I just did a search and cannot find any good source for a new dash kit to replace the stock. I am considering getting together with someone and manufacturing a couple of different types for those of us who are looking to replace the stock system. I have some ideas and I want to get some feedback. How many people are interested and how much would you be willing to pay for quality? I would like this to be bolt on and the types I want to develop would stay with the theme of the car.

 

What is a faceplate? What are you referring to? Please advise

Mark

 

The center console around the stock head unit. Where you cd's, radio, etc. are housed. I am thinking about making a plate to work with an after market deck. That way we don't have to loose the ambience of the car just to get a better sound system.

 

need to get started...several of us that used to work in custom shops: myself, rotarygod and whomever else...are planning/starting on this as well...

I already have the molds finished I just have to wait for a warmer day since the "plastic" doesn't harden well below 45F...wife doesn't like the smell of it so i can't use the heated garage and my workshop is not heated...yet...

 

XeRo,

I just wanted to do it out of frustration. I am looking for one that can be mass produced. It sounds like that is what you are doing and if so that is fine for me. As you get it done send me pics and let me know how much you are looking for wholesale and retail. Please P/M me the info. Thanks.

 

yeh i know that's purely why i'm doing it...not so much to make a profit...it's been several years since I have done this so I had to dig out all my old stuff and dust everything off...cold weather doesn't help the setting process plus i botched the first mold due to loosening the clamps holding the form a little to early...oops..

I'm not sure if I'll MASS produce anything being that i have NO time as it is...what I might do is if I get the correct fitment I am looking for, (im making several different designs), is make a few for people that are interested than sell the design...i'm not sure yet..i'm quite a ways from getting to that point though...

but believe me i am just as frustrated...

 

XeRo,

Let me know since I am not only interested in the products but I might look into the designs as well. I am considering the possibility of getting into distribution again. I had an MR2 club in Portland that I started to offer the locals discounts and new items for the cars. I would like to do the same for the RX-8. All quality stuff of course.

 

XeRo,

Here ya go!

 

When you do make them make some out of the silver gray carbon fiber!

 

I work in a car stereo installation shop in Northern Virginia. As far as I know Metra, a very large dash kit company, is making a dash kit for this vehicle. They made a kit for the new Honda Accord which is pretty similar to the RX-8. Yes the Accord does not have the display up top, but the problem of a lack of a DIN opening and themostat controls in close proximity to the radio are traits shared by both vehicles. This dash kit will not be cheap, and it won't be available for a few months, but it will look very factory, and will be easy to install.

 

DJ Freon,

What I am talking about is a dash kit that is as nice or nicer than most custom work. The idea is to create one that keeps the cars interior look and asthetics as well as another similiar kit for maybe the carbon fiber junkies. Not the typical flat black $8-30 kit. I am not saying that Metra doesn't do this kind of work and I didn't see a link so that I can check it out. I am talking about custom work for less cost because we will mass produce it. So all the R&D doesn't fall on idividual car owners for each one.

I still haven't heard from anyone who would be interested in purchasing a kit like this. I know your out there and I'm not the only one so respond. Otherwise I will just have it made for myself.

 

Just so you know the dash kit they will be manufacturing will be on the order of $200-$400. They know that it is not easy to manufacture a dash kit that looks nice and "custom" for a car like an RX-8. The main thing is relocating all the controls for the HVAC and also bypassing the display up top so the ambient temp gauge and clock will still work. I don't know that it is abnormally hard to do so, but it is a factor in creating a kit like this. Their website is www.metraonline.com, but don't expect to see this kit for a while. They are coming out with a series of kits called the "T2 kits" that will be a lot nicer than the $15 kits that they manufacture for all the other cars on the market. The kind of work we do in our shop here is top notch, and we expect a lot out of a kit when they price it so high. We haven't seen it yet, so I'll reserve judgement until I actually see the new units. The kind of kits we build here at work are custom, so we treat them as just that. Each kit is per what the owners what. Anyways, I have to close the store, more later.

 

Btw, if you do end up making the kit that's awesome. I'm sure that many people will jump at the chance to replace the system that comes in the car. There are other challenges with working on that car (odd speakers sizes, etc), but I really think that it'd be a cool thing to have someone make a kit. The only option right now is to come to a shop like the one I work at and have something custom (read expensive) made for your needs. I wish you the best of luck. If I didn't work at a shop like I do, trust me, I'd jump at the opportunity to buy something like what you'd make.

