*Ask Broadfield*

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by killer skittle

How has the SEM paint/dye you used on interior pieces help up? How long have you used it? I would LOVE to redo my dash, center, and door panels with that stuff. Just think a year or two in the sun and it would be worse off than it is now. Do you just use wax/grease remover then spray a coat on?

I have never had any issues with it. However, I have never painted a dash with it or any other large plastic interior trim... although the SEM Color Coat is designed for exactly that. I'm usually painting smaller interior pieces that I have modified/fabricated. Like I said though, no issues at all. I have had pieces painted in my car for over 5 years. I would recommend cleaning the area with a Maxx Solv or similar. Scuff it with a grey 3M scuff pad, then paint.

Originally Posted by chiboy002

hey toby
i'll give you a call tomorrow to go over some stuff if thats ok but for now, and i'll prolly forget this post ever posted lol, but

what do you use for the 200mL applicator gun for the 3M seam sealer?
i derped a little bit and forgot i needed an applicator gun before i bought it, and its like 200 god damn dollars. Any recommendations on something cheaper? This is probably the only time i'll ever use it, so don't want to drop that much on it.

I posted a picture of it with the part # on it in this thread. You should be able to find it much cheaper online. That type of dispenser is an industry standard though, so it doesn't have to be the 3M gun.

Edit: doesn't get much better than this: http://www.tcpglobal.com/AutoBodyDep...temNo=MMM+8571

[slim]

so i am in the process of aquiring an 06-07 sti. want to do the same thing u did to this one. would you be able to do this without the car, just the gauge and vent? or is it nessecary to test fit during the process? if this is possible ill send you a pm for a quote after i actually pick one up. thanks in advance. love your work always impressive!!!

[chiboy002]

Originally Posted by Broadfield

I posted a picture of it with the part # on it in this thread. You should be able to find it much cheaper online. That type of dispenser is an industry standard though, so it doesn't have to be the 3M gun.

Edit: doesn't get much better than this: Item Detail

damn thats a good deal
Thanks Toby!

[titopr06]

hey toby,

is the process of upholstering the s14 door cards the same as the s13? Is it the same material?

thanks!

[Seraphim38]

Have you ever used a surface mount universal pod to mount on the kick panels of a 240sx? Maybe for mounting a 5 1/4 or 4" mid for added midrange / sound stage? It would have to be a woofer that is not too deep, as I don't really want to relocate my ECU and other stuff housed behind the kick panels

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by slim

so i am in the process of aquiring an 06-07 sti. want to do the same thing u did to this one. would you be able to do this without the car, just the gauge and vent? or is it nessecary to test fit during the process? if this is possible ill send you a pm for a quote after i actually pick one up. thanks in advance. love your work always impressive!!!

I would need the car unfortunately. It's a VERY tight fit and I would need to make sure the gauge is perfectly straight up and down with the silver trim ring... which I can only do by setting it in the car for a test fit and then adjust accordingly.

Originally Posted by chiboy002

damn thats a good deal
Thanks Toby!

You know I got your back!

Originally Posted by titopr06

hey toby,

is the process of upholstering the s14 door cards the same as the s13? Is it the same material?

thanks!

Definitely not, but I have never done an S14 card. I do know the S14 cards are cake to do though.

Originally Posted by Seraphim38

Have you ever used a surface mount universal pod to mount on the kick panels of a 240sx? Maybe for mounting a 5 1/4 or 4" mid for added midrange / sound stage? It would have to be a woofer that is not too deep, as I don't really want to relocate my ECU and other stuff housed behind the kick panels

No, I have never used universal pods. That would go against everything I strive for. I always custom fiberglass kicks for whatever the car may be. Here is a set I did for my demo car in the store. I also made custom press fit, flush, black grill cloth covered grills that are not pictured. I actually made these kicks 16 years ago. I just had them out of the car because I put a fresh set of Hybrid Audio Legatia speakers in them. In the kick is a Legatia 4" and Legatia tweeter. The door houses the Legatia 7.1" midbass driver.

[roninwon]

what paint do you use to finish your products?

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by roninwon

what paint do you use to finish your products?

SEM Color Coat

[whiterps13]

Post more pics of demo car. It is my dream car. Someday....

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by whiterps13

Post more pics of demo car. It is my dream car. Someday....

LOL, God I hate that thing! At least it's turbo charged

[energ]

a while back i got a quote from you on making me a cluster, but since i have been out of work and decided to try it myself since i've got some fiberglass experience my self..





so i got most of it down the right way i think, but my gauges sit too far out to allow the clear plastic cover to go over the gauges.. lol what do you normally do when making these clusters?
i gutted out the insides, used the original top half and fiberglassed it to be a blank canvas, smoothed it, and hole-sawed my gauge holes..

now i've seen you use auto meter gauges and get the glass on, I'm just wondering if i did something wrong here?

