gander around here.... this is one of the best "retro" Miatas i've ever seen:
http://www.revlimiter.net/
His interior pictures make me drool.
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