The little things that you would fettle
Discussion
...if you were so inclined.
For me, the Mk 1 Tuscan is the most intriguing and individual of the Wheeler cars. It just feels like it was made for an alien, in a good way.
There are things which I would upgrade or change though, given the chance. Perhaps because the design is so timeless, it could do with just a few enhanced bits of equipment or toolware to bring it into the current age seamlessly.
Integral sat nav
USB outlet
Engine start button
Better cabin lighting
Under-door lights
Hinged bonnet
LED lights all round, including headlights
Less carpet, more leather/ other tactile materials
Better stock music system
Better fastening system for the rear screen
Something to prevent the roof seals wearing down when the roof is set on the ground
High level brake light
Two-stage hinge on the doors
.. anything you would add to this?
For me, the Mk 1 Tuscan is the most intriguing and individual of the Wheeler cars. It just feels like it was made for an alien, in a good way.
There are things which I would upgrade or change though, given the chance. Perhaps because the design is so timeless, it could do with just a few enhanced bits of equipment or toolware to bring it into the current age seamlessly.
Integral sat nav
USB outlet
Engine start button
Better cabin lighting
Under-door lights
Hinged bonnet
LED lights all round, including headlights
Less carpet, more leather/ other tactile materials
Better stock music system
Better fastening system for the rear screen
Something to prevent the roof seals wearing down when the roof is set on the ground
High level brake light
Two-stage hinge on the doors
.. anything you would add to this?
Why does your stock lighter seem white? Mine is aluminium and brass, looks quite bespoke AFAIC.
Anyway, I'm going to have a go at popping most/ all of the stuff on my list onto my Tuscan over the next few weeks.
Will do a progress report in due course with pics, if anyone is interested.
Anyway, I'm going to have a go at popping most/ all of the stuff on my list onto my Tuscan over the next few weeks.
Will do a progress report in due course with pics, if anyone is interested.
Speed 3 said:
Oh yes, I would like a 6 speed gearbox please, gets a bit confusing swapping between my 2 manual cars, especially when reverse on the Tuscan is where 6th is on the Mini and you're on autopilot 
Bingo!Indeed, I felt the lack of sixth gear most when touring in Yerp. The long A roads in France became a little wearing; the engine could easily handle a sixth gear.
Don't know of anyone who has done this most useful of mods to their Tuscan. If anyone has, I would be glad to learn what they did.
Oh and another one; better upper bonnet catches. It's an enormous faff slipping fingers underneath the bonnet to release the springs, especially when pressing the bonnet down to get a precise fit. There must be an easier way; perhaps the race-style bonnet clips, but they look a bit naff because on road cars you see them mostly on 1.4 Civics. Will have a think...
TravelsVeryRapid said:
Same here.
{..re. not needing a sound system]Fair enough for some but there are two issues that arise for the rest of us.
1. On longer journeys eg when touring, the brain starts to get narked after the initial hour of elation from the sonorous rasping. A quieter hum is acceptable, along with keeping the brain interested on longer or more dutiful highway straights.
2. For some others like me, the din of the engine is only ever enhanced by a battle with a banging soundtrack. The car is a visceral experience (TM); blasting out 'Take the Power Back' or 'Shoot to Thrill' is a blatant and easy way to take the drive to bone-rattling euphoria. A decent sound system has a hope of participating in this battle at good volume with quality intact.
Edited by Light n Hairy on Monday 5th June 11:30
So, here's an update after some fettling, as promised!
Interior work has been commissioned and largely completed.
- Sat nav unit with usb point, engine start/stop switch and missile trigger.
- 2x mini gloveboxes, on either side of transmission tunnel at the front. The driver's one is a push-to-open hydraulic piston one, big enopugh for phone and coins etc, the passenger side flips one down. Neither of them impedes on the knees, but I am only 5'11". A 6ft 2 in bloke might touch on the driver side one.
- New gearknob. Because the lever is up near shoulder level, I find it easier to hold it from the side rather than the top. The aluminium ball made that difficult.
- Carpet out, quilted leather in, everywhere including the floors.
- a new amp tucked far up the passenger footwell. A smallish Kicker unit, powering the front two. Takes away about 3 inches of footwell length.
- The white strip leading off to the left of the stereo pod is a mere playful folly- it glows bright red in sync with the red change-up light if the car revs too high. The whole dash bellows a raging red 'change up now!'
- The switch in the foreground on the trnasmission tunnel operates the interior lights. It is set far back enough not to be bumped by the resting elbow.
