I need to make a new dash since I am getting rid of all my unreliable round gauges and substituting a digidash. I was all excited until...

In making said piece, when I curved the bottom edge, the rest of the piece got rather wavy (ally never wants to bend around things, it just wants to fold). It looks like crap. Is this something people have repaired, or do I start again with another piece and hope for the best next time?

My bonnet had the same thing happen but I sanded it, covered it in vinyl, and hoped nobody would notice. I notice. Don't want the same thing on the dash, which will be covered in fake CF cloth, or real CF, if I get the nerve.

Appreciated as usual. Couldn't manage without you.

how did you try bending it? what thickness ally did you use?

I managed to the a reasonable bend in the bottom of mine, with one slight wave in the top part which you cant notice when bolted to the scuttle

Over a steel post, bigger radius than the UK required IVA number of 19 mm.

2 mm ally. I know, too thick, but that's what I had.

Wanted to keep the dash relatively small, whilst still covering up the under dash wiring that shows otherwise in the MK style cars. Thought the curve under would do it.

[Edited on 19/9/10 by RK]

Definately possible for a skilled metalworker, there's plenty of vids on youtube which might help. I think you just keep beating it until it ends up nice and smooth...

I looked at doing this and got somewhere, but decided that I was never going to be able to do it well enough, so I've made my dash out of several pieces, with each piece only bending in one plane. Avoids the whole problem