248 replies to this topic

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Not done a great deal more yet but a few bits that where holding up procedings have finally arrived so I should be able to get on with things now when I can find a bit of spare time.

Sun 27th - Wed 30th March

Did a oil change



Bit of splash back from the crappy Halfrauds drain can which can't really keep up with the flow and is a bit small.



Fitted a sandwich plate to the filter, attached sensors and routed wires to cabin.



I think I have orientated things the best I could, it's quite a tight fit!



I am however really annoyed with this as I have a very slight leak once the oil has warmed up. It's like one small drop every couple of minutes but it collects on the undertray and could run off anywhere. No doubt the only way to see to this will be to drain the damn thing again of all the fresh oil as presumably it will pi55 out till empty anyway if I just remove the filter?


Got my new OBDII screen, it's a good quality bit of kit if a little pricy and it's functions are a little limited due to the cars minimal outputs. I have made a few custom backgrounds for it and it looks really smart when on.



I have started to cut out the dash and mould in a surround. I jigsawed out a bit of wood in the shape of the screen to act as a template. It will all eventually be smoothed around and seamlessly covered in alcantara blending it into the rest of the dash.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

moving along nicly!

[Ben NA]

Great project! That screen is expensive at £250 though. Did you consider wiring in a PDA and using a bluetooth or hardwired OBD-II dongle? I'm using my phone and a bluetooth dongle at the moment but I also use the phone for sat nav and it can't do both. I'm tempted to buy a cheap PDA. What are using the screen to monitor? Tyre pressure, mpg, avg speed e.t.c. I guess it doesn't have built in GPS for monitoring where you've driven, like a phone does.

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

YEah I was thinking of having a Ipad or cheaper android tablet housed in a custom center console and have a OBDII gadget, sat nav etc running through that. DEcided against it though as it would be a bit on the large side, might get in the way and could look out of place. I am now going to make a center divide something like I designed in this thread.

My Insight CTS monitor was a bit pricy, I got it from America for slightly less than £250 though and it is a quality bit of kit. When you compare it to the Greddy touch, scan gauge, Dash Hawk, Interceptor, etc it is priced about right for what you get. I will mainly be using it to monitor temperatures, loads, mpg and general engine data, the 0-60 and 1/4 mile function with graphs is quite good too. I have a seperate screen for TPMS that is going in the front dash panel.

I may look at getting a multi functional flip out single din stereo in the future, with touch screen sat nav etc, as for now my non car integrated tomtom or various Ipad apps are good for those duties.

Anyway the dash is now finished, I will post pictures of what it looks like with the alcantara later.

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Pictures of finished dash below. I still can't fit it back in the car yet though as I have a few more jobs to do behind the dash panel and routing various bits which requires over the top access.

I chose to smooth over the start button hole, mainly because it made covering the dash alot easier but I also think it looks a little better with the button flush.





I used spray glue and a staple gun to tightly wrap the alcantara round.

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Illuminated start button.



I kind of wish I smoothed over the center groove aswell. If you brush the knap one way you can barely see it do it the other and you get a highlighted line.





OBDII cable exits neatly at the back via a cut out, now I just have to find a way of routing it from the passenger footwell connector.

[JamieVX220]

Dash looks great mate. Keep the good work up J

[jameso]

What size and where did you get you alcantara? think a few of us need to spruce up the dash!

[2.2_na]

Nice looking dash.

[NickB787]

'jameso', on 02 Apr 2011 - 10:25 PM, said:

What size and where did you get you alcantara? think a few of us need to spruce up the dash!

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

I got it from this ebay seller.
I bought alot more than I actually needed for the dash but I may use a bit to do the steering wheel cowel and the fag lighter surround. Even having done those areas aswell I may have enough left for another dash so might be selling a length on here. The 1.33 metre width of the roll is the perfect size for going accross so you should have enough if you order a 1 metre length.

It is the supported nylon backed version but this pulls off easilly and will make it a lot easier to pull round the edges, it's only needed for harder wearing areas.

[GiGo]

Brilliant work! Loving what you have done, all looks neat & tidy. Any time you want to head up to mine and spend a month or so doing the same, please feel free i'll 'treat' you to a beer for your trouble Just wondering where you got the steering wheel badge from? looks

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

'GiGo', on 03 Apr 2011 - 08:26 AM, said:

Just wondering where you got the steering wheel badge from? looks

It's one of those official Richbrook keyrings. I pulled the metal badge off of the leather ground down the pins on the back and stuck it on top of the original plastic logo.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

looks the nuts mate

[fred666]

VERY neat work

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

Thanks,there are a few niggly bits that don't really show in the photos but overall I am pleased with how it turned out. I am a bit of a perfectionist though and there is a slight area that is not stuck down, I think the staples and glue where kind of fighting against each other a bit gripping / pulling in different directions, or maybe I just missed a patch. You probably wouldn't notice it if you did not know it was there but I know it will bug me. It lays flat when pressed but does not stay put so I may try and inject some glue under the surface.

I have also now covered the steering wheel cowel. This makes it look alot nicer IMO, mine was getting a bit scruffy and it annoyed me how the top showed every spec of dust.





I need to finish the ket hole area as there was no way to seamlessly get the inner bit covered. I hope to use a bit of angled off pipe or a grommet to neaten it up. I did try butchering one of my redundant intake trumpets and slot that in, it may well have been perfect had I managed to work out the right angle to cut it.

The rubber boots seem to be a pain to seat straight now as well.

Edited by -Dab-of-Oppo-, 05 April 2011 - 07:16 PM.

[Ben NA]

Looks great!! Any pics of the steering wheel cowel from the drivers position? i.e. with the steering wheel and instrument cluster showing? Keep the good work up

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

looks good

[smiley]

What's the switch right to the key? Is that a specific tubby switch, or did you install a rocket launcher?

Edited by smiley, 08 April 2011 - 12:43 AM.

[VXT Tim]

'smiley', on 08 Apr 2011 - 12:42 AM, said:

What's the switch right to the key?
Is that a specific tubby switch, or did you install a rocket launcher?

Locks and unlocks the doors.