s2rrr Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Dave, Are you going to have a crotch strap for which you will need the extra holes cutting in your seats. Do you have the Westfield connection loom for your Dash2 as mine seems to be very untidy in that area, too much wiring in a small area, yours looks a lot neater than mine. Can you see the full Dash2 through your steering wheel, I either miss the lower warning lights or the upper rev lights depending where I position myself. You'll be able to get a half hood next to keep the rain off a bit. I had the same issue with the crash pad needing to be modified to allow the Dash2 to be lifted a little, I had and used the thinner one that needed a little adjustment and reshaping as well, I didn't realise they did a full crash pad jobbie. Excellent build thread keep it coming, looking forward to the completed photos, whats the next upgrade going to be ?. Maybe see you at the next meeting subject to passouts. Welcome back to Fraser, hope the business setting up is going well. Bob :yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 No crotch straps for me, having seen the damage carelessly/incorrectly adjusted straps do it's not something I'd fit for the road. I got my Dash2 a long time before it became a Westfield option Bob, direct from Race Technology. It, along with the DL1 was installed from scratch with fresh wiring installed as needed. Though having changed to the ecu interface, some of tht wiring has since been made redundant and removed. Basically the setup is DL1 (logger) with oil temp & pressure sensors directly connected - ECU interface, serial connection to MBE bringing TPS, RPM, water temp and Lambda (when it's onboard) into the logger. - Dash2, reads all the sensor signals from the DL1, obviously including those from the ecu, it's then got a direct connection for wheel speed and because in the pre ECU interface days, I'd filled all the DL1's inputs, the fuel level sender also goes straight to the Dash2. Steering wheel size and Dash2 positioning were originally chosen to give an uninterrupted view, top and bottom, of the Dash2, unfortunately with the JK drivers seat, the seat puts you slightly lower by leaning you back a little more, moving your head and shoulders quite a bit further back in the car, (in my case, anyway). This has meant I've needed to make up a much bigger spacer for the steering wheel, (it's now about 30mm). This does block a little bit of the Dash2, but it's not too bad. Be very interested to see the half hood Bob, I think I'm deffinately coming round to the idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 OK, bit of a lazy weekend as far as the car goes; busy setting up for a gig yesterday afternoon, so just took a few more pics instead. Bob's post about the DASH2 viewing angle got me thinking after I'd posted before. I've only just finished making the new spacer last week. And TBH, never even checked what the DASH2 view was like after I fitted it. (A secretly good sign, I often find) Anyway, getting ready to dodge incoming flack once more, (all deserved I'm sure) here for your jocularity and general p**s taking, the broadly finished dash.. I've tried to keep the swoop up over the DASH2 relatively subtle and in-keeping with the roll edge style of the older crash-pad, rather than trying to make it look like a modern binnacle style cover. Oh, and for Bob, I've tried to take a pic showing more of the drivers eye view of the DASH2. As you can see with the 30mm spacer on it actually opens up more of the view. The two (red) warning lights are ever so slightly obstructed - it's one of those odd things, where you see the left light from the left eye and the right light from the right eye, but without leaning forwards don't see both at once with both eyes IYSWIM! Still, when they're actually lit, they show up with no problems whatsoever. The inner row of switches that follows the line of the wheel still fall reasonably nicely under your fingertips when holding the wheel, thank goodness, had been worried I'd loose that effect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 The extra steering wheel spacer was vital though. I already had the quick release boss welded on to the column in such away as to extend the standard column, and 10mm spacer ring on the QR boss. But with the more reclined seating position the JK's give it just felt to "finger tippy", so I needed a bigger boss. After measuring what would both feel comfortable and still allow my finger tips to fall reasonably naturally on the toggle switches lined up round the wheel, I settled on 30mm. I couldn't just find an "off-the-shelf" item the right sizes, so I set to with my cheap old Chinese model makers lathe. (First picked up for skimming the cars nylon bushes for the perfect fit ) It's just a simple arrangement, a hollow Aluminium boss, with one (narrow) flange for bolting to the QR hub. And a thicker top flange, with the mounting holes tapped out for the wheel to bolt directly on to. Last time I made the 10mm spacer, lining up the three holes to drill was the hardest part, so this time, I made life a little easier for myself; you can just see in the shot above, while the boss was still on the