Snow Trac - Wood dash, Radio, GPS, XM sat radio?

[Melensdad]

I'm working on adding some wood trim to my Snow Trac to dress it up. In the process I want to add in a Magellin Color Meridian GPS, a Blaupunk Radio, Delphi XM radio and some speakers.

The pictures show the inside of the cab prior to modifications (actually prior to any work), then with some "Photoshopped" modification that I am thinking of adding. Please forgive the crude Photoshop work, I don't use the program very often and am not very good with it.

Picture 1 = unmodified
Picture 2 = possible wood dash installation, plus wood on the sides of the cabin
Picture 3 = radios & speakers added to the wood sides

Thoughts?

[buckle97]

Looks good, Bob. Are you going to add any speakers in the rear of the Snow Trac? I have no idea how noisy it is in the cab while the Snow Trac is moving, but if you have passengers in the very back they might want to listen to some Eminem along with you!


Lawrence

[Melensdad]

Are you going to add any speakers in the rear of the Snow Trac?
Yup, I have a pair of Blaupunkt Coaxial Marine Speakers for the rear, I figured I would probably mount them up high in the rear corners if I can make a decent looking enclosure for them. Its really not too loud inside, the engine is not overly noisy and the tracks are not too noise either.

I'm not sure what to do about the wood. I'm thinking cherry with a nice medium reddish brown stain? I'm also thinking I may lay wood down on the two flat surfaces, one is about 7" wide to the left side of the driver, the other is just under 16" wide on the right side of the cabin. In theory the entire right side of the cabin would have a bench seat, but I don't see the need to transport 7 people so I'm thinking of putting a wood shelf up front adjacent to the right side of the driver, maybe put in a cup holder or two?

Any thoughts on the type of wood, or how to hold it in place? There are a couple places holes I can use existing holes. I do NOT want to drill new holes because while I am modifying the Snow Trac I don't want permanent modifications that would ruin its originality.

[bczoom]

As for the color of wood, that's personal preference. What's a common wood that goes with the Hawaiian motif you have?

Do I assume correctly that the wood will be thin (like 1/4")? If so, that 3M spray type glue should be enough to hold it in place.

I would look at some nice wainscoating or tambour panels if you want to put some curves in it.

Have you kicked around other materials besides wood? Things like acoustical panels, carpeted or leather surface...

Please elaborate on the shelf you're considering. I'm just wondering if it'll create an access issue for the stereo receiver and/or baffle the sound coming out of the right side speaker.

[Melensdad]

As for the color of wood, that's personal preference. What's a common wood that goes with the Hawaiian motif you have?
Koa Wood would be most exotic of the Hawaiian woods, it is unbelievably expensive and hard to get. I have a Koa Wood bowl that was turned out of a trunk of a tree. From what I understand, they don't do too much of that anymore, at least not in the larger sizes. I'm thinking Cherry, Birch or Maple as my top 3 choices. All are available in the sizes I need.

Do I assume correctly that the wood will be thin (like 1/4")? If so, that 3M spray type glue should be enough to hold it in place.
The wood used on the two side panels would likely be 1/4 plywood. There are a couple existing bolt holes that I can use to hold those in place. Given the vibrations, and the exposure to cold (the cab is NOT insulated) I have doubts about the ability of the spray type adhesives.

The wood piece used to actually mount the radios and the speaks in would be a piece of 1x lumber cut to fit. Cutouts would be made into the wood to hold the radios and speakers.

Have you kicked around other materials besides wood? Things like acoustical panels, carpeted or leather surface...
I like the look of wood and leather. I would consider leather if I knew how to work with it, but I would likely use it as detail trim or as inset pieces to highlight the wood. I may now look into that.

Please elaborate on the shelf you're considering. I'm just wondering if it'll create an access issue for the stereo receiver and/or baffle the sound coming out of the right side speaker.
In the middle photo you can see a black rubber mat on the left side of the driver's seat. That is the left "shelf" I am referring to. I may simply replace that rubber mat with wood. To the right of the driver's seat you can see a wide flat surface with a recessed rectangular cubby hole area. That is where I was considering putting the other shelf. The surface area is 15.75" wide by about 36" from the dash to the rear bench seat. I want to keep the cubby area open to hold gloves, etc. But the flat surface area almost begs to have some cup holders. As long as I don't put anything with 12" in front of the speakers I'm not worried the sound dynamics to much.

Also on the shelf area I'm thinking of a 12-volt warmer to heat up hot cocoa!:tiphat:

[Snowcat Operations]

If you must use wood then go with a Teak. Teak is your best wet weather wood and is used in sail boats to ships. If it were me I would pull the dash and have another one fabricated at the local high school or metal shop and include your newer instruments in that. That way you still have the origanal and it wont be ruined. I would look into either the same metal or a brushed Stailness steel. Just my opinion. I would box the old gauges and find some real nice newer ones for the instrument panel.

[Snowcat Operations]

Dont forget your 2 meter radio and a very good CB.

[Melensdad]

I considered teak, but figured that a good finish, like used on automotive wood dashboards would hold up well. There really is no reason to think that the wood would get particularly wet unless I use it as the shelf material too. I've had real wood dashboards in all my convertibles and those have been exposed to sun (and one of them to a lot of rain :eek: ) and I've not had problems with the wood. And as I store the Snow Trac inside, its really not exposed to a harsh enviornment most of the time.

The way I think I can install the wood, there will be absolutely no damage to the Snow Trac's dash or any other parts. I will simply secure it to bolt holes that already exist. The panel that goes across and under the dash will be the tricky one to mount, but I think I have it figured out.