[Broadfield]

That's a good start man! Your process is definitely completely different than what I do. But as long as it turns out good then that's all that matters.

As for the gauges, I flush all of my gauges in. For one it looks better. Second of all, it allows the larger bezel'd gauges to fit under the glass. The Autometers have huge bezels.

I use 3/4" material for my gauge plates then router the outside edge so it will sit perfectly between the front(black) and back(white) halves of the cluster. This then allows me to flush the gauges in to whatever depth I want, using a rabbet bit on a router, after I drill press the gauge holes.

If you look real close you can tell the gauges are flushed in:



This is a crappy cell pic of an S14 cluster I'm doing right now, but this will give you a good idea of how I do it. It is also getting Autometers. For reference the 2 larger gauges are sunk in 1/2".

[energ]

damn that makes a little more sense, now that i see the process.. is the final product the mdf board covered with the SEM texture coat or is that a sheet of abs plastic ?

i probably should have asked these questions before i started! ha I'm still undecided though it doesn't look bad without the glass so i may leave it off. i also picked up a few green turn signal indicators and a check engine light to throw in there its not completed yet

thanks for the reply and sharing some of your tips

[anfitch2k5]

your work is amazing. just my $.02

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by energ

damn that makes a little more sense, now that i see the process.. is the final product the mdf board covered with the SEM texture coat or is that a sheet of abs plastic ?

thanks for the reply and sharing some of your tips

Yes, the final product is the MDF with a texture. I have never used ABS plastic in my clusters. I do not use SEM texture coat anymore though. I found something else that is WAY, WAY, WAY easier to yield perfectly consistent results.... and it doesn't even require a finish coat of paint like the texture coat does. It comes in a rich satin black. But I can't tell you what the product is... I'm not ready to give up all of my secrets quite yet. However, I know I have mentioned what it is a couple times if you search hard enough The cluster with the white Autometer gauges is an example of the new texture product.

Originally Posted by anfitch2k5

your work is amazing. just my $.02

Thanks!

[Nismo240driftSX]

Toby, since searching isn't really giving me too many answers (and that my car is in storage right now so I can't really do it myself haha), can 52mm gauges fit in the din below the radio in an S13? If so, have you made a face plate and an angled setup for a din like you do for the center vent? I was trying to do something other than a pillar pod but at the same time not drill or remove anything from my dash since its mint.

[killer skittle]

If it has already been covered don't bother answering. How do you get the texture on the trim pieces you modify/add abs too?

[KiLLeR2001]

Do you know of any good suede or suede-like material that can be used to cover an S13 dash? Looking for something that looks sleek and is proven against the elements (direct sunlight). Also want to follow up and use the same material for the door panels and headliner as well.

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by Nismo240driftSX

Toby, since searching isn't really giving me too many answers (and that my car is in storage right now so I can't really do it myself haha), can 52mm gauges fit in the din below the radio in an S13? If so, have you made a face plate and an angled setup for a din like you do for the center vent? I was trying to do something other than a pillar pod but at the same time not drill or remove anything from my dash since its mint.

http://zilvia.net/f/interior-exterio...ml#post4506685

Originally Posted by killer skittle

If it has already been covered don't bother answering. How do you get the texture on the trim pieces you modify/add abs too?

2 posts back

Originally Posted by KiLLeR2001

Do you know of any good suede or suede-like material that can be used to cover an S13 dash? Looking for something that looks sleek and is proven against the elements (direct sunlight). Also want to follow up and use the same material for the door panels and headliner as well.

Not really, but I'm not an upholstery shop. Regardless of what everyone thinks, I do not really do interior work, nor do I do uhpolstry work. I did my own yes, but I have never upholstered anything but my own vehicle. I fabricate pieces to compliment the interior, but that's about it. I would suggest to go into your local upholstery shop that does street rods etc and see what they recommend.

[59bhp]

Originally Posted by Broadfield

. However, I know I have mentioned what it is a couple times if you search hard enoughThanks!

jeez you weren't kidding lol

[kouki-gymkhana]

Hey Toby, thanks for giving back to the community with this open forum. You are an immense asset to zilvia and I just wanted to thank you again.

I have a quick question: With all of the accessories I have running on my car (HID ballasts, e-fans, fan controller, etc.) my (+) terminal on the battery looks like a gang bang gone wrong. What power distribution block (or similar device) would you recommend I use to clean things up? I would like to move the battery to the trunk and use a safe, high quality distribution block that can handle 5+ inputs.

Thanks!
PS: Make sure you keep that aero bumper I sold you safe!

[killer skittle]

Originally Posted by killer skittle

If it has already been covered don't bother answering. How do you get the texture on the trim pieces you modify/add abs too?

SEM spray texture.....found it!

