Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Do you like or dislike the new dashboard ? |
Yes I do like the new dashboard |
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[ 7 ] |
No I do not like the new dashboard |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
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Total Votes : 7 |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Peter. I will try to get a spiral into the tube if I can but I think it might be difficult.
I also have a tube going to the oil pressure gauge and that does have a series of loops.
My next head scratcher is how to fit the vacuum tube from the inlet manifold to the boost gauge.
On my dashboard, I have the boost gauge where others would have a water temperature gauge - which as I have said was never original equipment - and again there is no provision for a gauge of any kind... |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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I had something of an unexpected set back today when I discovered that the two (green with brown fleck) wires at the back of the car - that I thought were separate - proved to be joined.
I will try to explain....
As I had originally intended to have reversing lights, the new loom was wired for them. That plan was ditched some time ago but I had an idea that I could utilise those wires for the petrol gauge.
I had always thought that the two wires in question were the same two that appeared under the dash... but when I tested them I found they were both connected to just ONE of the two under the dash.
This has meant that in addition to ONE green/brown wire from the gauge, I had to run a NEW, external wire to the hydrostatic sender unit sensor at the back of the car.
No big issue but crawling about on the floor is an activity that I am finding ever more difficult, so I have routed the wire from the dashboard; down through the top of the gearbox cover (along with the speedo cable) and out by the side of the prop shaft tunnel; disappearing through a small gap next to the diff ramp. From there it is but a short distance under the car to the petrol tank sender unit and it's electronic sensor.
I hope it will be O.K., but in a digression from the instructions, I plan to omit the long black wire and earth the gauge and the sensor with other wires grounded locally.
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7121 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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For the added wires to my fog lamps to use them as flashing indicators I used PTFE covered wire. It's very tough and also doesn't melt or burn.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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peter scott wrote: | For the added wires to my fog lamps to use them as flashing indicators I used PTFE covered wire. It's very tough and also doesn't melt or burn.
Peter |
It never fails to amaze me just how many uses PTFE has. The material was developed by DuPont in the U.S.A.
As it happens, My Dad built the first machine to make plumber's tape back in the 1950s. It made so much money for James Walker Ltd. that they continued to show their appreciation by giving him a Christmas box every year for 25 years after he had retired! |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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MY LUCK!
I have just realised that the petrol gauge sender fitting - which should go in place the drain plug - will not go on without removing the spare wheel mounting. One of the clamps gets in the way.
Even with the mount removed it will be a close thing. I just hope the tank will not have to be removed as well!
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Fortunately, the tank is safe where it is... but there is not actually enough room for the outlet tap, the filter and the electronic control unit where they all need to go; under the tank. The black box is also out of alignment with the fuel hoses that connect everything together.
The control unit is stuck to the underside of the tank by a heavy duty type of hook and loop pad.
The outlet tap is, however, screwed into the tank in place of the drain plug and is, unfortunately, at a lower level than the control unit and filter. The difference is too much for the short flexible hoses to cope with so I shall have to devise a way of making them all align.
I don't want to stick a distance piece directly onto the control unit just in case it needs to be returned, if faulty. I am therefore looking at sticking a small block to the underside of the tank; one half of the self adhesive "chunky velcro" patch will need to be stuck to that; the other half will stick to the back of the control unit as intended.
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Change of plan!
Thinking it over, I decided to bolt a length of steel strip 9" x 1" x 1/16" to the 3" deep floor of the side screen box and stick the control box to where the strip extends by 6" under the tank. The surface needs to be flat and clean to allow the self adhesive pad to stick to it.
All a bit of a faff; what with having to remove the tail pipe before measuring and cutting the 1" strip steel, then drilling and countersinking two 3/8" holes to take flush fitting BSF machine screws with nuts and spring washers, then marking and drilling two holes in the bottom of the side screen box to take the screws; one longer than the other as it passes through timber, but the job is slowly getting done...
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The hydrostatic sender unit (which is a self contained entity; i.e. it does not touch the fuel line itself) is now in place. What I need to do now is wire it up. Because the electronics are polarity sensitive, Declan Burns has made me a +12 V isolated floating power supply for this positive earth car...
(Strange how it has posted) |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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Other areas still need attention. This was someone's idea of how to paint the inside of the front wings. Slather some undersea over the rust and add a splash of red paint.
