Dashboard Gauges & Sensors

Really nervous about this part, ripe for screwing up. I had a bit of tile backer board that I used to make a template for the dashboard to match the scuttle. I then protected the dash with masking tape and set about cutting. Used a dremel type tool with a cutting disk that gave a reasonable finish, then did the rest with sand paper. Wore a mask of course!

I made a cut out for the steering column and checked the final fit.... alright, took to much off. It's only a small gap each side so may be able to make good. May use some edge trim anyway. Decided to carry on and can always improve later as only aesthetic.

Next stage was the instruments. I went for the ETB Gauges with the black bezel and asked for red needles. Really pleased with them. I got a steel instrument surround i used as a template for the layout but may end up not using it. I drilled some centre holes and then used a holesaw on slow a bit smaller than the target diameter for each gauge. Then I finished the right size with sanding. Got a good finish without cracks. So far so good!

Once the holes were good, I added the instruments. With the GBS loom it is all straightforward once you know which colours wire are which. The speedo and Tacho have unique connectors. For the 52mm instruments, spade connectors are used. Each signal wire has a unique colour so is easily identified.

Oil = Orange Water = Blue Fuel = Yellow Oil = Voltage = Brown

The green wires are for the illumination of the dials off a switched power source. Brown wires go to Earth, Black to 12V.

A quick test power on......

I will use bond in studs and wing nuts to connect the dash to the dash support panel, but for now have left it loose. I also may wrap the dash to make it a bit more interesting, but aesthetics are for another time.

With the instruments came the fuel sender, oil pressure sender, speed sensor and temperature sensor. Installation was quite straightforward.

I bought a T piece from eBay for the oil sensor so it could share the same port on the engine as the ECU oil sensor. 

A small aluminium housing was used in the heater delete coolant hose to house the temp sensor. 

The fuel sender just slides into place in the tank, but an additional earth was added here for the fuel tank, and the loom sender wiring needed modifying and extending.

PICTURES HERE!!