Anyone know if I can get hold of a couple of spare fascias? Not the lens, but the actual dark grey plastic part... I would really like to spray paint my fascia to match the interior of my cars - one black for the MX5 and one beige for the MGB. It would really complete the stealth install look.

I heard there weren't many of them left and that they are being kept for warranty repair.

Is anyone still making custom CNC-machined ones? Sally could get a couple of those.

Cruzths was going to make aluminum ones for us but it turned out to be too time consuming and expensive. I think he will still make wood ones on request. I hope that someone else that has the resources to make some for us gets the solidworks file.

Sean

Pity I'm sure if someone started making replicas I'm not the only person who would want one. That plastic would spraypaint very smoothly, and then we could have a selection for different moods, just like the lenses. Or at least a black one, since most people's car interiors are black (at least in this country - I did notice the see of grey in America though).

In fact, if there are any of those aluminium/aluminum ones about, I would take one. Anyone know?

The problem with the original MK2 fascia design is that it was designed to be injection moulded and doesn't lend itself to being machined from solid at all well. The cycle times and subsequent finishing by hand make it somewhat unviable. I did start to design an alternative fascia, buttons & knob but the project's been shelved for the time being due to lack of 'Copious amounts of free time'. I've attached a ZIP file containing some images of my design so far. CruzThs does have a copy of my CAD files but when we were last in contact he said he had been, and would be, very busy with other stuff for a while. I don't know whether he's made any progress since then. I will do some work on it as and when I get time. I still need to do some work on the Handle mountings and Knob fixing. I'm sure there must be other ppl on this board with more 3D Solid Modelling skills than me who could do a better job and quicker too.

Anyway, I know all this doesn't help anyone much but I thought I'd chip in.

I like how you cut out the plastic around the top left side of the display. This would allow me to see the top line in my car. I would buy one of these fascias for this reason.

Yeah, that was a major consideration when I started the design. I don't have a big problem with it because I'm in the UK and therefore sit on the RHS of the car (I miss just a few pixels at the extreme top left). However I was very aware that there are lots of owners who sit on the Left and get quite a bit of their display chopped off because of the original design.

Folsom and Beaker: Regarding the top-left-cut-off, did you try this?

No I haven't, although I am aware of this little trick. Thanks Tony. It doesn't bother me that much as the cutoff is minimal in my case.

holy cow, that looks cool.... hurry up and get some copious amounts of free time.

Uh, yeah, that's pretty effen nice.
If this can be produces in black with customizable button (light) colors, count me in for sure.

Holy cow. I would be all over one of those.

Alex

That is the shiznit.

I have been waiting to get several orders before setting up shop again to make more wood fascia's. I now have about 5 orders + 3 I need to make for the guys at Empeg so I'll be setting up shop again and cutting new fascia's beginning next week sometime. I first need to order some new wood so if you want a custom wood fascia, please email me at robv@sprynet.com ASAP so I can order the wood.

If you want to check out which woods are available, go to www.woodcraft.com, select WOOD, then select EXOTIC & DOMESTIC WOOD. Check out the various woods and if the type you like comes in a 3/8" version then I can use it (because all my CNC files are made to cut 3/8" stock material).

I have no Maple Burl left and will not cut any more due to the very unpredictablity of the wood and it is very fragile.

Rob

All Fascia's are $100 + 5 shipping. Each fascia is cut, sanded, stained and then varnished/polished to a high gloss shine. Lead time will be at least 3 weeks.

Damn, that's a cool looking fascia! I you were ever to produce those, count me in for at least one!

Just wondering if the center part of those buttons could be made to a colored transparent plastic, because that would look very sweet with the button hack and having the center light up

just my .02

Actually, one thing I was thinking of trying was to make an insert for the buttons, masking out the button face except for an arrow shaped opening above where the LED would sit. This would give the illusion (I think) of just having the lighted arrow surrounded by a dark button with the edges of the button showing a little bit of illumination from the reflected light. Something I might try when I get a chance...

Thanks to everyone for their comments. With regard to making the coloured bits in the middle of the buttons transparent; That's the idea. You can't actually see it in the images I posted but they do in fact have a certain amount of transparency to them.

i'd buy at least 2 of them

hi beaker, if you did not had a chance to make one of yours build from aluminum, i would like to give it a try. i am not shure about the knops but give it a try too.

That is one helluva beautiful design... if you ever decided to put those into production, I would definitely be interested (in black, of course).

Thanks for the compliments. I've not had a chance to finish off the design as yet (far too many other things going on at the moment). However, CruzThs was going to have a look at machining some from my CAD files. I don't know how he's got on with it (if at all). IIRC the design is pretty much finished except for the hinge plate mountings and the knob detail for affixing to the shaft. I can't see me being able to make any progress with it in the near future. Someone else will probably come up with another design before I get around to it. I'll have to see how my "copious amounts of free time (tm)" goes. I don't even seem to be able to get on the BBS very often any more.