It's been pretty traumatic and whilst the job is not perfect it is a major improvement over the earlier efforts. For those attempting a similar job, here are a few words of caution.
1. Cutting the holes is tricky as those adjustable hole cutters are not as accurate as you might expect and if you have a blade break, as I did, you can ruin the whole thing.
2. With hindsight I would have worked with some marine ply and used a real veneer on top, not a walnut finished blank.
3. As it turned out I had to use a veneer. I chose a burr walnut and used evo stik resin w glue. I think I was a touch over generous as the glue bled through parts of the veneer. With hindsight I think I would have chosen roll-on self adhesive double-sided film. This would have made the job simpler but would probably have created other issues, who knows?
4. I chose to use International yacht varnish and a good quality varnish brush but still had bristle problems so I tried paint pads but without great success.
After about 20 attempts I bought a set of 3 foam brushes (about £1.50) on recommendation from my local paint trade centre (Manders) and immediately the work was transformed.
5. I also invested in a pack of 'tacky rags' and it is amazing how much muck they pick up from the surface.
I have now discovered that the holes for my push buttons (starter and screen wash) are about 1mm too wide for the new stainless buttons I had bought from ebay to replacemy originals which seemed a little dull. There is hardly any extra overhang on the body to locate on the front surface of the dash so I am going to have to either find oversize chrome washers or fit nuts front and back. Either way I will need to rout the back a little as there is precious little thread to spare. Hey ho!
Whilst I have offered it up in the cockpit, I haven't fitted it. Its predecessor was screwed on which looked awful so I should bond it in place with glass fibre strips as suggested in the build manual. I am tempted to use 'hard as nails' double-sided tape to fix it in place then use the glass fibre strips as a belt and braces solution.
Any thoughts?
Derek Teal is the proud owner of this award-winning Carisma Century in Yorkshire. Derek kindly took me out for a run in it last year and I realised how a well-sorted Carisma should drive. It inspired me to improve mine. The colour of this car is a much more subtle shade of white than mine and is beautifully set off with matching wire wheels. It has also been really well upholstered in white. I don't know where the seats originated but they are properly sprung (not just foam) and are really comfortable. I am very envious as my project seems to have stalled as this bad weather has kept me out of my garage lately. 
ed Legg. It may be that there is a 'coven' of 'Carries' on the Costas. Certainly the club membership had one Miguel Casado Villen of Madrid as a member though he has not responded to my letter.
