datsunfreak Posted July 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2021 And as you may have noticed, I did cut the hole in such a way that there is a 1/8" gap all the way around it. That way if it vibrates, it doesn't bang into the metal. I'm going to get some sort of rubber edging to go around the hole to also make sure it doesn't rub/resonate on the inner fender... Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2021 Picked up some aluminum on Friday. Some L bracket for seat rails, and a big piece of sheet for the dash face... Decided to get started on the dash face. Used the CAD face I made a awhile back... Pattern traced and ready to cut... Got it all trimmed and bent... The idea is to cover the stock gauge housing without blocking any of it's attachment points. That worked out. Now I need to work out how to attach it to the stock piece, and I am still trying to decide on gauges/layout... I have a speedo and tach and a oil/water/fuel gauges. Problem is my speedo is mechanical and my trans is not. So it's either splash out a bunch of green on one of these, or just run a tach and no speedo. Tach only is definitely more racecar... 1 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted July 19, 2021 Report Share Posted July 19, 2021 17 hours ago, datsunfreak said: Tach only is definitely more racecar... True that, and totally dead center in your face! You could use a GPS navigation device (Garmin etc.) that will give you speed for those times when you just gotta know how fast you were going before the nice police officer pulled you over... 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2021 2 hours ago, EDM620 said: You could use a GPS navigation device (Garmin etc.) that will give you speed for those times when you just gotta know how fast you were going before the nice police officer pulled you over... 🤣 I have a GPS speedo on my phone, so I was thinking if I go this way I'd just add a phone mount somewhere in my line of sight. 👍 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 19, 2021 Report Share Posted July 19, 2021 24 minutes ago, datsunfreak said: I have a GPS speedo on my phone, so I was thinking if I go this way I'd just add a phone mount somewhere in my line of sight. 👍 I think one of us should have the balls to say "Because racecar!" and build a street car without a speedo. This gets my vote. And that's totally not so I can call "Dibs!" on the speedo for the N-600. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2021 13 minutes ago, dimlight65 said: And that's totally not so I can call "Dibs!" on the speedo for the N-600. You know, if you put a bike motor in it, you'll be in the same boat, right? 😄 Quote Link to comment
Racer X 69 Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 Racecar spelled backwards is racecar. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Racer X 69 said: Racecar spelled backwards is racecar. No, it's ɿɒɔɘɔɒɿ 😁 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 No, that's Australian. 2 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 On 7/19/2021 at 4:08 PM, datsunfreak said: You know, if you put a bike motor in it, you'll be in the same boat, right? 😄 See, further proof that I'm sincere... or some bullshit like that. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 So, after some thinking, I decided I do not want to cut a bunch of holes in the aluminum panel for gauges. Why? Well, it seems like it would be a nightmare to wire up because I couldn't install the panel until it was all wired. Yeah, fuck that... So since I have some carbon fiber sheet, I cut up a piece of it to see how we go... I like this, but couldn't get it centered how I wanted. So it was decided, speedo (phone) goes on the left, and make it two pieces... Big piece contains all the gauges, small piece gets the switches... So this way I can cut two whopping great holes in the aluminum panel and install it now. Then when I wire it up, I can just feed the wires through those two big square holes and connect everything, then screw the carbon panels down when it's done. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 (edited) If I use that right piece, I may slide it over a bit more to the right so I can fit an ignition switch and starter button between them. Or... Instead of toggle switches in that panel, I may get one of these or one of these, so I can use rocker switches instead. Then the ignition switch and starter button go below that, along with probably a couple of USB charging ports... Edited July 21, 2021 by datsunfreak Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 22, 2021 Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 On 7/20/2021 at 8:37 PM, datsunfreak said: If I use that right piece, I may slide it over a bit more to the right so I can fit an ignition switch and starter button between them. Or... Instead of toggle switches in that panel, I may get one of these or one of these, so I can use rocker switches instead. Then the ignition switch and starter button go below that, along with probably a couple of USB charging ports... I like this plan. My vote is the first "one of these" up above. Or, as we discussed, one with more switches for... um, whatever we were talking about needing more switches. Sort of thing. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 1 hour ago, dimlight65 said: I like this plan. My vote is the first "one of these" up above. Or, as we discussed, one with more switches for... um, whatever we were talking about needing more switches. Sort of thing. I took some measurements and it looks like the 8 switch panel will fit, so I am going that way so I will have 1-2 extra for some "future-proofing"... 1 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted July 22, 2021 Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 Excellent. Now you can order some sweet switch covers to label them. 3 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 Got started on making some seat mounts with some aluminum L brackets... And how they mount... Got the "floor" holes drilled in the brackets, but ran out of time to drill the corresponding holes in the actual floor. Hoping to do that on Thursday... And yes they are non-adjustable. I don't care if you're too short to drive it. 😁 But also, if need be, the side rails can be redrilled to move the seat forward... 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 When you posted the picture of the aluminum bits you bought, I was worried about using them for the seat mounts... until I saw how you were actually going to use them. For some reason, in my mind, they were going to be mounted perpendicular to how they are and seemed too spindly. Now that I see (and remember that you showed me this very concept weeks ago), my fears are dispelled. So... yeah. Never mind. Carry on. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 (edited) Opinion solicitation: I made a minor error in judgement and just realized it today... I made the gauge face panel in such a way that when it's bolted into the car, the face will tilt back about 15 degrees, not be perpendicular to the floor (how most dashes are). So now I am at a crossroads. Press on as is and see what happens, or start all over and re-engineer a new panel to be at the "correct" angle. Thoughts? Edited July 28, 2021 by datsunfreak Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 Looking around online, this is not uncommon in cars of the 50s/60s, and even later in British sports cars, so... Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 And thinking back to driving Tim's Econoline, I might be worried about nothing... 😄 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, datsunfreak said: Opinion solicitation: Press on as is and see what happens, or start all over and re-engineer a new panel to be at the "correct" angle. Thoughts? I've never had a car with angled dash instruments. (With the exception of a couple of 60's Econolines) Did you come up with an answer for a question that wasn't asked? I personally can't recall that ever being a problem.. I also sit with my seat back farther than most people. IF it works for you, I say go for it! My opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it. Edited July 29, 2021 by Duncan Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 1 hour ago, datsunfreak said: And thinking back to driving Tim's Econoline, I might be worried about nothing... 😄 Remind me how terrifying that thing was to drive, because I'm really beginning to miss it/regret selling it. (That's not my van in the picture, by the way.) 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 620 gauges are angled up, the dash face is flat. Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 3 hours ago, dimlight65 said: Remind me how terrifying that thing was to drive, because I'm really beginning to miss it/regret selling it. (That's not my van in the picture, by the way.) When I owned those vans, I'd scare the crap out of passengers pulling up to cars in front of me that were stopped at red lights. Even scarier was trying to stop fast because the stock brakes were absolutely awful on a good day. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 14 hours ago, Duncan said: Did you come up with an answer for a question that wasn't asked? Probably... 😋 14 hours ago, Duncan said: I personally can't recall that ever being a problem.. I also sit with my seat back farther than most people. After some rumination with Tim, I came to this realization/resolution. If the gauges are perpendicular to the floor, your eyeline means they will be viewed at an angle anyway. So if they are titled too far back, you will likely still be viewing them at the same angle, just from the opposite side. FWIW, Tim and I tend to sit a little farther forward than most tall fellas. I prefer my elbows to be down for more spirited driving. And that means the gauge faces should be closer to perpendicular to my eyeline. Once I get the seats mounted up (hopefully this weekend), I will chuck the dash face in the car and use a right angle to see where they are pointed exactly. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment
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