Guys, I'm about to start my first sectioning job....on a '54 Chevy 210 dash to put in my '46 Chevy truck. I picked up the dash last week for $75. I thought it was a good buy, anyway! Back to the topic....here it is after I pulled the gauges and switches out. This dash is 49-3/8" wide at the top where it matches up with the a pillar. My truck is 45-3/8" at the same location, so I need to remove 5" from the center. Trying to keep the radio ports, I laid out the cuts below. The arrows are pointing to the cut line I'm thinking about. Will this work? Anyone else done a dash this way?
Thats how I would do it. I cut a 47 plymouth sedan down 8 inches for a model T and I laid it out very similar to that. Make sure you cut the horizontal line nice and straight(level). Have fun. G
Thanks Russ! I'll look at the "peak" possibility. I don't think it will be a problem though. I think it will look good in the truck...haven't seen one done before.
Yeah, the top will not line up if you cut it off to one side like that. You need to find the center and cut equal distances either side on the top.
Words have meaning. If they dont, no one will understand anyone else. You 'shortened' the dash. 'Sectioning' is taking the height out of a body.
Your right about sectioning being the wrong term, but you can section (remove height) anything! This would be narrowing?
See, I knew I asked these questions for a reason...Yep, my engineering math failed me again! It would be 4" (not 5") if I would pick up a calculator and stop relying on my aging noggin! I'll verify the measurements this evening. Thanks Defisch! And thanks for the hot rod grammar lesson! Narrow it is!
I agree with what's been said. Your top cut needs to be centered in the dash, your bottom cut can be wherever you want, and eliminating the heater control area is probably the cleanest way. The best part about narrowing a '54 Chevy dash is that the vertical waterfall style speaker grille can be cut off on one side and fit back into place. If you cut the speaker grille off on the right side you can retain the ashtray, if you cut it off on the left you'll eliminate the ashtray and have more room for a radio speaker. Either way would work out.
Yeah, now I need to find a glove box door w/ latch, speaker cover, and ash tray. I'll use the radio delete cover until I decide whether to install a radio or not. Thanks all!
Cool Brett Cant wait to see it. I might be flying into fayetville to shoot a couple of bikes I will hit you up if I do.
One thing I notice is the ashtray opening, so make sure you leave enough metal to weld with on the bottom, and not just get all warped out. Maybe leave a rectangular piece down from that, and then notch the right piece in the same spot. Maybe move your tape line down to the opening, so you don't have to cut as much, as the opening is already there.
Quick update..... Got a little more done on the dash..... Made the cuts with m trrusty side grinder with a cutoff wheel..... Sliding the halves together...... Clamping together to check the matchlines.... Test fit in the cab.... Still have alot of trimming to do to get it snug, but I think it's going to look rather "dashing"!
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