Topic: Solstice and Sky dashboard

[Gentleman Jack]

Has anyone put the nice shiny black dashboard from a Sky in to a solstice?  I know most all the buttons and dials are in the same place, but a few are not.  If anyone has done this, I would be interested in how it went. 

I love my car, but do wish the interior was a bit nicer.  JPM can help, I know.  I am building ideas for a future project.

Thanks,

GJ

[DeepBlueGXP]

Just wait until you see what has been done at the mod meet.  That will give you some ideas. 

You'd have to replace the complete Sol dash with a sky to make that work.

[TomatoSoup]

You'd have to replace the complete Sol dash with a sky to make that work.

Yeah I had thought to do this, but an awful lot needs to be changed... pretty much back to the metal.  Even the air vents are square rather than round and so the interior air tubing must be changed.  Also the lighting in the A/C controls and switches is different (maybe all of those would transfer to the new dash, but not sure).

[snaponbob]

Jack, I have that nice shiny dash board in my Sky. When the sun is over your shoulder the chrome and piano black surfaces "flash" and "flare" in the driver's eyes. NOT good. If my car was a D.D. I would change this.

[NormSky]

Like SOB mentions the top, center dash piece reflects flashing light when going under trees. There is some chrome that reflects the sun but most roads are not that straight. Other than that it is a nice looking dash. You'd have to changed your whole center console and maybe the doors too.

Norm 

[JRinKY]

I prefer the "traditional" design of the Sky interior. It is one of the main reasons that I switched from shopping for a Solstice to buying the Sky. Glare is an occasional problem, but not significant. The piano black does show dust and micro-scratches extremely well which is, overall, its most bothersome characteristic to me.

To do this you would need a donor car. As has been pointed out, there are going to be a lot of un-obvious parts needed.

[Gentleman Jack]

That's what makes this the best forum under the sun.  All the answers I need in 5 replies. 

Thanks all.  Guessing I will take DBG's advise and wait and see what wonders abound at MMM7.  Can't wait! 

The goal would be to dress up the interior up to the standards I thought would have been available in the near future had GM continued the platform.  A "Cadillac" version of the interior I guess you could call it.  (better yet, an Aston Martin version of the interior)
"Fast Betty" has enough go go go for now.  Now it's time to start working on her clothes, and I prefer to start with her underwear (interior).  As we all know, if you don't FEEL beautiful underneath, you don't LOOK beautiful on the outside. 

GJ

[jonymac]

Speaking of this - does anyone know where I can get another one of those piano black center console pieces - I am working on a mod and before I cut into mine, would like an extra on hand.  I am looking for the piece that surrounds the climate controls above the radio and extends on top of the dash...

[Gentleman Jack]

Speaking of this - does anyone know where I can get another one of those piano black center console pieces - I am working on a mod and before I cut into mine, would like an extra on hand.  I am looking for the piece that surrounds the climate controls above the radio and extends on top of the dash...

Heard ICS? has been a good resource?  Someone else could verify ICS website...

GJ

[Gentleman Jack]

http://stores.ebay.com/ICS-Auto-Parts_All-Solstice-Sky-Parts_W0QQ_fsubZ1563618016QQ_sidZ297930046QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14?_pgn=1

link to their EBay page.  No Saturn dash listed, but may be in stock somewhere else.

GJ

[Uranium-238]

Something else to consider...many of the buttons and controls are not mounted in the same place between models. The TC button/airbag light come readily to mind. With as little slack as they leave in all the cables on these cars you'd have to splice in an extension on more than a few of them.

[jonymac]

Thanks GJ - I emailed him... Still looking...

[Graywolf]

I painted the benzel around the Gauges the same color as my car-Red It looks alot better than the orginal color-silver. There might be a picture in the Gallery

[SOLSTZ06]

I have the full Sky dash in my Solstice GXP. Once I had all the parts it only took about two hours and some phone assistance from Joe at JPM.  Never regretted the switch, I like the Sky look much better and yes you do have to go as far forward as the bulk head, the Solstice door panels are fine. and the console back to the armrest needs to be switched to Sky.

[TomatoSoup]

I have the full Sky dash in my Solstice GXP. Once I had all the parts it only took about two hours and some phone assistance from Joe at JPM.  Never regretted the switch, I like the Sky look much better and yes you do have to go as far forward as the bulk head, the Solstice door panels are fine. and the console back to the armrest needs to be switched to Sky.

You CAN'T just leave it like that!  We need parts list, prices, where/how did you get the parts, etc???  PLEASE?

[elff]

I do prefer the Sky interior as well.
the Glare issue must only exist for you tall folks.
I barely can see over the dash, so I guess I don't have the proper angle for it to be an issue
 

Jonymac
Try our vendor
ShopGMAccessories.com
they are an actual dealer and have been awesome in getting a ton of parts for a bunch of us.

[SOLSTZ06]

how do I insert photos?

[TomatoSoup]

how do I insert photos?

You need to upload them to a host site (like Photobucket) then you can link to them in line in your posts as follows (but without the spaces):
    [ img ] <photo link URL> [ / img ]

Here's an example (click 'Quote' on this post to see the link details):

[spartan]

ICS has had a dash on e-bay.  I bought one from a cleveland-based parts recycler and had it covered by JPM in tan alcantara.  Kinda expensive to do but I love it.

I bet the glare issue would be handled well by just covering the Solstice dash in alcantara (by JPM...angling here for future consideration from JPM guys!).

[SOLSTZ06]

I could do it as an attachment on Solsticeforum, is that not possible here?

[Kelu]

There you go: http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=3913.0

[SOLSTZ06]

I got the dash as a single complete piece from Shram's in Waterford, MI.  It seemed to be new and I believe it was an engineering piece.  Although it was not very expensive, i imagine buying the individual parts might be.  All switches, dash bracket, everything was included with the exception of the HVAC ducting, which is very different, and the metal bracket that provides the hard point mounting to the bulk head.  The plastic dash support was a close match to the Solstice and only needed minor modification to fit on the existing metal bracket, so that didn't need to be replaced.  It only took a couple of hours and a few tools plus a little phone help from Joe at JPM to remove the Solstice dash.  It's surprising how few screws there are.

 

[TomatoSoup]

Like it!  Thanks.

[Graywolf]

Great job. Looks like a pro install

[Arabas]

i never thought of this mod!
nice work SOLSTZ06 !
Now you have a Solky....