The Romagni's wrote:
>
> Justin Wagner wrote:
> >
> >
> > Amongst my various skills, trades... I'm a carpenter... $340 seems high
> > for someone who's made more than one... and has, thus, already created
> > templates and jigs...For example, if someone wanted me to go into
> > production, I'd say, $500.00 for the first one, and $175.00 for each one
> > after. For especially good work... $240.00? Anyways...
> >
> > Regardless... I know the dash is a focal point... but it's not like the
> > factory dash was anything like a Rolls Royce.... It seems to me...
> > what's important is that the car appears stock... which dosn't take a
> > $340.00 dash to do... Spend the lesser amount... and take the difference
> > in cost... and put it into some other details on the car... It will be
> > well worth it.
> >
> > My 2 cents.
> >
> > Justin
> Justin - I thought $340 was a touch high myself. He claims the high
> price is due to the materials, all imported, and the finish, gloss, lots
> of coats, hand rubbed, etc. I'm likely going to go with the dash costing
> $180. It's cheaper than the big 3 and assuming his claim is correct
> about lightening to an orangish color, probably closer to original.
>
> It would be great to hear from someone who has one of his dashes to
> verify this.
>
> Thanks for your 2 cents !!!
>
> Marty Romagni
> Painesville, Ohio
> 1974 TR6
My two cents is that a solid wood dash in a TR is a mistake. As you see
from this thread the "plywood" dash is twice as much. There is a reason
for this, it costs more to make. In fact those million dollar french
empire antiques that you read about in your newspaper were veneered.
Before I moved to the land of no basements and no days too cold to work
on LBC's I did a lot of woodworking and study of antique furniture from
our colonial period. Solid splits and curls, veeners are still good
after two centuries. Most of the wood names thrown about by the
producers of replacement dash faces ar not in any of the wood lists I am
familiar with. I believe that the TR wood dash top veener was Claro
Walnut. It comes from the same tree as what we Americans call English
Walnuts. Yes they do grow in California, the wood is also popular for
rifle stocks. Looks like a business opportunity replacing the veneer on
existing bases if $340 is the going price for a replacement.
Cheers, Don J. Howard
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