Dashing Stuff

[crafty]

It started out like this:



I originally used "Trillogy" guages, but found the faces fell off easily and a couple of them had problems with the switching mechanism. So I decided to go for indicator stalks and get all those switches off the dash.

I also wanted to get rid of the head unit... When the screen was away it didnt fit in with the rest of the look, with the screen out it looked worse.

The steering wheel was replaced long ago with a 280mm black centered unit.


So... I bought the stalks, then found the wiring diagrams and realised I needed some relays and housings. I couldnt find the housings here in HK so I went to Summit... while I was there I fell in love... with a set of digital guages.... the interior of the car was clearly not black enough, so Im gonna fix that with these......






beside the Autometer...




So I got out my favorite can of exploding foam and started making a mould for a cover for the stalks. Going to make a fiberglass one and have it covered in leather.



The original idea was to extend the centre guage pod out in front of the driver (thats what the big pile of foam in the background is)and put the guages in there.

The head unit has been replaced with an ARCHOS 605 (on the left)... this thing is great, 160gb HDD. Ive shaken the crap out of it and it doesnt seem to bother it... they also have a 30GB one that is solid state. The beauty of this is that I can record video straight onto it.

I also scored a GPS. These are both being mounted behind a Carbon Fiber panel. All that will be visible will be the screens.





When this is done she is going back to the trimmers for door cards, and Im going to cover up the alloy and the shift mechanism. In the back of my mind is a centre mounted Sequshift....

[Davrianman]

Nice work there Crafty. I have some gaps round my garage door if you want to call round with your foam can....... :-) Gauges look very cool. Keep the pics coming!
Mart

[crafty]

CF will be like this... the back of the CF panel will have a thin layer of leather, which will be (obviously) cut out at the screens, but will continue over the buttons......

There is a possibility that this unit can record from a wifi camera... if so, that is going to make things VERY easy.... will know in a day or so.

Edited by crafty on Thursday 13th March 01:48

[crafty]

Found a place in the USA that does CF and waterjet cutting:

http://compositeenvisions.com/

Works out at about USD20 for the panel and USD15 for the cutting.

I have 6 different layouts.... cant decide so for that price Im getting em all done and I'll decide once they arrive.

There's actually 3 different layouts... but not sure if I want to install the guages into the panel, or pull the guage apart and put them behind the panel with a cutout... like below... so I'm getting both and will decide later... hence the 6 different layouts.

[shithotfast]

crafty said:

Found a place in the USA that does CF and waterjet cutting:

http://compositeenvisions.com/

Works out at about USD20 for the panel and USD15 for the cutting.

I have 6 different layouts.... cant decide so for that price Im getting em all done and I'll decide once they arrive.

There's actually 3 different layouts... but not sure if I want to install the guages into the panel, or pull the guage apart and put them behind the panel with a cutout... like below... so I'm getting both and will decide later... hence the 6 different layouts.

.....this is very cool......... I like it!

[crafty]

^^ that's a GTM... you can't like it too much

[Graham-P]

I think (maybe wrong) that display is the Mustang display from Dakota, and the FF GTM boys now have them as an optional dashboard...........non std though

[crafty]

The carbon Fiber dash bits are FINALLY ready.... will be here next week.

7 different options..... will mess around with them and decide which way to go.

Edited by crafty on Saturday 12th July 00:09

[GTRene]

wow amazing stuff Crafty, but indeed your first lay-out with the white dials was a bit to much in the picture, separate looking good but with that many dials a bit distracting? the new dials look into the future mysterious and with the carbon is nice, good luck finding out which looks best.
GTRene

I still remember the pictures I took at the 2005 open day, that builder also had special dials and many...he only uses to much bling chrome...not my choise but the work was fantastic.

Edited by GTRene on Saturday 12th July 11:23

[crafty]

I managed to get back to work on the dash today. Got most of the dash in, have bench tested the wiring, just connecting it all up now. I'll post a diagram soon.

As you can see I made a special bracket for the MK4 scort stalks which brings them right in behind the wheel....thats a 280mm wheel, so you can see I brought them in a long way. Ive got a sparco removable hub and will be welding a tab into it to operate the self cancel.

Hole in the centre of the dash is for the key.

Top 2 large guages are tach and speedo

below I have
Oil Press
Water Temp
Boost
Fuel Pressure
Wideband AF
Fuel Level

In front of the wheel are the idiot lights

The hub at the stalks will be covered in leather.

Hope its black enough for you Wayne

Edited by crafty on Sunday 3rd August 13:29

[LuckyP]

That'll do it. Very slick. Less is more.

[GTWayne]

crafty said:

I liked this one best , not seen anything like it before.

The layout that you have chosen is also very striking ( i take it that you will be doing away with the r e d stitching though )

[crafty]

That one is in a GTM - the whole unit is available from Nordskog.

I was 1/2 temped to go that route, but it would have meant taking the windscreen out to lose the centre pod - and that was all way too hard.

[ezakimak]

looks great crafty,

if you adjust the white ballance in the camera woy can make it blacker again.

[crafty]

OK..... how's this?





Should make Wayne happy too as the red stitching is gone!!

Edited by crafty on Tuesday 5th August 02:25

[GTRene]

[crafty]

crafty said:

....... have bench tested the wiring, just connecting it all up now. I'll post a diagram soon.

..... the patching in of the Escort stalks is VERY painful.... luckily the centre of my dash comes out - I pity anyone trying to retrofit anything under the std Ultima dash.

Had to rethink the patching in of the hazards/indicators/headlights last night - slight changes - better solution.

To all those that I have promised a diagram - I'm very close to finished so will be able to draw it properly soon. Its currently scribbled on sketches.

Who was it that did the Ultima wiring diagram? I have a jpeg copy. If someone has the source file and can save it as an ACAD file please send it to me and I will do a proper drawing showing how to patch in the Escort Stalks.

Edited by crafty on Thursday 7th August 03:32

[ezakimak]

i think it was GTRclive, its in MS VISIO by the looks of it.

[crafty]

You're right - it is Visio... you reminded me that Steve D sent it to me ages ago.

I just checked - doesnt look like Id be able to edit in CAD - so I will just sketch it out and scan it maybe someone else can tidy it up in visio