No one will notice... |
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bjacko
Joined: 28 Oct 2013 Posts: 364 Location: Melbourne Australia
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 7:34 am Post subject: Mudguard Painting |
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This is typical of how some people "restore" things. Then they sell it before the rust comes through.
I found it best to strip all the paint, remove what rust that could be removed, then treated it with a rust preventer, primed it, then top coated with an anti-rust black paint then an undersealer. _________________ 1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, that sounds like a good plan. For these front wings, however, there is so much of the underside visible that it really needs to be painted.
Before I can get any paint on, however, I need to attend to a few splits.
My poor old welder will be pressed into service again.!!
The silly thing is that by and large there is only surface rust which could have been easily treated. The Australian climate has been kind to this car but even so, I am finding a slightly rusty surface beneath the original factory blue paint.
I will strip it all back to bare metal and use phosphoric acid to neutralise any corrosion.
What I am tempted to do is restore the underside then take both front wings to a professional for the top finish.
Expensive, maybe, but hopefully a better outcome than I could achieve.
Having said that, however, I expect I would get a pretty good finish... given time. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 10:15 am Post subject: |
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Getting back to the dashboard; I have struggled. For example, with all the cables and pipework attached, the dash would not go back in. I found various places where the plywood backing board needed to be relieved. That is easier said than done sometimes with limited space. A consequence is that I have worn out all my Dremel sanding drums.!
The latest niggle has been unable to get a spanner on the nut that secures the choke cable at the back of the instrument cluster. It is my own fault because I have added extra back lighting that now gets in the way.
I am nearly there. Just the starter cable to go.
I will need some longer fixing screws, however. These are chrome plated raised head slotted type that sit in cup washers. The ones I have are 1" which is too short...or 1 1/2" which is a bit too long. I will need to order some 1 1/4" to make a nice job of it. No point in spoiling the ship etc...
One thing I am rather pleased with is the new flashing indicators. I even have a hazard warning system that uses the same tell tale light on the dash. It is my first attempt at using diodes but I have found they are invaluable.
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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I had forgotten that my replacement choke cable knob had not been properly secured.
The first thing was to tap a 4BA thread in the plastic hole then file a rebate in the core that I had previously shaped to a hexagon.
This needs to be a tight fit in the knob (matching hexagon ) - the rebate aligning with the tapped hole.
I then mixed up some JB weld and assembled the core in the knob and tightly screwed in a 4 BA screw. Then with my Dremel cutting disc
I cut off the screw flush with the knob.
When cured, it should be a permanent repair but one that is not readily visible as it faces downwards when in position on the dash. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Wed May 08, 2024 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like I have come to a standstill with this rebuild. I can't get the ignition warning light to operate without a 25 amp fuse blowing.
I have followed the original wiring diagram...so, the brown wire carrying 12 volts from the battery goes to terminal B on the ammeter. From the A terminal on the ammeter a brown and white wire goes to the corresponding A at the disabled RF95 control box. (The voltage regulator part is disabled because I have an alternator). From A1 a brown/blue wire goes to A at the ignition switch.
A white wire from the ignition switch that would normally go the ignition warning lamp has been removed and instead goes via the fused A3 and A4 terminals to T85 on the 'Stealth Dynamater' supplied relay for positive earth cars. From the relay T87 (85 & 30 earthed as instructed) a yellow wire goes to the ignition warning light. From the other side of the warning lamp another yellow wire comes in from the small terminal of the alternator.
The problem is that a 25 amp. fuse blows as soon as power is applied. This doesn't seem right to me...and just trying a higher value fuse may be foolish.
I don't know what I have done wrong but I am now stuck. |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4109 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Thu May 09, 2024 9:18 am Post subject: |
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Are you sure the alternator is the +ve earth version? if it were the -ve earth version the inbuilt (alternator) surge protection diode would present a short and blow the fuse.
I'd disconnect the alternator main output and see if the problem goes away.
Dave |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6330 Location: Derby
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Posted: Thu May 09, 2024 10:02 am Post subject: |
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ukdave2002 wrote: | Are you sure the alternator is the +ve earth version? if it were the -ve earth version the inbuilt (alternator) surge protection diode would present a short and blow the fuse.
I'd disconnect the alternator main output and see if the problem goes away.
Dave |
It was sold as a positive earth Dynamater for an MG TC and came with instructions and specific installation instructions that it had to be wired through a relay (with 30 earthed to 86) and failure to do so would result in damage. It is now out of warranty.
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