High level brake light. A gently curving bright LED tube, suspended in mid air on a brushed aluminium 'bridge'.
Brushed aluminium L-section strips, curved to match the parcel shelf profile and riveted in place.
Stops stuff from sliding down behind the seats.
Neatened up driver footwell.
- Leather over the aluminium pedal cowling.
- A flip-down panel to allow access to the fusebox. On the inside of it there is a fusebox diagram.
- A light inside that area to make fuse and fluid inspection easier.
- Aluminium plate riveted onto the floor mat to prevent wear and dirt from heels.
Improved cabin lighting.
Soft orange LED for three places
- inside the black hole of the door cubby
- underneath the door, lighting the grass/mud/tarmac/blood up down there when getting in or out.
- underneath the seat at the front, lighting the floor/ footwell from that point forwards.
This bit I did myself-
Shiny, fat aluminium feet for the change-light pod. Nicer than the skinny, basic-looking struts previously there, and more of a match for the central one. Not a big thing, but a little-thing-big-thing, to me.
Certainly not intended to appeal to everyone, but the Tuscan is already such a car. This just takes it closer to my 'alien assassin/ graphic novel' look.
Next, exterior colour. Hmmmm... choices.
Interior work has been commissioned and largely completed.
- Sat nav unit with usb point, engine start/stop switch and missile trigger.
- 2x mini gloveboxes, on either side of transmission tunnel at the front. The driver's one is a push-to-open hydraulic piston one, big enopugh for phone and coins etc, the passenger side flips one down. Neither of them impedes on the knees, but I am only 5'11". A 6ft 2 in bloke might touch on the driver side one.
- New gearknob. Because the lever is up near shoulder level, I find it easier to hold it from the side rather than the top. The aluminium ball made that difficult.
- Carpet out, quilted leather in, everywhere including the floors.
- a new amp tucked far up the passenger footwell. A smallish Kicker unit, powering the front two. Takes away about 3 inches of footwell length.
- The white strip leading off to the left of the stereo pod is a mere playful folly- it glows bright red in sync with the red change-up light if the car revs too high. The whole dash bellows a raging red 'change up now!'
- The switch in the foreground on the trnasmission tunnel operates the interior lights. It is set far back enough not to be bumped by the resting elbow.
High level brake light. A gently curving bright LED tube, suspended in mid air on a brushed aluminium 'bridge'.
Brushed aluminium L-section strips, curved to match the parcel shelf profile and riveted in place.
Stops stuff from sliding down behind the seats.
Neatened up driver footwell.
- Leather over the aluminium pedal cowling.
- A flip-down panel to allow access to the fusebox. On the inside of it there is a fusebox diagram.
- A light inside that area to make fuse and fluid inspection easier.
- Aluminium plate riveted onto the floor mat to prevent wear and dirt from heels.
Improved cabin lighting.
Soft orange LED for three places
- inside the black hole of the door cubby
- underneath the door, lighting the grass/mud/tarmac/blood up down there when getting in or out.
- underneath the seat at the front, lighting the floor/ footwell from that point forwards.
This bit I did myself-
Shiny, fat aluminium feet for the change-light pod. Nicer than the skinny, basic-looking struts previously there, and more of a match for the central one. Not a big thing, but a little-thing-big-thing, to me.
Certainly not intended to appeal to everyone, but the Tuscan is already such a car. This just takes it closer to my 'alien assassin/ graphic novel' look.
Next, exterior colour. Hmmmm... choices.
m4tti said:
Whats the inflatable thing next to the steering wheel?
Id be super careful with the quilted pedal warmer interfering with the pedals.
The inflatable thing is the satnav / starter button/ usb pod with added woolly picture quality. It's not inflatable, despite your fine engineering guess! Its a fibreglass frame wrapped in wadding and leather, like all the the pod-like things in the car. Id be super careful with the quilted pedal warmer interfering with the pedals.
The pedal warmer doesn't interfere with the pedals, being either on the floor, or a few inches behind the pedals, so well clear of them. I assume you dont think it has salacious desires to 'interfere' with the pedals while I am looking away. A pedalofile?
And another here.
In fact, there's a guy local to me who could make them up from high-tensile steel for the price of beans. If anyone can take the measurements or post up a couple of pics with them overlain with a ruler, I could get them fettled up for a trial go.
In fact, there's a guy local to me who could make them up from high-tensile steel for the price of beans. If anyone can take the measurements or post up a couple of pics with them overlain with a ruler, I could get them fettled up for a trial go.
Edited by Light n Hairy on Friday 11th August 10:53
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