New Instruments

[Guest Bob]

Hi all. New member and owner of a SubK; first post, please be gentle! Great day at Donington...ta to all.

Thinking of lots of mods to my 2006 pinto 2.0 efi. Got original Sierra instruments with some added 'after market' volts and temp gauges. Works well but not the look I want.

Could spend £600-£700 on new 'Smiths' instruments but would rather put that towards more HP/Torque.

Lots of cheap instruments on ebay which will obviously need work to modify. I have a good understanding of electrics/programming but not in cars. So, capable but no clue!

OK, Capri would be relatively easy? but want to go more modern.......help please.

 

Appreciate your help, Bob

[Guest Russell Churchill]

For a couple of hundred quid you could get a digidash instead.... I got one of the etb ones a few years back and absolutely love it....

[maccavvy]

the common places to go are etb, that's where mine are from and plenty got shark ones from abroard.

[ibrooks]

I got a complete set from a Reliant Scimitar for my Mini. Sub £50. The Mini gearbox needed a little tweak to get it to turn the speedo cable 1000 turns per mile which should be un-necessary for you. The Rev-counter's face and needle were transferred to an MG gauge to change it from 6 to 4 cylinders. I got an adaptor to put the Scimitar temp sender in the Mini's head. Oil pressure was a capillary gauge so no worries there. and the Fuel gauge worked fine from the Mini sender. Presto a full set of nice pretty matching Smiths gauges.

 

The only part that may be more difficult in your case would be the fuel sender if you are using the Ford one in the Hood's tank.

 

I'm currently doing a similar exercise with my GTM and I have splashed on Smiths International speedo and rev-counter because the engine and box I've fitted don't have provision for a speedo cable. The auxiliaries are from a Series III Jag XJ6. I just wired them up on the bench with a variable resistor in place of their respective senders (OK I actually used the Mini fuel level sender) and checked what resistance range they want to see to indicate their min half and max readings. I'll need to obtain senders that will show those values but that's not hard (even if I need to go and find a set from the same type of Jag that the gauges came from.

 

It can be done very cheaply with a little understanding of what's going on and how they work which is not complicated.

 

Iain

[Guest Ian & Carole]

I got a set of Dolomite gauges, I thought, but they were from a Stag V8 so rev counter needed swopping, complete with the wooden panel and the wiring loom from an auto jumble for £10.00.

Second hand Dolomite rev counter was another tenner, job done for £20.00.

 

I even used the "cake" warning light set up, suited me fine as I like the classic looking style.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Ian & Carole

[David S]

I would second the option to go to ETB. They do a set of gauges for a 'seven' including senders for around the £250 mark (certainly sub £300, I am sure). You can choose various aspects of the design such as face colour. The service was really quick and their support is also very good. I have a set on my Zero and I am more than happy with them.

[MarkBzero]

Second or is it third ETB, good price and excellent support.

[Guest Bob]

Wow ta everyone. Will check out etb and other ideas. I guess it's up to me to decide the look I want. Lots of options seem possible. Need to decide budget/ease of install/look (need to understand more about senders).

 

Anyone out there used MG TF or perhaps Focus instruments? Understand that the sender issue might rule these out but love a challenge!

 

Appreciate the feedback Bob

[maccavvy]

iirc you can get a little box that alters senders outputs to appropriate inputs. saw it at the show , cant remember its name though.

 

stick with more classic instruments as usually modern stuff is can-bus operated and nearly impossible to fit.

[Guest mower man]

+ another for ETB !!! inc electric speedo very happy after coming up to 10 years mower man

[Al Milton]

ETB as well. Good company to deal with.

You can phone them and talk to an actual human being who will help you if you have any problems as well

[lockyer89]

I kept trawling ebay for 'classic' gauges and managed to nab a set of VDO's from a Lotus Eclat for £70! Had a speedo cable made up from cable tec fora about £30 http://www.cable-tec...acho_cables.asp

[fry61]

Hi Simon, has your 2B passed it's IVA??

[lockyer89]

Hi Simon, has your 2B passed it's IVA??

 

Indeed it has. It's been on the road for sometime via previous owners.

 

Since I've had the car from November last year, it's had a full rebuild, new engine, new carbs, new exhaust manifold, new exhaust, wishbone upgrade, new dash, new loom, new bulk head. I fitted the newly extended steering rack last night.

 

When i took the car off the road i only intended upgrading the existing engine ready for this summer.... but then when things started coming off it was clear that the car hadn't been built to the highest standards at all - so one thing led to another and here i am! Hoping to MOT it next weekend and finally try and enjoy what's left of the light weather... (which i know won't be much!)