Okay,

For some reason, I have been getting lots of PM's about the CF Looking dash
that's in my car. The Old threads I had on it don't have the pictures, so I will
be going through it again, using bits and pieces of my old threads and pics.
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This is my Original, Unmolested dash - when she was a bone stock GSL-SE.


This is my OLD Dash - The Carbon Fiber style setup, with Silver Faced "Ultra-Lite" Autometer Gauges.



The "Ultra-Lite" gauges looked great, but were almost impossible to read at night. I do most of my FB driving at night, so I wanted something I could see better.

I then switched to Autometer "Cobalt" gauges, that are reverse indiglow style, with LED lighting. They look great at night.



You can even see a little "in-car video" of these guages at night, in my old
"First Gen kills 350Z Video" thread.

 

Now that we have that out of the way - On to the Carbon Fiber Style.

1st: My Dash is NOT REAL Carbon Fiber.
2nd: My Dash is NOT Carbon Fiber TAPE.

This is a black receptacle, used to cover any holes in walls for wiring not needed, etc. It has the CF style on it:



Pictures do NOT do it justice. It looks deep, and 3 dimensional. It has a Weave pattern which is extremely realistic

It is a process called Photolithographic or “water-transfer” printing. It is what car dealers use for “Wood” Trim as well. (By the way, this is EXACTLY how "fake" wood trim is done.)

The people who do it are usually work for car dealerships, and large yach companied. They do all kinds of CF look, and in Wood Trim for the large yachts.

Once I figured out what I wanted, I went ahead and prepared a simple bracket out of regular plastic.


Then, after playing around to get it just right, I tested the gauges.



Then I glued the bracket/template onto my stock Center console, and it stayed there.



Then I had the process I described done by a local company, and I was done.

I have other pieces already done, like the door handle surrounds, the overhead light surrounds, the e-brake, power windows surrounds, etc.

 

thanks for the idea

 

??? You lost me ???

You posted this before I even finished editing my posts.

 

ur too slow... .
I will fabricate a new plate which will be mounted in the stock face plate. Now it make sense how you did the c/f look.

 

Nice mod. Do you have any pictures handy of were the HVAC controls went?

BTW - Nice sandles

 

I missed something - what process?

 

agreed, didnt understand the "process". looks very very nice tho!

 

The process is basically printing on any properly prepared piece of plastic. Trick seems to be locatiing the company/person with the equipment.

I am curious though, what make/model is the stearing wheel?

 

Photolithographic or “water-transfer” printing

 

Answered by bwaits:
Exactly.

You take your stock piece, and sand it smooth (like if it was to be painted). They do the "process" described above. They dip it in a water solution, with the [carbon fiber or wood] print floating on the top of the solution. As they push it down, the print transfers over to your piece, and becomes one with it.

It gets every nook and cranny this way, and keeps the same print throughout. When it's finished and dry - Then they clearcoat it with automotive grade clear. Then you are done.

Momo Millenium

I had to slightly sand the HVAC controls a little bit in order for
them to fit INSIDE and flush with the Autometer Gauge Bezels, that I had
cannibalized from old gauges. They are back in the stock locations.

Thanks - it's Florida here. We can wear them year round.

 

Any close ups of the HVAC setup? Oh and I wear sandles in GA all year also.

 

how much did it cost to have it "dipped"?

 

about 200 for all the pieces.

 

wait si how did u do the ash tray in cf?

 

Same

 

can i buy your car? i have 300 dollars..

 

HAHAHA His car is worth about 100 times that much. Good luck getting him to part with it.

BAH gotta learn to check dates.

 

lol..

 

He's banned too. haha

 

Any chance of getting the name of the place you had the work done at?
meaning the Photolithographic printing
Paul

 

In for epic ancient accidental thread necrobump.

 

This is not the same place, yet it's the same thing.

http://www.patterntek.com/

I've been thinking of switching over the the "brushed aluminum" look myself.
< Plastic Radiator Shroud>

 

what did you use to cut the holes in the plastic? how many inches?