Dashboard
In getting ready to
mount the dash, I finished up some wiring behind the panel. I chose to
put all the wiring behind the panel rather than in the engine compartment or
on the firewall. I also removed some temporary supports I had cut into
the panel to hold the lower edge in place during construction. They
get in the way of the panel wiring. The three wire clips on the tunnel
connect up to the back of the panel making installation and removal easy.
This is a shot of my
removable relay panel. All my wires are numbered and color coded and
correspond to my wiring diagram. That way, anyone can figure out
what's going on in case I sell the car.
I made my own panels
out of aircraft aluminum. This is a test fit of everything just to
make sure it all goes together properly.
After covering the
panel with a thin layer of foam and leather, I installed the instruments,
lights, and switches. All the wire is secured with wax cord and
waterproof connectors.
Here's the final
product. It works flawlessly.
Door Sills
The fiberglass parts
from Lone Star for the interior sills did not fit well enough for me.
So I purchased a product called Maxxion Board. It's kind of like a
thin PVC sheet that you can heat and mold and glue together. After
some trial parts, I determined that I needed some forms to help me mold the
parts to get the right curves. I used some plywood to cut out the
profiles I needed.
Using the form and
then cutting slits in the edge, I was able to mold a part that fit
perfectly. You can't see it, but I used some smaller pieces to
reinforce this part on the inside. They are easy to glue up using
regular PVC glue from the hardware store.
Around the hinge, I am
using three parts. The round tube was bent around a mold and the
forward flat piece holds everything in place and is bolted to the metal
framework.
I eventually glued the
round tube to the sill part with reinforcements. Here they are after
they have been carpeted.
For me, I thought it
was a better look to extend the sill into the interior about a 1/2 inch
rather than have it flush with the door sill. It gives it a little
more rounded look. Just personal preference.
Here's a shot of the
completed work. I am very pleased with how this turned out. I
burned a lot of brain cells to get to this point but it was worth it.
Next I'll make the
final interior installations and I'll be ready to go cruising.
| 
