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So far so good.

The cage is held in by expanding foam. This is the brainstorming stage where I'm trying to visualize how the sides should look. The bitch part was hacking away the metal behind the cig bezel in order to slide the HU back far enough to still use the cupholders - and not look dumb hanging 9 inches out of the dash board.






I'll post more as the project developes.

 
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I have no idea how this posted twice! I didn't even click submit more than once. I think this happend to someone else recently too. Anyway, kill one of them.

 
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Do you have any pictures of it re-installed in the car?

 
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Starting to take shape:

 
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good luck!

excellent motherboard

 
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looking good.

 
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very nice...eventually i plan to relocate the HU down their too... keep up the good work and keep posting pix!

 
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I wouldn't glass too close to the cage, and definantly not inside it. Other than that looking good. Must be an 04', my 01' is two seperate pieces.

 
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that is looking sweet man. i wish i had the time to do all that

 
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Yup, 04 - Pain in the ***! Previous years would have been easier - just glass a whole new section like Lud posted before. I'm definitely not going to glass near the cage, I've got a fine line to stop at. I'm still thinking about maybe builing up the sides with expanding foam, carving my contours and just filling with bondo. I'm always indecisive.

 
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I'm willing to bet that If I've got the time, you got the time. I just did a little bit here and there, on lunch breaks and before bed. I work 65 hours/week, go to school nights and I have a GF. My time is usually spoken for. You'd be surprised at how much you can get accomplished in a small time. Even if it takes you a couple weeks or more, if you wanna do something, try it.

 
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mad nice are u gunna rapint it?

 
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Gonna hit it with some Kitty's hair fiberglass enforced bondo and see how it forms, then I'll either paint or vinyl.

 
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I would say paint it dont vinyl! try to get the original texure so that it looks stock!

 
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wow, looks good!

 
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You can buy textured paint from an autoparts store. It's pretty close to our stock color, and when carefully applied, it'll look the same, or close to it.

 
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I say paint because its easier. ever vinyl before? its a bith. that panel you have? forget that noise, paint it.

dont forget to sand all teh scratches out of the WHOLE piece, all the way around, not just where you glassed.

and no need to foam around the cage, screw it and just use bodyfiller, itll be easier in the long run. cheaper, too. you save cost on foam, and you have to buy at least a pint of filler anyways, youll have plenty.

how was hacking away at the dash? I bet it was a bitch. what tool did you use, a dremel, or something better?

 
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Do you know who the manufacturer is and possible the product number? I'm going to be needing paint like this also.

 
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this is an awesome post, post more pics when you're done!

 
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No, I haven't bought any, but if you go to an auto parts store (advance, autozone, pepboys, etc.) just tell them you need textured interior paint, they'll direct you to it.

 
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Yes, I have Vinyled before. And from Vinyling a section of door panel and reapolstering my motorcycle seat, the one thing I have learned is that it is really hard to commit suicide with a heat gun and a roller

The foam I had laying around and it worked way better than screwing it would have. Especially concidering a screw would have had to been removed anyway before the HU is installed. The foam held the whole thing in tight as hell - I could even slide the HU in and out a bunch of time for fitting. How was gutting the dash? PITFA! I used a dremel with a metal bit, a cutoff wheel, a small pnuematic saw, and a lot of F-Bombs. It aint pretty, but I couldn't care less. I was also pretty careful to leave enough of the bracket behind so it could continue to reinforce the dash I wish the head unit fit all the way in, but it fits far enough that I'll be happy. If I remove the door over the cupholders, I can still use my cupholders

 
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Hell yeah, I can't wait to see what this looks like when it's finished. Maybe a future mod for me...

 
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First layer of Kitty's hair. Fiberglass reinforced Body Filler.


Maybe this is what Snoop Dogg's talking about when he says "Sticky Icky Icky"



This **** is nasty, but it works great.

 
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Now, would you recommend using standard fiberglass or Kitty Hair to build a kickpanel? That sh*t looks sticky as hell.

Where did you find this Kitty Hair at? Automotive store?

 
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I got it at a paint supply place. I wouldnt' recomend for a kick though. Reason is, it's much easier to fiberglass a kick because you can layer directly over fleece or polyester. Allowing a much easier way to form the contours. Any small plastics you need to bond to, especially if you are trying to build up in the contour, this Fiberglass reinforced bondo is good stuff. I find it only slightly less formable than bondo, and much easier to build and spread than fiberglass.

 
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Awesome, thanks for the input! Keep up the good work!

 
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I said "**** it", not "you should drive a screw into your project there, sir"

looks good though, keep up the good work.

I still reccommend paint due to reasons already mentioned

 
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OH, I guess considering screwing it was my first thought, I automatically took it as "us screws to hold the cage in place". HA. Yeah, paint is definitely the method of finish. I've got pics of the kitty's hair dried and sanded, I'll post those soon. I'm actually going to check out some textured paint today.

 
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Some more pictures for you to gaze upon.


Sanded after Kitty’s Hair dried.



Test fitting in car



Threw this in for the hell of it. Anyone wondering how painting the dash comes out as apposed to paying for a decal kit . . . Awesome!


Wow, that's ironic. That's my Grandprix in the rt side view mirror of my Civic.

 
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sorry for another newby post but how did you learn to fiberglass? did you take a class, or what? i would liek to do pretty much the same thing, i'm clueless of where to start..

any help is appriciated