Golf mk4 Dashboard Swapped Corrado

How it all started

So I was asked if i could custom build some custom VW Corrado doorcards that would look OEM in this VW Corrado. Its running a full R32 engine full haldex running gear, aswell as the Golf dashboard.

Custom VW Corrado Doorcards

Here is how it arrived with the door cards cut to allow the now wider dash to fit with closed doors, Some extensive rebuilding was carried out, with very little room to work with i managed to blend the doorcards using the original lines to keep an OEM+ look.

Designing the layout

The owner wanted the doors to look factory finish and blend into the new dashboard, these three designs where what I imagined possible.

This was the final design layout chosen. Keeping as much of the original lines and design of the Corrado while incorporating the section of the mk4 golf doorcards that buts up the end ends of the dashboard.

Cutting up the Original Golf mk4 doorcards

I had a good idea what I needed to remove but tried to chop things up methodically so that I had the least amount of filling and rebuilding later.

Mockup

Here is the doorcard all cut up and ready to be built. We ended up with 5 pieces that once finished would end up as 3 main sections that will be easier to wrap in leather. if you look back at the design layout you can see these 3 parts outlined.

Fiberglassing

I started by mockup getting things lined up, It was crucial when closing the doors, it was incredibly hard figuring out where to incorporate the structural integrity between the plastic Golf doorcard and the cardboard corrado one. There is also the huge issue of the corrado doors having some fairly thick and protruding metalwork that made it incredibly hard to find space at the back to build integral strength. Being doors that get slammed it was essential for there to be enough meat behind to hold this together.

Modifying the speaker pod/door pockets

The height of the door pocket was fouling the dashboard so it had to be lowered and blended into the door, I also used this to cover a gap in the doorcard by extending the top flare out.

Restoring damaged oem doorcards

The original VW Corrado doorcards were in quite a bad condition when i stripped them some parts had snapped and needed to be repaired, I wanted these to last the car has already been on the road for so long it deserves a good job to keep it going for another lifetime! I made sure all the weak points were made strong.

Rebuilding the edge

Building the edge was a fairly simple job but had to be dead right as it was such a tight fit between the card and the dash, there was literaly no space to play with as i had to account for it to be finished in leather. It actualy missed taking pictures of this fully finished. and fully filled in it was such a rush to get done!

Finished

I did manage to get some shots of them in place and they really do line up in to the dash really nicely fit well and finish the conversion off nicely.