Projects My Shoebox Dash Metalflaking + Hidden Radio Laid Off $0 build

So I got laid off work so I figured I would make use of my time instead of sitting around and being depressed. So I had my radio in the heater box and got sick of having to almost stick my head under the dash to read it sideways so I figured I would come up with something a little different and since I had the 49 Meteor dash I bought for the falling Meteor dash I came up with a idea. Now that I am out of work it had to be on the cheap and only use things I had laying around. I had an extra dash, extra glovebox door and lots of paint I have been hoarding to paint cars. So here it is I'll post a complete dash picture when the clear dries.
Cut radio slot out kept the piece





Extra glovebox door remove hinge

here is what it looks like spot welds removed it fits the piece shapewise it you flip it around.

Door mocked up

Radio delete mocked up in person gaps aren't as big and the piece behind wasn't primed yet.

With 50 Meteor Clock delete I also have the 49 Shooting Meteor and painted the stock Ford one in case I change my mind.

Paint metalflake pearls and clears and paints that I have been hoarding for years.

Custom mixed blue only 3 years old cleared and ready for

Metal flake with interclear so it looks dull it tricked me so I added metalflake to the clear too

Clock delete

Radio delete

And with the 50 Meteor delete in the finished dash minus wet sanding.

Yes I painted this in my garage and I do have a few runs and flaws that will need sanding out and it's my fault they came from the tact rag. This is two tablespoons of flake in the interclear and about 1/2 tablespoon of one in the first layer of clear after interclear. I will post pictures of it complete as it's still drying. I am not a painter by any means I took a beginners class in like 1998-99 at a community college. I have painted a few cars for people and a few dashes but no for a long time. The flake looks pretty crazy in the sun. Under the garage lights not that great. For people thinking they can't do it all it takes is trying. I used pretty cheap guns the primer was a HF 1.8 tip. The clear and base I used a Home Depot Husky 1.4 tip gun I bought on Clearance for $21.95. The hardest thing to figure out is how much air to use. 45 into the gun gave me 20-25psi to the gauge on the gun. The primer I sprayed outside sanded with 400 and base coated. I hit the dash when I was putting all the stuff back in so I had to sand a few spots with 800 and flash coat it before the gloss coat. Then interclear. Wait and sprayed 3 more coats of clear. I would have been golden but I had extra clear in the gun so I spayed one to wet of a coat and have a few runs on the down slopes of the dash. I didn't clean the garage all crazy like some guys do. I left the door open and just sprayed the floor down with water.

 

Metalflake but in Garage it looks way better in person

Outside for a few minutes of sun

RIP Zombies CC Los Angeles

 

Looks good ,nice work.

 

coool, nice one

 

Very nice work, but I am a little confused, you mention but dont show the Meteor clock delete plate. That is what I am waiting to see. Thanks Larry.

 

Larry here is the 49 that I bought the dash for.
So I have all the shoebox clock deletes the US three ring one painted to match the future car one with falling meteor and the falling meteor.

The color of the dash looks closer to what it looks like in person. It's early and hazy out

 

Nice. What do you mean RIP Zombies? They no more? Im a real fan of Drag'n Shop and Zombies. I know the shop is no more but i didnt kno about the club too.

 

Nice work, looks great

 

Ass kickin bro, love it! ~sololobo~

 

The Drag 'n Shop is still around it just moved to Shermin Oaks or around that area. I just talked to Joseph two weeks ago. The Zombies CC isn't around anymore isn't my place to say why.

 

Love it man!

 

Love it, you are doing a great job. Sorry to hear about the lay-off, looks like you are keeping your chin up and staying busy.

 

Great job!

 

Looks good!

 

Here are the clocks one could get with the shoebox / woodies
50 ford
Woodie
Woodie speedometer next to stock
Woodie speedometer NOS speedometer gauge an evilbay score $20 for the speedometer $12 for bezel.

 

The meteor clock delete sure is nice, I am going to try and get one for my car. I am using the Ford delete in the mean time. By the way the 51 Meteor grill is back on the market the buyer found he could not use it in his ride. Larry

 

Larry the meteor deletes don't come up very often. In five years I have seen 4 come up 3 50s and 1 49. The 2 50s went for $225 and $157. The one I got was mislisted so I got it for real cheap compared to the other 2. The 49 went for $135. I got my whole dash with delete for less than that with shipping. I love the 50 the best it goes with the pieces on the doors. And the gold on the woodie gauge. The woodie gauge would be real easy to fake since it's just painted gold but looks like the stock shoebox gauge.

 

that looks killer, a good way to spend your time!

 

Fair enuff, not gonna ask. Too bad tho, you guys had a great lineup and a great clubname/plaque. Shit happens.
Anyway, the speedo thing, w/ the extra instruments around is absolutley tits. Super score i say. But whats it goin to be then? the ubercool Meteor delete or the uber cool nos Speedo? I'd have a hard time choosing.

 

Thanks guys for the kind words.

Yes a great line up of rides for sure. Joseph's shoebox and Ron's Buick top shelf stuff . Joseph has done some really awesome cars too.
I'm doing the Meteor with the furtura car and the Woodie Gauge cluster. I am debating on the stock steering wheel and a 52-54 Mercury. I am going to flake both of them in the next few days and which ever one I like most I will use. I do have the Meteor horn button along with all the others that came in the 49-50 Fords and Woodies minus the crazy big dollar accessory wheel and button. I don't really like the look of it and for the money I would rather have other things.
No job yet so I am going to keep going with the build. I have all the patch panels, primer and paint to finish the car except for the interior.

 

This is the 50 Meteor hood ornament I plan to run. And the best side kick ever Tyler!

 

Great work.

 

okay still plugging away. I don't know if anyone else had this problem

But the rubber on the back pop out windows was as hard as a rock. I had to take the osalating dremel and split the rubber down the middle to get it out. It sure smelled like 62 year old rubber.


I primered and painted the interior pieces today and will clear and metal flake them tomorrow. I'm so not looking forward to wet sanding everything. I am glad I only have to clean the blue off myself and the gun and garage and skin and everything else it touched.






What is the thoughts on a flat white steering colum?

 

After staying up way to late to wetsand the dash to 2000g I got up this morning while the Boss and wife were out of town and did this!













One word I will say to anyone that isn't a pro painter. AFTER COLOR CLEAR YOUR PIECES BEFORE INTERCLEAR!
I would be done with the side panels if I took my own words to heart. Now I have to repaint 3 of the 4 panels so I will have to repaint them all. I messed them up by not clearing before interclear. I could have saved myself alot of headache if I had cleared before. Lesson learn the hard way. I'm loving the color the dark pictures are with the door shut and lights out. The others are with a small led flashlight

 

1952-54 Mercury steering wheel with blue metal flake. Looks Awesome in person.

 

That looks great!

 

looks damn good!time not wasted for sure,

 

49-50 Ford steering wheel with Meteor button

 

Buffed out the dash and installed it today. I still have to figure out if I am going with a white steering colum or blue. It looks really nice in person. I polished the screws that I had that fit. The steering wheel in the pictures I bought off EvilBay and the seller mailed it cracked when they said refubished. Sent it back they redid it and the first drive it have these cracks in it. The crappy part was it was past the time to give bad feed back. You can see the origianl paint under it and the first color they painted then the repair job paint. It's just a super crappy job.

 

Man that nice. What color blue is that? I know you said it was a three year old custom mix, but that is close to the shade of blue I want on my car.