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The WC Fat Bob Gas Tank...
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The WC Fat Bob Gas Tank Custom Dash Cover ($175) is handmade from steel and designed to fit most two-piece Fat Bob style gas tanks. It has a very classic and unique look like it came out of the '50s. The dash is designed to help clean up the top of the tank by getting rid of the speedo and idiot lights. The unit comes with the dash cover, a rear tank mount bracket and a bolt to secure the end of the dash.
In the effort to change up the look of the tank area on my project '96 Softail Springer I considered everything from leather dash panels to new chrome dash inserts to one piece stretched dashes. While I had seen all these options on various bikes through the years, that was just the problem, I had seen them all before and I wanted something completely different.
Well, after an exhausted search I happened to stumble across the Washington Choppers (WC) website late one night. Within minutes of perusing the site a thought came into my mind "why can't all custom motorcycle sites be this comprehensive." From its own line of custom and pretty affordable frames (I saw a rigid that was on special for less than $900), turnkey custom bikes, LaRosa seats and saddlebags, to Jaybrake forward controls and a mix of its own custom parts the WC site was packed with pages of cool components and accessories. But it was when I clicked on the gas tank page that I had finally found what I was looking for in the WC Fat Bob Gas Tank Custom Dash Cover.
Depending on what you plan to do, installation can be pretty easy. For my mock up, I decided to eliminate the speedo and idiot lights completely, but if you want to keep them WC offers a Rocker Box Speedo kit. I also planned on relocating the ignition switch to the horn mount with a Klock Werks ignition mount.
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I started by unbolting...
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I started by unbolting and unplugging the stock dash and speedo assembly. The ignition wires are identified by the blue tape and would be relocated. In order to install the dash I had to remove the bracket that the stock dash bolts to (red arrow) and the bracket that the electrical connectors clip to and secures the rear of the dash (yellow arrow).
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Here's the Klock Werks...
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Here's the Klock Werks ignition mount ($159.95). It's a billet unit that's finished in shiny chrome. The switch is my stock unit. For the install I had to route the three ignition wires from between the tanks to the left side by the horn. I had to add about six inches to the wires to reach the horn mount.
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I then removed and unplugged...
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I then removed and unplugged the horn. Next, I secured the switch to the Klock Werks housing using the stock hardware. Then I plugged the ignition wires into the switch and secured the assembly to the horn mount.
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Next, I installed the...
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Next, I installed the rear WC dash bracket to the right side rear tank mount. The top of the bracket is drilled and threaded to secure the rear of the dash
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I then removed the left...
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I then removed the left and right front tank mount bolts and slipped the dash over the top of the front mounting bracket. I then secured the front of the dash followed by the rear of the dash. While the dash didn't quite fit like a glove all it took was some light pounding and bending to get it to fit the contours of the tank.
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…the rear of the dash....
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…the rear of the dash. While the dash didn’t quite fit like a glove all it took was some light pounding and bending to get it to fit the contours of the tank.
08.
Here's what the bike...
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Here's what the bike looked like in its stock setup.
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Here's the dash installed....
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Here's the dash installed. I really dig the look for a couple of reasons. It's unique and something I haven't seen on any bikes. I also like the styling of the dash with its ribbed centerline and the front looks like a hood ornament off a '50s Chrysler or Pontiac. Lastly, there are quite a few different directions I can go to finish it off, paint it, wrap it in leather, engrave it, or a combination of all of these. Great, now I gave away my ideas.