concept car dash board ideas for you to use for inspiration

[ydeardorff]

This started out as a search for dual pod futuristic dash boards. But thre were so many cool concept designs I had to share to help inspire everyone. Many of these designs are impractical but cool to look at. some of these designs can be combined into something really cool! My favorite is the fourth one down on the left side.

Happy drooling/ Brain storming!

 

[Nic]

Those are some very nice examples. All totally buildable too if you have the time and patience that is.

 

[ydeardorff]

Nic,

I was cruzin images with cooliris Cooliris | Discover More and saw these, and thought of your very sweet gauge pod.

Just thought Id add some more brainstorming ideas for you.

 

[farfegnubbin]

Wow!!! Very nice collection of cool dash ideas!! Now that's what we're talkin' about. *thumbs up*


The issue of the dash on the Sterling is one of my pet issues. I actually kind of like the pod dash in a retro sort of way. But overall, I *HATE* that the dash of the Sterling so often gives away it's lineage as a kit car. So many other aspects of the car look soooo good and distinctively NON-kitcar-y. But then there's the dash. And what could be worse than driving up in a car with one of the most sensational "door" mechanisms on the planet just to have the canopy lift to display....a straight dash that looks like it's out of a motor boat from the 1970s, with a few old Stewart-Warner gauges and some toggle switches that look like a Radio Shack project from middle school?!

Whether it's just by sprucing up the layout and switches or by a radical, custom re-design, I'm a strong proponent of investing time and effort on making the dash of any of our cars look as good as we possible can. Otherwise it's like meeting the hottest chick you've ever seen and having her smile...only to reveal she's missing her two front teeth.

Specifically for ydeardorff (and anyone else who HASN't sat in a Sterling or tried to redesign their dash)...

One thing to keep in mind as you dream and visualize things is that the Sterling is very, very narrow. There isn't much room for one's knees. And there is less than the average amount of room for the center console, which greatly restricts the things you can do with the dash. Obviously, there are still a whole bunch of cool things that CAN be done with it, but anyone out there attempting to modify the dash should keep the following immutable consideration in mind:

There is not enough room (width) to put a radio NEXT to your knee. This is the simplest way to visualize one of the fundamental restrictions in any attempts at re-designing the dash. A standard radio is wide enough that it leaves too little room between the center console and the steering wheel. This doesn't seem like a profound observation but it is actually quite abnormal to have that little space, and this influences the ways in which the dash can be modified. You can't cheat this. And this already assumes that you've chosen a steering wheel that is at or below minimum legal diameter.

After many, many, many careful mock-ups of various options, I've found that the maximum width that the center console can be (in the area in front of the shifter) is about 5 inches. Anything wider than that and you're going to have a hell of a time trying to get your knees in and around the steering wheel. The possible solutions to this are to either a) not have any sort of center console and just keep the dash up above the top of your shins (like in the 'straight dash' Sterlings) , or b) keep the center console within 5 inches or narrower (like in the 'pod dash' Sterlings), or c) let the center console go further forward (almost to mid-shins or beyond) before letting it become wider (in which case it is now too far in front of your arms to reach any switches.)

In addition to this, my strong advice is to keep the HEIGHT of any center console you attempt to right around the height of the Bug's center tunnel. If the center console is more than just a little higher than the center chassis tunnel, you will again have no room for you right knee.

The following are just a few photos I was able to scare up quickly just to highlight the above constraints.

Here are three photos of pod style dashes. Note the amount of space the center console/vent/area in front of the shifter can occupy. Whether a person likes this style or not, it DOES give clearance for knees and legs.



Next is a picture of an unusually nicely detailed straight dash. Notice the radio behind the tinted screen (and that it is WIDER than the center console.) This width of center console can work. There is room for important things like legs and knees. Problem is, as such it isn't wide enough for a center mounted radio mounted low on that console. Sure, you can put the radio/lcd screen up higher, but you must accept that the console below it will be narrower than the radio (unlike in many of the concept photos in which the center console is wider than a typical radio and houses the radio/lcd like a centerpiece.) Also note how small the steering wheel is to give enough room. Yipes. Not a lot of room for design error. But I do like this dash as an example of just about the best that can be done with a straight dash.



