Exmo Dashboard.

[Guest Brian T]

I'm hoping to change my dash over post MOT and would like to make a start on it now, few questions to ask before I do it though.

 

I have gathered a collection of Smiths clocks , the speedo and tacho are just about the same size as the existing holes in the dash (Sierra unit) ,may need a bit of easing but that's all, however, the other gauges , oil pressure, temp, voltmeter Etc; will require new holes drilling. The existing "letter box" slots (existing warning light /fuel gauge etc apertures) can be used for the new warning lights.

 

What I'd like to know is , as the existing dash is an integral part of the car, i.e; welded in, I am assuming it is a structural part of the vehicle design. Has anyone any idea if a certain %age of the dash can be removed without detracting form its strengthening ability?

 

As an indication as to how much I will be taking away (?) I would ideally like to install up to 5 possibly 6 more "clocks" and about 6 switches, the switches will probably fit in the slots along with the warning lights.

 

Main reason for wanting to change to a dash mounted array is that the Sierra one looks a bit tired and mass produced, I'd like it to be a bit more individual.

 

I have a piece of carbon fibre effect plastic, about 2mm thick, I'll be making a template and cutting that to shape first . Offer the dashboard blank up while the original is still in place and the mark out the existing holes/apertures from the rear ,hopefully , that way I should have an exact match to go over the original steel one. I was thinking of using thin double sided adhesive foam tape to hold it basically, it will get extra support from the fixings for the switches , gauges, radio ,battery master switch etc;

 

Any advice or warnings gratefully received.

 

Thanks for reading.

[richardm6994]

Hi Brian,

 

I've done a similar thing with my exmo, except I made a leather dash (onto MDF) instead of carbon plastic (the carbon plastic will look ace!).

 

I've got a cluster of 5 gauges in the centre of the dash, and two larger gauges either side of the steering wheel, along with 6 warning lights and a letter-box hole which was used to house a sterio in front of the passenger. Basically I cut away the metal dash wherever it was needed and I've never had any problems.

 

I would suggest to cut what is needed to be removed (don't just cut it all away for the sake of it) and never cut right up to the bodywork, leave at least a 50mm metal dash boarder. Finally, if you end up cutting out any square shaped holes, you must radius the corners of the holes (at least 5mm radius) to prevent any fatigue crack from starting.

 

I would estimate that I cut about 20% (area) out of my metal dash.

 

Directly behind your metal dash (approx 6 inch away), there should be a round metal strengthening bar bolted across the width of the car......(there should also be another one behind the seats) I'd imagine that it is these bars which forms most of the rigidity around the dash area.

[Guest Brian T]

Thanks Richard. That explains what the round bar behind the seat is ! the previous owner made up a pouch "thing" that is using that as a hanger, handy for the locking wheel nut adaptor and other bits. Glad to hear taking up to 20% away has had no detrimental effect, I don't think I'll be anywhere near that TBH. I'm planning on keeping mine all fairly central , mainly as that is where the existing holes are plus the steering wheel footprint would make positioning them to the right a bit awkward to see (and access at a later date?).

 

If I'm cutting a square out I generally start by drilling a hole in each corner then "join the dots" that gives the radius straight away ;-)

 

Any possibility of a couple of pictures of your dash? Just so I get an idea of what they look like with dash to the right anyway?

 

Thanks again.

[richardm6994]

HTH

[Guest Brian T]

Very nice ! If you can do that with no adverse effects then my project is no problem. A lot of the warning lights / switches as I said are going in the existing slots and the 2 large clocks in the existing holes also. Fog light switch (illuminated combined warning lamp type) is going in it's original poisition, r/hand side between steering wheel and "door", the radio aperture is staying as is, just hope I never need to retune when on the go as that is over to the left.

 

What are the warning lamps? Do you have a seperate left and right indicator warning?

 

What I intend to have eventually is dash mounted ,horn push, Start button, indicator swith, washer, wiper 3 position , rotary off/side/main switch, a momentary main beam flash switch and a seperate main beam/dipped beam switch. My Uncle and cousin had old sports cars with this sort of array when I was a kid and Iv'e always loved them. Hopefully eventually do away with the Sierra stalks completely. Wish you could still get those things that used to pop out the side to indicate , I think they had them on Moggy Minors ?

 

Nice mirror BTW I've just got a stick on one, never even thought of one like yours ;-(

 

Having seen yours I'm wondering ? Carbon fibre or leather??????? decisions decisions.......

 

Just out of interest do you have any idea if the dash warning lamps have to be operating for MOT? Mine at present aren't all working, seems a shame to mess about replacing /repairing them only to be pulled out a few days later. Also is it a requirement to have a "Handbrake warning lamp"? somewhere in the wiring harness dangling freely in the air at the rear of the dash there is one, there are spade connectors on the handbrake but not connected.

[richardm6994]

Hi Brian,

 

The leather dash was really easy. Once I'd cut the wood to the desired shape / size, I sprayed it with contact adhesive and stuck some 4mm thick foam onto it. Once the glue was dry, I the trimmed the foam to the wood shape and then stretched the leather over and stapled it in place on the rear of the wood.

