soooooooo... how nutz am I..??

[justMike]

I know it's a leading question... but after contemplating this for nigh on 5 months I'm still dithering about whether it's the way to go...

I've an auld Series 3 whos dash needs some major surgery to get it looking respectable, the original loom is a dawgs breakfast and I'm desperately short of gauges and switches...

What I'm thinking about issss... keeping the original instrument binicle, replacing what's left of the original loom and changing the upper / lower dash for equivalents from a TD5...

Why TD5? I like the centre console... figured that the updated upper / lower panels had to be more in line with current crash safety legislation and (massochist that I am) I fancy trying to rig the electronic headlamp adjusters.

As for progress to date... all I've managed to do is totally rewire the engine bay (done just before christmas while getting the engine changed to 200TDi)... haven't had time to tackle anything but the absolute worst of the bugs since then and there's still a ton of em to resolve...

so whatchya reckon... will it fly or should I expect the men in white coats..?? I hasten to add that I'll be avoiding the onboard computers like the plague... I'll do the wiring old school... relays and hard wire...

[Hubber]

I would say major nuts ;) ;)
Quite a job you have given yersel, however good luck with it ;)

[justMike]

I would say major nuts ;) ;)
Quite a job you have given yersel, however good luck with it ;)

awwww c'mon now dinna say things like that n keep yer reasons t yersel... fess up.. what am I missing (besides a clue that is..) ???

only prob I can see is finding a connector for a radio / CD player...

[Hubber]

awwww c'mon now dinna say things like that n keep yer reasons t yersel... fess up.. what am I missing (besides a clue that is..) ???

only prob I can see is finding a connector for a radio / CD player...

Its just that anything to do with wires has always perplexed me:eek:

[Stumpy Doofleer]

Why not just get a dash console from Mud UK, it looks like the TD5 one but you have to cut the holes out for the switches, I have one fitted to my landy, as I wanted a place for the CB to go and all the extra switches I had for winch and spots.

[justMike]

Its just that anything to do with wires has always perplexed me


Och now that's just plain paranoid... wires (when they've been looked after well) are perfectly civilised things... only have 2 ends... one end goes here, the other goes there... at least until Lucas gats hold of em that is....:eek:

get me workin on a gearbox if ya wanna see perplexed... freakin white man magic.. sheeshhh...

btw i'm a wireman to trade...



Why not just get a dash console from Mud UK


well... see.. my prob is that there's virtually nothing salvagable left of the original pieces in HRH... the top crash pad looked like a PO#s dawg had had the passengers side for breakfast and now the lower panel has decided to part company with the bulkhead.... terminal tin worm I believe... replacing them with something else isn't an option, it's a must... only option I have is with what... that's why I figured TD5.. I can get most of the panels I need for the same price as a new Series 3 top panel... lower panels aren't available no more...

I'm no purist... Lucas would wet themselves if they saw what I've done to the wiring in the engine bay... I don't mind rewriting the book provided it gives greater reliability and improves safety...

I know there's gonna be issues with the instrument binicle no matter which way I go... maybe some with the steering column too.. but can you forsee any probs getting the panels bolted to the bulkhead?? I already have a canibalised 91 defender dash for brackets etc...

[Hubber]

btw i'm a wireman to trade.....

well that explains a lot;)

[BigJim]

.. but can you forsee any probs getting the panels bolted to the bulkhead?? I already have a canibalised 91 defender dash for brackets etc...
Don't know details of panels or where you will attach on bulkhead, but brackets are easy to make up from sheet metal, if you havent the skills to work it they are worth getting, and practice makes perfect.
Make up a pattern in stiff card, with a lip each end to fix to bulkhead and panel, transfer to sheet metal, cut with grinder or with metal cutting blade in jigsaw (lubricate with thin oil while cutting), bend in vice (or if longer than vice between 2 pieces of angle in vice), cut holes with hole saw (or proper hole cutter) or jigsaw, MIG weld if corners, paint, protect cut edges of holes if necessary, e.g if wires going through (proper edge strip or the outer from cable!) and you will have a bracket that fits precisely where and how you want it to.

[Stumpy Doofleer]

A mate of mine has put the dash from a defender pre TD5 into his lightweight, I think he had to cut the corners off as they were too long, but apart from that I thinkit should fit, you might need to make up some braket's not too sure what the series dash is like.

[Huey]

We don't think your nuts at all you have to have a degree of insanity to be part of this family, anyway good luck with your dash.

[justMike]

I've been told I'm a fairly proficient metal basher up to but not including welding... one of the perks of the job is ready access to aluminium sheet and most fabrication tools so the prospect of knocking something together doesn't phase me...

short of unforseen probs I canna see anything really being sa show stopper... I'll keep you posted