And here are two interesting examples of failures. The first attempt is cosmetically not bad at all. I like how they bowed the dash a little and have a center console that swoops up to it. If detailed differently, that represents a rough idea for what could be a very good looking dash. Problem is, there is NO way anyone over 5'6" could get their knee between the steering wheel and the center console. How do I know this? I own the car in the second photo, which has the same width and height as the car in the first photo (though the design is obviously different.) Note: I DIDN'T build that car or design that dash. I bought it for the body and the engine and I thought I could tolerate the dash until I could do something better. Well...I literally can't even sit down in the car unless I stick my leg in sideways UNDER the steering wheel and practically dislocate my knee contorting around it. When seated, I can't pick up my leg far enough to go from the gas pedal to the brake. Everyone designing a dash must learn from this. You cannot create a center console as wide as a radio and/or much taller than the chassis tunnel. Just...just don't even try.



Next photo is of my other Sterling, which has the rare, wrap-around dash as found in the true Sterling GT. It has its good points and its bad points. I'm showing it here just as an example of the above points. Oh, the GPS and double-height radio screen are Photoshopped in, but I used reference points to determine true sizes. The point, again, is that the center console can't be wider than a radio. (The lower of the two screens is a GPS that has a 4.5 inch width chassis.) This dash is VERY comfortable to maneuver around, mainly because it obeys the two main points I'm trying to stress: It's only five inches wide AND it stays low over the tunnel until about mid-shin before turning upward.



ydeardorff,
One of the things you described was to basically take the pod dash but graft the two pods together and make them sweep out to the canopy. The Series Two Nova basically tried that. Take a look at the following photo. This is the "Mk2" Nova dash which some peple refer to as the "seagull" dash. In its most basic form, that's what you get when you tie the two pods together. Aesthetically I'm not too keen on the Mk2 dash, but at least it doesn't break either of my rules for functionality.



And then there are contemporary attempts like Nic's dash. Does Nic break my rules??? Yes and no. He did in his CAD drawings. The center console was as wide as a radio. Interestingly, though, his actual physical mock-up obeys the rules very nicely. Look at what he has done/has had to do: He kept the center console as low as possible, and, when it turns up vertically, it is angled in so that the footprint it casts seems narrower than it would be if straight. Even so, look at how he had to extend it into the passenger's side a little to make enough room for the screen. Very well executed. Probably one of the best around thus far. I can't wait to see it finished.



And lest anyone still think I'm making too much of the knee-space issue, here is a picture Nic's knee with his dash. Not much space in there! Not even with the console tilted, etc. (Nic, dude, you have hairy knees!)



Anyway, I absolutely love the photos of the concept cars above. Thanks again for creating such a good gallery of them. It definitely provides cool way to brainstorm ideas about textures, designs, gauge clusters, etc. What will (hopefully) be interesting after this post is to go back through the concepts and see which ones break the rules for Sterlings and which ones are okay. If a given design features a wide center console, abandon it immediately (or know that you will have to change that aspect of it.)

The take home message is that many of us agree that the Sterling needs a face lift for its dash. I'm eager to see what people come up with over time with their projects. No one be shy about posting ideas. This is great!

 

[ydeardorff]

Thank you for your reply, and clarification. I still wanna try though, call it boredom, or overly enthusiastic. When Im done, I may have to have someone test out the dash in their car! LOL

*idea didn't work*One idea Ive been brainstorming is some kick butt heater controls.*idea didn't work*

Im working on a layout, but I need a sterling owner to cut me some cardboard or thin paneling templates (Ill pay for shipping) of how the dash fits on the car, front to back, and side to side, as well as vertically from the floor to the top of the dash cap. Maybe 3 pieces,... straight across the cars cockpit, the vertical piece or dash face, then the dash cap from the front where it touches the car body, to the rear edge of the dash cap, or approximate.

With something to work with scale wise (since I don't have a car,..YET), I can start mocking something up and testing ideas. Both for the dash, and what goes on/in it.

Ok, back to the heater controls:

I found these switches:

Illuminated keyboard switches with no click operation : Electronics News from ElectronicSpecifier

These lights can be ordered dual color, say blue off, red on. Or whatever you choose.

OK, the idea,... make a nice pod for the heater controls to fit in the dash or center console. Similar to that of digital climate controls found in high end cars. minus the LED display of course. but that could be added via dakota digital.

Basically this idea is as follows,
Order as many buttons as you need for your controls.
Make a mounting plate in the shape you want, and mount the buttons in it properly spaced. best to start with wood or clay for this.

Take a piece of plexiglass, heat it and shape it to whatever I decided for the mounting plate. (vacuum forming machine is best at this) Using a scribe and a ruler, carefully etch out the shapes of the buttons. Later cut with a dremel tool CAREFULLY!!!

Lightly sand the back of the plexiglass pieces with 1500 grit sand paper to make it opaque on one side, and glossy on the other.

