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ryaano18
11-25-2013, 02:31 PM
I wanted to show how i make interior pieces to make just about any piece you want in the interior. Below is something i did for a good friend of mine monjarassi and his gauge cluster.

This is a brief DIY and i will try to make it generic since everyone's car will be different.

Parts needed:

1 tube of Norton Speed Grip (i use 5 min Grip however they make faster and slower drying ones)
Norton SpeedGrip Gun
Sheet of 1/4 ABS Plastic (sizes will vary depending on what you are building)
Disposable gloves (DO NOT let this stuff get on your skin)
Lots of blades
Sand paper, 80-400 grit
a dremel with various bits
and the Item you're working on

First here's the item we are working with. Monjarassi needed a good place to mount his gauges and since he didnt have AC we had a perfect place to mount them.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo1_zpsb6523094.jpg

so using a dremel I cut out the area of the vents, be careful because if you cut too much then you're adding more work to fix it

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo3_zps666990ab.jpg

Since the cluster on the ep3 angles upward i had to angle the gauges down so it would sit eye level. My solution was building a boxed in cavity. Follow the directions of the speed grip to know how to apply it

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo4_zpsb64129b4.jpg

Yes it will look like crap at first but we will work with it

fill in all gaps with abs plastic and apply the speed grip generously to use as filler

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo5_zpsa46372a2.jpg

Now start the sanding with 80-100 grit to break down the big spots

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo11_zpsbd7939ed.jpg

Then add more filler

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo21_zpsb302b45f.jpg

sand and repeat. Work your way up to 250 grit when youre getting closer to the finished product

NOTE: This make take 4-5 filling sanding tries before getting what you want. Take your time

Next i drilled the holes for the gauges by measuring and cutting with a dremel by using the gauges as a template.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo31_zpse4bbb465.jpg

and this is the finished product of sanding with 250 grit

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo51_zps2088d4b4.jpg

Now on to primer. i used 400 grit to make it even smoother before applying the primer

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo12_zpsda105a67.jpg

There are a couple dimples that wet-sanding with 400-800 will help get rid of and this is the finished product.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo22_zps8e78bd49.jpg

and assembled

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab225/ryaano18/photo32_zps1291c99e.jpg

There is always room for improvement but i feel this came out pretty well and the gauges sit very visible in Monjarassi's car. I left the cluster primer because im not a painter and didnt want to paint it and take the chance of it not matching the other pieces. SOOOO ill just let the customer handle that part lol I dont have a pic of the cluster in the car but maybe Monjarassi will chime in.

Any questions please let me know since i kind of rushed this DIY a little as i didn't really take too many pics of the process. These pics were taken because Monjarassi kept bugging me for progess pics :biggrin:

monjarassi
11-25-2013, 02:47 PM
I'll share my pics once I get home bud. Great job!!!! U the man

ryaano18
11-25-2013, 02:48 PM
I'll share my pics once I get home bud. Great job!!!! U the man

Oh stop it you :)

monjarassi
11-25-2013, 08:43 PM
and here is the final product after some fine paint and clear!!
Still need to get the other 2 AEM gauges that ill be purchasing soon, so dont flame me

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/10487132543_c9696e7b64_c.jpg