1st Nova & the unregistered one

[islandman]

Got the gauges all wired up, mostly everything seems to work except the temperature gauge. The fuel gauge registers but I have no way of finding out if the range is correct and I don't fancy trying to take the sender out to test it as its pretty inaccessible. I'll come back to that another time.

I have no idea why the temperature gauge doesn't work, I assume it works on resistance with a negative feed from the sender. If I apply a negative feed to the gauge wire the needle shoots up instantly to the max (hot), but with the sender wire it doesn't even move. The sender wire is also negative as I checked so maybe the resistance range is wrong?

Using an OEM cluster has saved me about 500 pounds as that is what a new set of gauges would have cost.

[Peter]

Got the gauges all wired up, mostly everything seems to work except the temperature gauge. The fuel gauge registers but I have no way of finding out if the range is correct and I don't fancy trying to take the sender out to test it as its pretty inaccessible. I'll come back to that another time.

I have no idea why the temperature gauge doesn't work, I assume it works on resistance with a negative feed from the sender. If I apply a negative feed to the gauge wire the needle shoots up instantly to the max (hot), but with the sender wire it doesn't even move. The sender wire is also negative as I checked so maybe the resistance range is wrong?

Using an OEM cluster has saved me about 500 pounds as that is what a new set of gauges would have cost.

Know what you mean with the clocks being OEM, I use the Astra GTe one and it is analog so direct hook up and everything so far works, I just need to get te speed pulses per wheel rev, sorted, this I can do by running the speedo on bench with a strobe and variable speed control, (electric drill), and try different number of impulses at 740RPM until it hits 60 mph.

Fuel gauge might also be a problem as the Astra and the Triumph 2000 tank are different but use a similar system. I am going to run a negative wire from the gauge but with a variable resistor in line to see where it is at.

[islandman]

A long day, but not much to show for it. Where I had drilled the hole for the dash mount on the driver’s side fouled the mounting bracket for the limit switch in the down position that was inside the void area. Unfortunately this meant having to take the side off to get access to figure the best solution. Once the side was off lots of pondering, then I tried drilling another hole in the dash further forward, but to no avail it still didn’t clear the bracket. So with no other options left I set about remaking the limit switch bracket to it mounted to the hydraulic ram recess rather than the side of the body.



Whilst the side was off I also finished adding a ground wire to the canopy switches so the LED portion lights up when pressed. The reverse the whole process and put everything back.

Believe it or not that took the whole day!

I still need to resolve the water temperature gauge that is not working, but at least the rest is.

[Buffy]

It's always the little things that take the longest.
But that's why they invented the kit car. To keep us busy ! 👍

[steve]

Good that the side panels unbolt (no glassing in?)
Tomorrow's another day mate.

[islandman]

Good that the side panels unbolt (no glassing in?)
Tomorrow's another day mate.

No thankfully no glassing in. These are not the same ones that were on the car when I purchased it, I replaced those many moons ago as the return lip was cut off.

I have never really understood why folk glass them in. You have to be very very confident that you don't need to access something again. If you don't use a joining strip then just paint and butting up the joints gives a smooth appearance almost the same as being glassed in.

[islandman]

I finally got the dash mounted in its final position, I had to lower the steering column by 1cm as when the gauges were mounted it raised the dash as the bottom of them were touching the column. Luckily I had previously added a 1cm spacer so it was a simple unbolt, remove and tighten up again.

I also remade the bonnet gas strut mounting point where my lumiweld had broken off (poor welding and lack of material overlap by me). This meant I had to grind out the original bracket from the fibreglass in the bonnet, then reweld it and glass it back in again.

Still contemplating remaking the rear section of the centre console as I have to make the front section that meets the dash anyway

[BlueNova]

Sounds like you're having great fun David BTW are you aware the recent photos of your dash have gone??

[islandman]

Sounds like you're having great fun David BTW are you aware the recent photos of your dash have gone??

I was playing with imgur and deleted some photos to resize them. I will repost some more after I have got the install finished

[islandman]

Believe it or not it took all day to make this centre console. I had to make up metal brackets and mount them to the tunnel. These were to secure the wooden console with blind fixings. The console will be secured by hidden blind bolts, but as they haven’t arrived yet temporary ones are fitted. The top wooden section is intended to be velcro’ed down to make it easier to trim. However the plywood wants to return to its flat shape once screws are removed so I now plan to make the top out of fibreglass.