A sick custom truck must roll with the right stance, wheel, tires and paint, but that's only a fraction of the complete custom equation. How about the interior? The truck's interior contributes to its overall style, comfort, and personality. The dash is the interior's focal point, which houses gauges, speakers, A/C vents, and audio components. A full waterfall center console serves two purposes: bridging the dash to the back of the cab, and separating the bucket seats. The dash and center console can be constructed from wood, fiberglass, aluminum, or steel. A good sheetmetal sculptor can create incredible contour, convex, curves and radiuses that contribute to a shocking interior.
We stopped off at Draggers Inc. and GoEZ in Anaheim, California, to observe Terry Elms as he designed and constructed a steel dash and center console masterpiece for Eddy Cebreco's wild right-hand drive '93 Toyota pickup.
When welding, always use proper face, eye protection, and a welding hood.
After removing the factory...
After removing the factory dash and gutting the interior, Terry Elms fabricated and installed a custom firewall, floor, and tranny tunnel.
Terry cut, bent, pieced, and...
Terry cut, bent, pieced, and welded 1/4-inch steel rod creating the skeletal framework of the new custom dash. Cardboard templates were cutout to simulate locations of the Directed Electronics audio/video components and Dakota Digital gauges.
The cardboard templates were...
The cardboard templates were then located on the 16-gauge steel dash traced and cut out using an air saw. The dash steel skin was then welded to the dash's skeletal structure. The waterfall center console skeletal structure was also constructed from 1/4-inch steel rod.
A crown piece was bent then...
A crown piece was bent then welded onto the existing waterfall center console skeletal structure.
Terry cut out a cardboard...
Terry cut out a cardboard template to simulate the center console's top skin. It was then taped to the framework. A razor knife was then used to shape it for a precise fit.
After using an air saw to...
After using an air saw to cut the 16-gauge steel center console piece, Terry used a bench-mounted belt sander to achieve its smooth final shape.