lathe, I machined a small alignment mark in the QR hub face to show the right PCD for the mounting bolts. Dead easy then to just drill the three bolt holes in one go. (Straight through both flanges in one shot). Right, back into the garage now, need to finish getting the alloy seat back brackets ready for the passenger side JK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Oh, and thanks Fraser. Yeah, just needs the geo re-doing now on your shiny new rig, then a little playing about with the ARB balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLiNK Motorsport Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Oh, and thanks Fraser. Yeah, just needs the geo re-doing now on your shiny new rig, then a little playing about with the ARB balance. It is arriving this Friday hopefully - fingers crossed. Pro-Align have had to do a custom build for some of the features we wanted so it's taken a bit longer than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Oh, and before leaving dashes, someone remarked in another thread recently about the problem of toggle switches at night. (The IP rated rubber booted ones I've used are totally unlit.) This was my solution, makes the cockpit slightly eerie and strangely cosy at night! (Next stop neons ) Two LED number plate lamps seem to give both a good level and good spread of light over the columns of the switches. (For the sharp eyed, I cheated this photo a little as it was only just starting to go dark, making it look darker than it was. - it shows the LEDS up well, but the fairly subtle blue back light on the DASH2 doesn't really show up at all!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 It is arriving this Friday hopefully - fingers crossed. Pro-Align have had to do a custom build for some of the features we wanted so it's taken a bit longer than normal. Cool, is that for the different targets you wanted? Or more new functionality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 whats the next upgrade going to be ?Bob :yes: Apart from descisions on the roof, the main next job - once the evenings get a bit lighter and warmer will be to attack the little marks in the grp that have built up over six years of use. The plan is to wet and dry where necessary and then machine polish the whole thing. Next winter will probably see the Quaife Pro box in need of a refresh; second to third synchro is starting to feel a little tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Looking very good, you've not got a webcam in my garage have you? as co-incidentally and spookily I have been pulling out my steering column today to have a quick release fitted. I bought one from Rally Design which is very similar to yours but has a larger flange with 6 holes and 3 holes pre drilled. I even took a photo like you did, cue eerie music. I'm still currently using my standard Mountney wheel and have only this afternoon fabricated an adaptor plate to couple it all up. The column will be welded up tomorrow hopefully if my friendly welder is about then I can see what my visibility will be for the Dash2. I estimate the wheel will currently be 15mm further away from the dash which may alter ever so slightly my view of the Dash but I'm not overly concerned about it as I can see 95% of it when I need to. I have checked my general dash lighting at night and its ok but a bit of memory required to find everything. Mainly the Dash2 buttons which are all set at finger reach from the wheel as are my horn, indicators, hazards, all the key bits are sorted. My additional main beam indicator is a bit bright as is my heated screen light but I can live with them also as I don't think I will be doing much night driving with full beam and the screen heater on. I'm actually considering a rev limiter light which comes on with the ECU soft limiter but I guess that will be pretty evident by the loss of power. More bling I think than actual use. About the half hood, I have gone down the detachable steering wheel route for two reasons one being security the other to allow myself room to get in with the roof on. Well I am 60 and a smidge/tad/trifle over weight, not as bendy as I used to be, you youngsters should have no problem. 2 birds one stone. I can get in and out with the roof on but its a bit of a struggle at present. Keep up the good updates. was considering adding a photo but not appear not to be able to with my options greyed out. Later on maybe. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Chase (NICO) - Shropshire & Mid-Wales AO Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Dave very good thread. Almost feels like I have been out in the garage Great attention to detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thanks folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Bit of a test adding photo and excuse the untidy garage during my build last year. Similar set up to Gadget, still worried about his remote web cam though. Bob Lets see how this looks when posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Not too shabby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Picture shows fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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