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by kouki-gymkhana

Hey Toby, thanks for giving back to the community with this open forum. You are an immense asset to zilvia and I just wanted to thank you again.

I have a quick question: With all of the accessories I have running on my car (HID ballasts, e-fans, fan controller, etc.) my (+) terminal on the battery looks like a gang bang gone wrong. What power distribution block (or similar device) would you recommend I use to clean things up? I would like to move the battery to the trunk and use a safe, high quality distribution block that can handle 5+ inputs.

Thanks!
PS: Make sure you keep that aero bumper I sold you safe!

Thanks man, I appreciate the support! I can get you anything you want from:

Car Audio and Video Equipment

or

Stinger Electronics | Products

Just look through there and see if there is anything you need a price on or if you have any questions on any of the product.

Originally Posted by killer skittle

SEM spray texture.....found it!

You might want to reread post # 105.

[killer skittle]

Originally Posted by Broadfield

Thanks man, I appreciate the support! I can get you anything you want from:

Car Audio and Video Equipment

or

Stinger Electronics | Products

Just look through there and see if there is anything you need a price on or if you have any questions on any of the product.



You might want to reread post # 105.

You won't give up your secret yet so all I have to go on is the sem texture spray...im willing to give it a try if you have used it in the past.
I have read through just about everything you have posted...ever. Even on your blog people have asked about the texture, you saying nothing about it. I get it, if your good at something don't do it for free. I'll try a couple things to see what works.
Looking through your albums, you don't get the exact lined Nissan oem texture you have the splotchy texture from like the sem spray. It blends well enough to where you can only tell close up...not good enough for me. I've seen a couple of vinyl repair places that can match the texture exactly and they do it by like cloning the texture from the existing piece some how?? I have found other places that sell the oem Nissan, acura, Lexus...etc patterned pads that you can use also.
Thanks

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by killer skittle

You won't give up your secret yet so all I have to go on is the sem texture spray...im willing to give it a try if you have used it in the past.
I have read through just about everything you have posted...ever. Even on your blog people have asked about the texture, you saying nothing about it. I get it, if your good at something don't do it for free. I'll try a couple things to see what works.
Looking through your albums, you don't get the exact lined Nissan oem texture you have the splotchy texture from like the sem spray. It blends well enough to where you can only tell close up...not good enough for me. I've seen a couple of vinyl repair places that can match the texture exactly and they do it by like cloning the texture from the existing piece some how?? I have found other places that sell the oem Nissan, acura, Lexus...etc patterned pads that you can use also.
Thanks

Well, you worked hard enough.... SEM Chip Guard.

As for the texture not matching the OEM, I don't want it to match. The dash board for example has the texture you are talking about. If I was repairing the dashboard then that is one thing. But I'm usually modifying/fabricating pieces that never had a texture to begin with. You always want a little contrast of some sort. So on the S13, all of the trim panels are smooth, whereas the dash is textured. So when I lay on my final finish, I either finish it in a smooth finish or a textured finish... it's up to the customer. On the S14, the trim panels have a texture on them(HVAC trim, radio trim and shifter trim). So since these three pieces come in contact with each other, I simply refinish all three pieces.... no matter if it's textured or smooth. If you tried to only do one and match it, then it's not going to match PERFECT. The color isn't going to be exact and/or the texture may not be exact, no matter what method is used. So by simply refinishing all three pieces you can rest assured they will all match each other.... which is what really matters.

[slydin240sx]

Toby, do you know if it's possible to wire the s13 DCC in a s14? They look so much better than the s14 ones.

[killer skittle]

Originally Posted by slydin240sx

Toby, do you know if it's possible to wire the s13 DCC in a s14? They look so much better than the s14 ones.

Lol I just asked this in another thread. But wiring is his specialty, if anyone can do it he can.

[slydin240sx]

Originally Posted by killer skittle

Lol I just asked this in another thread. But wiring is his specialty, if anyone can do it he can.

I know you did that's why I asked it here lol

[killer skittle]

Originally Posted by slydin240sx

I know you did that's why I asked it here lol

I've been comparing the s13 & s14 fsm's, and the only differences I can think of are the ways that the motors control the temperature, and the way the air comes out the vents.

Because all the sensors are external from the main wiring harness. I.e. in cabin temp sensor, sun load sensor, ambient outside temp sensor...etc. the only thing that is really hardwired to the harness is the fan speed, air temperature motor, button lighting, acc, constant 12v, ground, defrost...maybe more.

All this is recently learned so it might not be accurate.

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by slydin240sx

Toby, do you know if it's possible to wire the s13 DCC in a s14? They look so much better than the s14 ones.

Sorry, I have no idea... never looked into it.

Originally Posted by killer skittle

Lol I just asked this in another thread. But wiring is his specialty, if anyone can do it he can.

You do realize I gave up my secret a couple posts back.... even free of charge