'12 Scion tC Build

[BeAlLsTaR13]

So i hav'nt been active on SMD, or any other forums in quite some time now... just been busy with working a lot and other things. So now my time has begun to slow down and i can finally get back into the swing of things. I didnt exactly get out of audio, just stayed low-key for the most part. Now i am seeing all over forums and facebook all these new audio brands i have never seen before lol

Here is the link to my first build with this car:

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/150914-2012-scion-tc-build/

---it kinda died short... but as i said, i never really kept up on it. Figure'd i would start a new thread since i am doing a more involved build, all around. Not just on the audio side of things.

-Here are some updated shots of the car:

Currently lowered on Eibach Sportline springs

Wheels are XXR530 (fake wheels FTMFW) 18x8.75 all around +33 offset in the front and +20 in the rear

[thefourth]

Sexy car, in for more pix

[BeAlLsTaR13]

Most recent setup consisted of the following:

Pioneer AVH-X5500BHS

2x Sundown SA-10s

Sundown Audio SAZ1500v.3

It was a real nice setup. But got bored of it after a few months so i sold the amp and subs a few weeks ago. Also sold the 5500BHS and picked up a Sony MEX-600BT single din...

[BeAlLsTaR13]

Last year I REALLY wanted to put an iPad mini in my dash, but never had the time to pull the trigger on starting it... well whenever i ran into some down time these past few weeks i started working on it.

Here is what my dash looked like when i started it:

Now, i couldnt decide if i wanted to keep, or delete the portion where the hazard switch and clock are.. So i did a couple mock ups:

However, as you can see... My hazard switch protrudes out of the dash, this made it somewhat difficult to work around and figure a way to get rid of this and create a new body line

So i decided to go the hard way and cut that whole top portion out, here is the dash tapped up for where i need to cut:

all rough cuts were made with an airsaw, any ridges i sanded down with my air side grinder, came in real handy having that in the long run

[BeAlLsTaR13]

I used one of Doug's new side slider kits. I Actually was the first one to recieve the new kit, got it before they offically went on sale in November (yup, had it since then to force myself to go on with this project lol)

Got the dash cut and trimmed to where i need it to be:

Notice how far that hazard switch sticks out... I ended up completely cutting it out around where it is

I used a 2 part epoxy to bond the kit to the dash, and followed up with some fiberglass on the back for added support. These ipad dashes tend to crack after being removed in and out several times, so i want to add strength to the panel to limit that

Now here what i did was cut out the hazard switch and followed its shape. I then rough cut a small piece of ABS plastic. I heated it with a heat gun to give it the same dash curve that is already present on the rest of the panel, and glued it in. Didnt need to be 100% perfect as bodyfiller in later stages will take care of that:

[BeAlLsTaR13]

Small test fit to get a rough idea on how it is going to look

The body filler i used for this is Sonus Matter, by Sonus Car Audio. Hands down the best filler i have used to date. Real great stuff here and pleased with how will it shaped and sanded down

I slowly build up my VERY low to begin with spots. Mainly where the ipad mount met the dash:

sanded it down and began to form so i could later apply more filler to the rest of the panel.

As you can probably tell i didnt quite work quick enough lol. Notice how i was able to lay down the right side a lot more smoother than the left. But it all sands the same! so i wasnt worried with the application:

so then i got to this point, had a couple pit holes, i actually sanded them down and out and applied a last layer of filler

[BeAlLsTaR13]

After i was sure i was done with the body filler and sanding, i laid down the first fresh coat of high build primer, after i sanded that with 220, i re-applied 2 coats of high build primer, sanded with 600 grit and then applied 2 coats of self etching primer.

Here is what it looked like after the high build primer:

and then after my sanding and coats of self etching primer:

I then wet sanded with my 600, applied one more coat of self etching primer, and here is where i currently am at with this:

nice and smooth all around with 0 pitholes, cracks, or imperfections in the body work. I am pretty pleased with this outcome, by far. First time tackling a project like this, fabricating a dash piece, working with smaller pieces such as this is deffinatly more difficult IMO than a larger piece such as a door panel, geez.

I am currently at the stage where i have to decide on how to finish it, i kinda don't want to paint it.. but i might, was thinking vinyl, sude, or hydro dripping the piece.

Also, if you noticed previously, this original dash was textured. Notice i have completely gotten rid of that and made it smooth as can be. I am in the process of working on smoothing out the two matching, adjacent panels to look as so, so those will also need the same finishing. I couldnt leave them textured, it would bother me too much as it would make my smooth panel look out of place.

[Jskiles]

Damn that looks nice

[k3n12ock]

Looks good. Do mines next.

[BeAlLsTaR13]

Damn that looks nice

thanks man, appreciate it

Looks good. Do mines next.

sure thing, gimme your dash and couple hundred bucks lol