 

I really like this type. Has anyone found something like this for sale as of yet?

 

wow... that is incredible... but prolly a bit much for what im lookin for...

 

Kozlik,

It is a similar idea to what I have in mind but if you notice that is a complete custom job including the leather, etc., etc. If you look you can see that they moved the stock display over to the glove box. I want to keep it as stock as possible. No serious moving around or relocating equip.

You would pay thousands for this work and I want to keep it somewhere around $200 or so. I also want it to be bolt on.

If you could just take the stock console off and just replace it with mine that would be perfect to me. I want to minimize the cost of getting an after market deck.

I will will create a template for the stock speakers that will allow me to cut out a metal plate to mount speakers of varrying sizes in the stock holes. I have seen it done on another thread and it looks very nice. This will all be very professional I just need to get more feedback that this is what people want. I have received to positives so far which is a little disappointing after all the negative comments I have read about the stock system be a pain in the butt. If I were to do this for 5 people it would have to be more expensive than if I was doing this for 50 or more. Did I need to make this a poll? I thought everyone was sick of polls .

 

Yup, that "Woo Factory" thing is pretty nice. I especially like the pop out screen AND the gauge package above. Too bad they didn't do it in black...

 

I don't like the 1DIN popout LCD... they look like gaudy aftermarket... to me and they block the a/c vents. To each his own I suppose.

I agree with Omicron on the black thing... that white is a bit loud...

 

The hard part that i have run into is finding away to incorporate the top LED panel, I know people will want to retain what they can on it...I have to take my dash apart again and look at how everything is or can be attached to any thing I create for a replacement...

**WHEALY**...LOL...thanks buddy!..i have one of those propane "afterburner" heaters,....but I can't use it with the fumes and stuff....i don't wanna blow myself up, that wouldn't be to cool to get on the Darwin list...weather is looking up...it was still around 47-48 this past weekend...if it would just quit raining and give me a break so I can install my vents into my workshop...(sigh)....

I am looking at making one in Carbon fiber, but I do not have a lot of experience with that one...I may have to enlist the help of my buddy that was part owner of our tuning/custom stereo shop back in the 90's...he dealt with CF more than I...

So far, I think a single DIN opening but colored to MATCH the interior aesthetics..definitely NOT white like in that photo...I have a black laquer that will match perfectly the piano black of the current console but is less likely to get the "smear effect" like the current stock one during cleaning...

 

To me it looks like they've stuck the dash panel in the glove box?????

I'd be happy without the guages, in black or carbon fibre, single din for a standard deck ... no screen.

 

I am so so so so very down with this project, and will do anything to help you guys, and I hope you can keep costs wayyyyyyyy down (please)... I have access to wholesalers of parts, so let me know if you guys need anything to be found... Here are a few of my suggestions.... Offer a touch screen control unit (very very cool IMHO)... Maybe allow ac control through the unit (so we can totally replace the dash)

 

my so so bad... lol I see what you guys are doing your building a face plate that will accept head units... Im still down with that, but I would love to see a matching quality and color (as close as humanly possible) and would love to keep that circle around it, I find it quite appealing actually, and I think the 150-200 dollar range is very fair...

 

Im really interested in a dash kit...i jsut hope it comes out soon.

 

alright...so far...I have a good mold finally...had to order new molding compound and the weather has been some what cooperative...it looks like the easiest way to reproduce this is going to be through replicatiing the glossy faceplate alone which was really quite simple..mold wise....i am going to try and start laying the carbon fiber this coming weekend if we get back from seeing my parents early enough...it looks as though a single DIN unit will be the only option...i made a double DIN out of playdough and it looked like $hit...it didn't keep with the schema of the center face...my dig cam is out of town with my bro on safari so i can't take any pics yet...i've asked someone at work to borrow theirs but they "keep forgetting". If push comes to shove i'll break down and buy a disposable and shoot some of what I have so far to give everyone an idea and get some feedback...later

 

What exactly is a DIN unit? Will you come with out with a dask kit that looks almost exactly like the current one?

Im very sorry for my ignorance, Im a newb in this area... So Id really appreciate an explination of what exactly you are trying to build