As for the radio:
I did think about a CB radio, but I won't install anything more than that if I even install one of those. Most of my use will be in areas where I am very familiar and where I can walk to a house for help. I'd consider taking a CB for when I trailer it up to Wisconsin and Michigan, etc. But where I am located, help is never very far away.

[Melensdad]

Ok this might sound a bit crazy, but I've just finished talking to a company that makes bamboo planks. Given the Hawaiian Barkcloth fabric that we have on the passenger seats of the Snow Trac, I began to think about the most suitable wood choice for the interior.

Birch is a traditional wood used in Scandinavian furniture and would be the most likely choice for a Swedish interior. I personally like Cherry and Maple so I was thinking of both of those. But none of those 3 choices would have really matched well with palm trees and flamingos.

So now I am thinking bamboo :a1:

[Snowcat Operations]

Bamboo is very pricey! Let me know if you find a cheap source.

[Melensdad]

The source is not cheap. Sorry. But it is solid bamboo plank, not laminate.

[PBinWA]

"wood" WTF? Junk, Doc - is there some way to take points away from Bob's reputation?

What are your going to do? Turn that cool looking Snowcat into some Hawaiin tiki hut? How about a nice faux thatched roof and a margarita machine too?

How about some stainless steel, diamond plate, or industrial rubber matt? Something masculine and rugged!:2gunsfiri

[Snowcat Operations]

Bamboo is beautiful. My wife wants to redo the kitchen with a bamboo counter top. My jaw must have dropped when the guy told me how much per linear foot! It was every bit as expensive as granite!


:pat:

[Snowcat Operations]

Hey got a picture of that new floor?

[PBinWA]

Bamboo is beautiful. My wife wants to redo the kitchen

See - 'nuff said. His "wife" really likes it. It's "beautiful". {imagine a taunting girlie voice} :D

[Snowcat Operations]

I should have said I "thought" it was beautiful "too" until I saw the price. Now its dam ugly

[Doc]

Pimp my ride comes to mind. I bet they'd love to help you with your project Bob. Do you want a few of us to suggest it, and see if they'll take on a Snow Trac challenge? I'm sure it would be the most unique vehicle they've done to date.

[OkeeDon]

1/4" birch plywood, as used for cabinets, is the easiest to use, can be stained to almost any color, and is a reasonable price. The grain is not bad, and most people would not be able to distinguish it from any exotic wood unless the two were side by side. I would glue it on with construction adhesive. It will be possible, but not easy, to remove it later if you change your mind. I would also consider raised trim around all the edges, and perhaps across larger panels, and give it the look of the old "woody" wagons -- except that it would be on the inside!

I recently used some 1/4 luan plywood to make a shelf to more-or-less match the cherry wood cabinets in my RV. I got the color very close, and the luan was close-grained enough that it doesn't look very much different than the cherry, unless you get really close and take the time to examine it.

[johnday]

Hi Bob; Not a lot to add, but I like what Don suggested. Choice of wood is yours, but 1/4" birtch ply is what I'd consider. I've fooled people a number of times by just staining a maple or cherry color. As for the finish. There is a two part finish out there, epoxy base I believe. You mix it up, then pour it over the wood. It's self leveling, so there is really no brushstrokes to be seen. West Marine, or USBoat, should have this type of finish, as well as most crap, I mean "craft shops". Back in my woodworker days, I used this system a couple times, and the first thing I thought of was the wood inserts and trim on cars that I'd seen. Good luck with it Bob, you're doing a fine job so far!:thumb::tiphat:

[Ice Queen]

How about a crochet lace trim to add a touch of glamour?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Melensdad]

How about a crochet lace trim to add a touch of glamour?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anita, I think that might clash with the pink flamingos and green palm trees I used to upholster the seats. :yum:

[gordon robertson]

funny gal. so have you really purchased an st4 regards, gordon robertson

[Snowcat Operations]

It would have to be crochet Palm trees :D :beer:

[gordon robertson]

bob you forgot the plasma screen . and the vibrating seat... for those long trips..... grr

[JimVT]

I'm working on adding some wood trim to my Snow Trac to dress it up. In the process I want to add in a Magellin Color Meridian GPS, a Blaupunk Radio, Delphi XM radio and some speakers.

The pictures show the inside of the cab prior to modifications (actually prior to any work), then with some "Photoshopped" modification that I am thinking of adding. Please forgive the crude Photoshop work, I don't use the program very often and am not very good with it.

Picture 1 = unmodified
Picture 2 = possible wood dash installation, plus wood on the sides of the cabin
Picture 3 = radios & speakers added to the wood sides

Thoughts?
How did you make out with this??

[clhsmith]

look on page 4 of this forum where it asks to post pistures of interior mods. we used woodgrain aborite on our dash. it previously had oak plywood on the dash but it all weathered and cheked. unfortuneatly not many foto mods have been posted

[snow dog]

How about a sign reminding the drive to fill the gas tank before driving the cat

[northeastheavy]

The dash looks great!! I think a persons cab must be outfitted properly!!!! My next snowcat will definately have heated leather seats and a bose stereo!! Already got the stereo out of a friends caddy.
I think the !/4 inch plywood would look great!! Can pretty much get it with with any wood on top!!! Maybe bamboo?? Cheaper too.
How about a aluminum panel down the left side of the cab to blend with the dash?? cupholder up front !! Maybe a nice leather cushion on the right side bench for the wife!!! How about a heated seat for you the driver!!!! You did all the work!!!!!!!!! Looks great!!!

[jimbo]

I second the birch idea. Birch can be made to look like a lot of other woods as it has a nice grain and takes stain well. It is usually a little cheaper than more exotic woods. You can purchase bendable birch if you have other than flat surfaces.