Central panel
Author
Discussion

The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
Well, I am going to design and have built a new central panel for the heater controls and turbo guage.
We are going to design it so that it will be front fixed for ease of removal.
How many nuts are there holding the existing plate on? I know they are a nightmare to remove so dont want to be looking for nuts that arent there.
Has anyone else done this?. We are looking at aluminium and powder coat it or maybe go to titanium

Andy

R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
I'm on with a similar project, check out my Noble rebuild thread.
I took it off by removing the dash which meant removing the windscreen, you will need to remove the air box, to remove the air box you need to disconnect it from the controls, to do this you need to get access and this is easiest done from the access panels in the front wheel arch splash guards.
I think there are 5 nuts but you will physically be able to see them.
For ease of future removal i am using s sytsem similar to the footwell panel under the stereo, just some rubber shrouds on the bolt shafts that push into holes in the dash, holding it in place resisting vibration but easily removeable.
Please post pics of the project, i am thinking of completely replacing the centre plate and doing something full depth and width of the middle dash, i was thinking about making a mold out of plate, wrapping in fibreglass, filling and priming ready for a high gloss paint finish, was also considering a dvd player with 7" screen buit in make the interior seem like it has a bit more technology than it really has.
I am doing the audi TT vents, they do matching surrounds for the panel lights, i have also changed the boost gauge for black face, to match my aftermarket speedo,tacho etc..
The pics of what i want to try and achieve are on the Noble rebuild thread.
It would be good to swap ideas and see what we can come up with.



The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
Are boost guages similar in the way they work? i.e. are they fairly interchangeable?
I have a friend that is going to use the existing face and reverse engineer it, otherwise I would probably break the old one off

Edited by The devil on Wednesday 15th September 21:19

sjc

16,370 posts

299 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
The devil said:
I dont want to be looking for nuts that arent there.
Andy
The wife has said that on several occasions.

The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
sjc said:
The devil said:
I dont want to be looking for nuts that arent there.
Andy
The wife has said that on several occasions.
Cobblers

MrCredit

371 posts

251 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
I did this to my dash back in April last year. Had the heater controls running off stepper motors from an app running on the in-car PC, which also ran the Dealer Software, but it wasn't very user friendly. smile
Car's stripped down again and I'm thinking of something different to do with the controls this time.




ETA: I've had the dash out a few times now and have never needed to remove the windscreen to do it.

Edited by MrCredit on Wednesday 15th September 21:50

Blu3R

2,380 posts

228 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
That looks excellent!!

I did toy with the idea of fitting a double din stereo in the centre panel as I like my music but due to the angle of the dash theres just not enough room. I'd have to have the dash out and cut it so it was straight. Not my idea of fun!

wessexrfc

4,326 posts

215 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
That picture is not one your Noble, but one of your Ford Transit, made to look like the dash from a Noble hehe

MrCredit

371 posts

251 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
quotequote all
wessexrfc said:
That picture is not one your Noble, but one of your Ford Transit, made to look like the dash from a Noble hehe
Rumbled getmecoat

R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
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Lol that dash looks well tidy, i also drive around with lots of cds and rolls of tape and general runbbish on top of my dash smile I was looking for a half eating hotdog but that must have been just off camera shot laugh
How did you manage to blend the new speedo into the dash so seemlessly? oh wait.. no, that was somebody else biggrin

alastairb

763 posts

201 months

Friday 17th September 2010
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MrCredit - that looks awesome, any links to the parts used ? Looks like a nice winter project right there !


R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Devil, here is a pic of the replacement mechanical boost gauge i got, it appears to be the same fitting as the original, must be a standard mechanical fitting.

When it comes to taking the dash out, the bolts under the windscreen are on slots as long as they are loosened the dash will pull forward, but only as far as the cables will let you, and the trouble is getting to the back of the central console to undo them all.
There may be a tenique to this that i am missing but i think you need to remove the airbox.
Mr Credit how did you remove the dash?





Edited by R0162 on Friday 17th September 19:10

The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Sunday 19th September 2010
quotequote all
The old panel is out and I have started making a paxolin plate , got to admit it wasn't easy getting the old one out
Need to source some new dash lights now

R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Sunday 19th September 2010
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let me know what you find with the dash lights, as i am also looking for some replacements.

The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Sunday 19th September 2010
quotequote all

Adrian W

15,450 posts

257 months

Sunday 19th September 2010
quotequote all
have a troll on ebay

R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
I think the ones on the third link look best.

The devil

Original Poster:

2,152 posts

212 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
Good cos that's what we went for and a nice new start button

R0162

2,435 posts

193 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
I am going to follow suit, thanks for doing all the groundwork smile