I’ve finally got hold of the hardest parts in the S2000 red interior conversion — the dashboard and the floor cover beneath the center console. I had STUDIO 6 ZERO make me a genuine leather-wrapped dashboard and center console.
It was about two years ago that I converted half the interior to red. Red dashboards are no longer available new, there are none second-hand, and the few that turn up are in rough shape. The floor cover beneath the center console was much the same story — basically unobtainable, filthy when one did appear, and expensive despite all that.
Where the S2000 sits as a car has shifted over the years, and so have I. So rather than simply making the interior red, I wanted to add a level of quality to it.
The material is genuine leather too — and it was made by the very tannery that produced the leather for the S2000 back in the day, using the original grain pattern. Same color, same process as factory, yet the result is a red interior with a a step above the original.
Removing the dashboard demands plenty of space — both doors wide open is a must.
Stripping down the steering column area.
Gauge cluster stripped down, connectors unplugged.
Steering shaft disconnected as well.
Changed approach to leave the harness with the body. Releasing the harness clips from the dashboard one at a time.
Added brackets to secure the harness to the body. Since neither the driver’s nor the passenger’s side has an airbag, the SRS components came out along with the unit. The floor cover beneath the center console is out as well.
For the rear section of the center console, I loosened the bolts and lifted it just enough to swap the floor cover out from underneath.
Beautiful, right down to how it creases
Rounded up all the small parts too — nothing overlooked
Fitting the dashboard, routing the wiring as I go
Gauge cluster, steering boss and horn all fitted.
Steering wheel on, and this is where it stands for now
