Switch panel conversion to 500 spec?

[sprevett]

Has anyone ever swapped the cheapnnasty perspex switch panel in front of gearlever to later 500 stylee in wood veneer with more sensible switch positions? I'm not sure what those 4 little knobs do on the 500 as I only have 2 swicthes and a rotary knob for the heater, so was the heater control system comletely different on later cars? Also I appear to have some sort of fibre-optic lighting system behind the perspex (which doesnt work of course) - anyone know how it's supposed to work or where the light source is? ta for any help.

[griffter]

sprevett said:

Also I appear to have some sort of fibre-optic lighting system behind the perspex (which doesnt work of course) - anyone know how it's supposed to work or where the light source is? ta for any help.

It's a Range Rover set up. There should be a bulb unit with a bulb in it (odd...) connected to a separable distribution unit which transmits the light from the bulb to each fibre optic cable, each of which exit the distribution unit. On mine the bulb had melted the bulb unit. I planned to fabricate a new one with a standard buld holder, half a torch, a condor feather etc but never got round to it. It's not as though I could ever see the illumination anyway!

For the switch panel try Leven who supply and fit replacement dashes - they may keep the old ones, or [e-mail]. He's broken one or two precats lately.

[sprevett]

thanks Griffter. yes I also found out that there were two (very bright) ordinary bulbs under the perspex, which you can't see thru the perspex either! what were they thinking?!!

[mongoose]

The heater control system on a 500 is different to a pre-cat.In theory,yes it would be possible to convert the pre-cat to the 500 system,but thats theory!!(anything is possible given time and money).The reality is that on the control side it would be relatively easy to install the 500 control panel,and heater ecu.But from there on things get more complicated.I think you would have to replace most or all of the business end components in the footwell with the 500 type parts,as they are i think,controlled too differently to be easily adapted,so you may as well just swap.Then it wouldn't surprise me if some,possible a lot,of fibreglass work was required to install the 500 system components.
Someone like steve heath might be able to shed more light.

[sprevett]

thanks mongoose - sounds like I'd be better off living with the existing control system, basic tho it is, although I might have a look at using a 500 switch panel, modified, to house my controls. thanks anyway.