Order custom made black stickers with the icons for the heater controls cut out probably 1/4" font. These can be ordered from a local sign shop.

Finish cutting out the button shapes and file, sand, until smooth.... Once your ready then get some polishing wheels and rosin sticks. Polish the edges only to make them as glossy as the faces.

Arrange the pieces on some painters tape to protect the faces. Apply the stickers to the back of the buttons like you would apply window tint to a car window. One at a time. Get the sticky side wet, and the back of the button wet then apply the sticker and make sure the graphic is straight! Use a lamp for this to backlight them as you get them straight.

Attach the Plexiglass button face to the top of the dual color light switch with some sort of transparent glue that's strong enough for a life time of use. Clear RTV is good for this. Arrange the gaps with something like toothpicks to hold them in position till cured.
Now mount it in your dash and plug it in, wire it up, and your rocking with a beautiful custom made climate controls.

Sorry thinking out loud again....*hmmm*

 

[Nic]

Thanks Warren for the compliments, again. I agree with everything everyone is saying, but wanted to add a few things.
The stock dash sits further down in the car than mine does, which is one of the reasons I wanted to make my own. As it was, I had difficulty getting my legs under it AND having big feet (13's) my shoes where hitting the underside of the dash.

As you consider designing a new dash you have to keep in mind how tall it is. Depending on your sitting height in the car, you don't want to build a dash, you can't see over. EEK! Some of my original paper sketches were really thin, just enough room to get the 3" gauges in it. It was a bit too plain for me in the end. I spent about 6 months coming up with various ideas before I started, and even after I did start I had to scrap my first attempt.

I've taken some pictures of measurements of the stock pod dash and some other measurements, I'll post some of those soon.

 

[the transporter]

Wow!!! Very nice collection of cool dash ideas!! Now that's what we're talkin' about. *thumbs up*


Next is a picture of an unusually nicely detailed straight dash. Notice the radio behind the tinted screen (and that it is WIDER than the center console.) This width of center console can work. There is room for important things like legs and knees. Problem is, as such it isn't wide enough for a center mounted radio mounted low on that console. Sure, you can put the radio/lcd screen up higher, but you must accept that the console below it will be narrower than the radio (unlike in many of the concept photos in which the center console is wider than a typical radio and houses the radio/lcd like a centerpiece.) Also note how small the steering wheel is to give enough room. Yipes. Not a lot of room for design error. But I do like this dash as an example of just about the best that can be done with a straight dash.


just thought I would chime in on this a little bit. that dash is my dads creation or should I say the layout is, that is my dads old car and just thought I would mention that as well as the wheel being small it also has a chevy caddy column in it with tilt and telescoping feature.

 

[the transporter]

oh ya and was just thinking why not go with a really kewl and simple solution! look at race cars they all have removable steering wheels and there is a company that makes a street version of this set up with a cover and I belive a lock. makes the club seem like a toy lol hard to steel a car with no wheel and a locked column as well as it leaves plenty of leg room to get in. just an idea.

 

[ydeardorff]

The other day I was heading to class, and I found myself behind a chevy spark. Now Im driving a 2012 hyundai accent, which by most counts is a very small car. However what really caught my eye, was this chevy spark is extremely narrow. It looked to be almost 3/4's the width of my accent. I do not have any measurements on one, but this car might be an option as a donor for a dash in our cars.

Heres a picture.

Im sure some work would need to be done to get this to fit, especially vertically. But for someone willing to tackle a job like this it might be worth checking into.

 

[Nic]

I think the major problem with using any production dash in a Sterling is the height of the dash. My dash is probably less than 10", possibly less than 8". Most production dashes are well into the 12 - 18" size as they have a lot of stuff packed into the dash (electronics, duct work, etc) that we generally dont have.
I suppose you COULD take a production dash, hack off the lower half of it and work around that, but... Im not sure it's totally worth it. BUT, from a design standpoint, they can be great for inspiration.

 

[ydeardorff]

I agree Nic. I would do exactly what you mentioned. Redesign the bottom of the dash, but use the upper section as unmolested as possible.
The shape of this dash side, front, and even the center console look like it would be damn close. But the vertical size would need adjusting (as is with pretty much any dash installed in a sterling).

But I think to someone with some skills it would be doable. Plus it would come already upholstered which is a huge plus. I recently got a quote to have my seats done in the style of the SLR, and Im looking at close to a grand per seat.

 

[Peter]

"There is not enough room (width) to put a radio NEXT to your knee." Really?
Look what I have next to MY right knee.