HLM - Dashboard formica

[bernd_st]

Does anybody have a good hint for a formica replacement which would be at least a close match to the original wood pattern/colour used on the HLM dashboard ? Haven't found anything proper yet...

 

[bobbo]

check with various cabinet shops. different shops will carry a variety of manufactures products and colour samples.
most will also come in gloss or matt to satin finishes. You might get lucky an find a remnant available for free or very little cost.
Happy hunting

 

[jdoclogan]

Bernd, I went online and found some interesting grained samples. Nothing really matched our HLMs. Maybe someone else has a match.

 

[bernd_st]

Jerry, same unfortunate experience. I have 2 original broken RHD formica pieces which could be somehow used as a pattern, but thought a close match would make things easier...

 

[Bill Blue]

You might try a flooring store. The current crop of flooring is quite impressive and I think a single piece would be enough for a dash. Some of it is quite thin (1/8") and intended to be glued in place.
Bill

 

[260Alpine]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Formica-Brand-Laminate-48-x-96-Chestnut-Burl-Laminate-Countertop-Sheet/3493769

 

[260Alpine]

https://www.wilsonart.com/laminate/species

 

[jdoclogan]

Jim, I'm thinking "well done" until I noted it is no longer available. And it is more fitted to the Tigers and Alpines with a burled walnut veneered dash. I redid a Tiger and Series 3 in that nice burled grain with real veneer material. They turned out wonderful, but, it was expensive and difficult to work with the real material. Note: The HLM has a bit more yellow hue to it. I do like your find because it will most likely be easier to work with than real veneer. And yet it would still give the same finished look of an original installation. I'm remembering I found your selection once before while pursuing countertop material for my Lyrad project. That dash has been on hold for years while I sought out an economical and less brittle Burled Walnut material.


Good suggestion Bill. And the search continues.

 

[puff4]

I wonder if any of these may be a resource? (click each for a link to the referenced page)

Burl Panels – Norva Plastics

Amazon.com

Arvinyl Transportation Laminates - Arvinyl Laminates

Arvinyl is an industry leader in dash panels and interior trim for commercial vehicles, including sound damping solutions.

www.arvinyl.com

0352 Burled Amber Wood Formica Laminate - Peter Benson Plywood Ltd

Pattern Search

panolam.com

 

[studmobile]

This one is pretty close: https://panolam.com/pattern-search/caluna-cherry/

 

[bernd_st]

Quite a few helpful links, thanks. The last two however I can't open (access denied). Nice burled wood grains, but still not really close to original stuff. See the pictures:




P.S. Jerry thanks for your above close up. Learned something new again. Appearantly Harringtons used slotted domed screws to hold the dashboard instead of the Philips countersunk headed ones for the normal Alpines. The marks of that very screw head can be clearly also seen on my formica pieces. Hunt for those screws is started now ;-)

 

[bernd_st]

P.S. Found that one in UK called "Altofina/Ebony" which at least from grain point of view appears similar - even it's way darker. Hmm , may order a sample...

Ebony 001

Find out more about our Altofina Ebony 001 products.

www.blackheathproducts.co.uk

Or the walnut one here might even be better:

Walnut 011

Find out more about our Altofina Walnut 011 products.

www.blackheathproducts.co.uk

 

[puff4]

Quite a few helpful links, thanks. The last two however I can't open (access denied). Nice burled wood grains, but still not really close to original stuff.

Hmm. Those two are HTTPS (secure) links. Check your Internet security settings - that’s likely the problem. The sites are not a security risk, I checked them.

 

[jdoclogan]

Both of your replacement examples have more straight grain than original. Interesting color shade difference between your original and mine. Yours seems to have more gray tones than mine.

 

[jdoclogan]

Bernd, I'm using Classical Dash in the UK (http://classical-dash.co.uk/?doing_wp_cron=1707585269.7491860389709472656250) to do a complete wood set for one of my MK II Jaguars. I don't believe they are into formica. However, I found Ian Bond, the owner/operator to be very helpful in matching my desired grain/burl/color shading.

 

[jdoclogan]

I just went out and took a photo of my production HLM, Naomi, from John Prittie. Note: This is an early production model.

 

[Chad]

I think you’ll have a hard time finding curly or fiddleback wood grains in a Formica-style plastic laminate. Unlike burls, those grains need the wood’s grain structure to show properly, and a simple wood image will never capture that. The “magic” of fiddleback woods is the way they change appearance from different viewing angles and lighting - they have visual depth.

A couple flooring products try to use fiddleback images, but they are meant to be seen 6’ away, and look flat and muddy up close.

 

[jdoclogan]

Wonderful explanation Chad. I think replicating the original faux fiddleback formica in my HLMs would be near impossible.



Bernd, I spent sometime searching for Burl wood faux products that might serve our needs.

For me, with the Lyrad project, I might use this California Burl Walnut. I requested samples.



It is an ABS plastic product for boats. https://www.amazon.com/Sheets-Instr...kSfMIiC3gy3IVwSwv2zSFiblF07LPzARoC9Q0QAvD_BwE


Bernd, for you this "Gray Burl" might work: https://www.amazon.com/Gray-thermoplastic-sheet-instrument-panel/dp/B01AYDZXDQ

 

[Bill Blue]

Getting back to the original post, looking for FORMICA to replace a non-existing dashboard, don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough.
Bill

 

[bernd_st]

Thanks for the backwards loop, even though I enjoyed all those "burled wood" excursions. What I'm after is still a close looking formica replacement....