carbon heater control panel fitting

[spitfire4v8]

Has anyone successfully fitted one of the aftermarket carbon fibre heater control panels? Customer has asked me to fit one, and the similar dash panel.

I was hoping it was a fit-over-the-top version but no .. everything has to come to bits including it appears unsoldering all the connections on the rear of the heater control panel, and presumably all the LEDs on the dash ?

I can see this being a world of pain and unless anyone can say yes it's actually really easy I might tap Jody at Python up and see if he wants to do the business ..

anyone got any experience of this ?

[Shanksy87]

World of pain Joolz, its the desoldering route

[QBee]

Give him a quote for the work, including having to undo/redo all the connections more than once, plus 20% for contingencies.
If he still wants to go ahead, you can always reduce the charge to the actual time and materials taken (plus 50% for back pain treatment).

If you do it on the cheap, he will be on here and Faceache telling all his friends how little it cost to bling up his cockpit, and you will wish you hadn't.....

[spitfire4v8]

Hi cheers for the replies ..

yep anthony it's going to a pain ..

Ive successfully got the dash in bits .. had to remind myself how it came apart, must be 15 years since i last had a dash out of one. And fortunately other than the ice detector LED being superglued in place it's actually been a faff but straightforward. Only 2 hours in to this bit so I reckon 5 hours total should see the dash done (fingers crossed)

The heater panel does indeed look a pain in the wotsits ..

[Mr Cerbera]

Ooh, ooh, ooh - first million pound idea, Joolz - write an article on how you got it all apart them sell it for £42/copy

I would be your first customer - I have looked at this area for 15 years and have given up every time.

PJ (writing from his traction bed)