 

The warning lights I've got are;

indicator left

indicator right

alt warning

fuel warning

hand brake

head lights

high beam

 

The small gauges are

volts

oil pressure

fuel

water temp

clock

 

The buttons are

electric rad fan over ride switch (by passes the temp switch)

push button horn

fog lights

dummy switch (for if i ever needed an other switch)

 

I honestly don't know about the MOT thingy, but I'm sure someone here can answer that. Mine have always worked so it's never been a problem

 

hth

[Longboarder]

Brian. You can still buy them second hand and working. Try these on ebay. http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3a70f07bd3 Under traficators or semaphore indicators. But, Iva man, he say no!

 

My dash on a monocoque 3 is welded in. I have made so many changes that there is not much of it left. I welded a piece of angle across the bottom and round the column to restore a bit of stiffness.

 

And finally the dash pic below which I wish was mine belongs to one of the locost boys. I hope he doesn't mind me showing it to illustrate what can be done with skill, care and flair. Its probably the best seven dash I have seen!

 

Nigel

[Guest Brian T]

Very nice dash on the locost ! OOOOhhhhh I'm tempted to get some of the semaphore indicators ............ IVA not needed already done and dusted many moons ago ;-)

 

I got my cardboard template done today, Ohhhhhhhhh, nearly forgot to say I had my first drive on a road today ;-) I've had access to a workshop with 2 post ramp and things for the last few weeks so all the difficult bits I did over there, booked an MOT for next week ,the garage is just up the road ,literally a minute, so I got my insurance yesterday, £113 Fully Comp disgraceful ;-) , got a friendly neighbour to get up bright and early today to give me a run over to bring her back , Saturday morning traffic is a lot quiter than weekdays in Newton. He hasn't seen the car before and was very impressed before I even turned the key. When the engine kicked in and that throaty exhaust started pumping out you should have seen his face.

 

The workshop is out on one of the back roads near the clay pits , I asked him to stay for a few minutes while I rechecked the brakes and got used to the clutch etc I've just serviced the carb,what a difference ! I went passed where he'd parked and beeped him, then it was head for home. I watched him disappear in to the distance in my mirror, as I enjoyed my first play, the drive took me about 4 minutes with no traffic, I was parked in the drive before he got back. "What the bloody hell is in that ?That is bloody nippy." --"A Ford Sierra 2 litre with a pretty standard Weber carb."---" I want one of those !" , may have another convert to the fold.

 

All I have to do now is get the bloody main beam warning light going for the MOT then I can start doing what I want, bought a seperate push in dash mount blue light today for that, just got to see if I can work out which wire to connect in to .

 

Back to the template ,got some cardboard from ASDA and cut it as exact as possible, I will get a piece of MDF or Ply from somewhere tomorrow and transfer it over, jigsaw that out including existing holes and slots and see where I can fit what with the clocks/switches I have so far. Still not decide whether to go for leather or the Carbon fibre look? Mix of the 2 maybe? Padded leather apart from where the instrument cluster is ?

[Guest Brian T]

Nigel I forgot to ask. On the indicator /dip stalk there are 2 banks of connectors, a single and a double, from what I understand, on the single bank there is a pin that goes to (from?) the main beam relay cable colur brown/yellow (56(A).) is this the wire that energises the relay? if so does it remain live at all times the main beam is on? Would it be suitable to power the warning light if it does? Sorry if this is a daft question, I used to be a plumber so car electrics are a minefield to me as you may have gathered . Hope to be off down the library to see if I can get any books on the subject next week.

[Longboarder]

I suspect you will be disappointed with the Br/Y. I suspect you have post 87 stalks so that will be an earth switching wire to the main beam relay. So it's an earth for as long as the main beam is on. If you can find the main beam relay you can piggy back a connection of the 87 terminal or just find one of the main beam wires going to the headlight. Splice into that and back to your blue dash light and then to earth. This should be live only when the main beam is on.

One of the wires to the old dash used to do this job. It should be a blue white if you had an old sierra loom or a Vikki Green loom. Is it still there. Run it through your blue light and to earth.

So at least three choices. Do what's easiest.

 

Nigel

[Guest Brian T]

Thanks Nigel. Was thinking of splicing in to the main beam feed TBH, wasn't too sure if it would be a good idea or not .

[Longboarder]

That would work fine.

 

Nigel

[Guest weavey]

Hi.Ive got an Exmo Series 3. Nearly all the metal has been cut away on mine.Dosnt seem to have affected strength in any way.

[Guest Brian T]

Good productive day today, sorted the main beam warning light.

 

Sanded off filler that I applied yesterday, primed it and it looks good, can't see where the rust was on the scuttle at all. Which leads me to my next question. What do you normally use to weatherproof the gap windscreen to scuttle? The builder used some form of silicone between the frame and scuttle ,problem was the paint stuck better to that than it did to the scuttle, result it pulled off the scuttle and water got to the bare metal !

 

I've decided to got for this Electronic speedo http://www.etbinstruments.com/ETB_Gauge_Price_List.htm when thats in , as far as I am aware that is it for the MOT.

[Guest fontayne56]

This topic might help for ideas !! http://www.rhocar.org/index.php?showtopic=29942&hl=dashboard&st=30