Dash removal - questions

[GHill]

Hi All

My winter project has started with a bang today to replace the dashboard of the plus 2. I've made good progress today (I think) but am stuck on how to remove the following:

- the oil pipe (happy to unscrew but don't know if the oil will leak all over the place? - will it?)
- the choke cable (May have broken this - please see picture)
- the bonnet pull handle
- the main light switch (for the vacuum pods)

Any and all of your advice welcomed

Please see photos below of my progress

Problem bits

Wires labelled

Dash out

Cheers all

Gareth

[KevJ+2]

Hi Gareth,
Well done so far. I've just removed my dash but took it out with everything attached to dismantle on a bench. Do you intend to fit a new loom or reattach the existing wiring? Seems very tricky to do in situ.
I had enough oil tube to cut off at the gauge with no loss of oil or any mess.
The choke cable I removed completely from the front as I could'nt remove the knob.
The headlight knob has a small pin in it to enable its removal.
The bonnet pull handle on mine was attached to the bottom of the dash as was the trip re-set button.
Are you going to fit a new dash? If so I'd like to know your choice. I've decided to have a go at re-veneering and varnishing mine, all good fun.
Best of luck,
Kev.

[GHill]

Hi Kev

Thanks for the tips?

Would like to put a multi connector in the harness so that I can take the dash in and out as required - ive read of someone doing this - would love to see pictures and to bend their ear on how they did it.

I will likely keep the loom (most probably) and just clean up all of the connectors with some wire wool.

Have ordered a new veneered dash from classic dash as my current one is covered in vinyl, I imagine because the veneer is far too gone underneath.

Kev, did you just buy a new choke cable? And have you got pictures? Would love to see how you're getting on!

Cheers
Gareth

[martinbrowning]

Hi Gareth, Just to add my tuppence worth - the oil pipe can be disconnected from the back of the gauge by undoing the nut through which the pipe goes.
As for the bonnet release cable, if like mine the pull handle goes THROUGH the dash then you need to disconnect the inner cable. Behind the carpet in the passenger footwell you will find the end of the release cable coming through the bulkhead and secured by a clamp thingy. Release the clamp, slacken off the clamps on each bonnet lock mechanism in the engine bay and then withdraw the inner cable complete with bonnet release knob.

I agree with Kev about the choke cable. Disconnect it from the carbs and pull it out with knob attached. If the cable is broken then new ones are available from the usual suspects.

Good luck!

Martin B

[GHill]

Hi Martin

Yep had already disconnected the thingy from the passenger side bulkhead - message understood about pulling it through and out. I will also order a new choke cable too.

I take it the pressure in the oil pipe will keep the oil in it when I disconnect the pipe? Or should I put a bucket underneath in the expectation that loads come gushing out!!

Cheers
Gareth

[PeterK]

Disconnect the oil pipe from the rear of the gauge. Very little (if any) oil will come out. I would just poke the oil pipe up and out of the way while you play behind the dash.
Peter

[KevJ+2]

Hi Gareth,
As you have asked, I have attached a photo of my dash and where I'm at, at the moment.
I've just put the body back on and marked the points to be drilled & tapped. I hope to remove the body again this week (using my 4 pulley system) and then finally lower the body and proceed!!
Incidently, I had the chap from Classic Dash phone me last week wondering why I hadn't paid him. I told him that I'd given up on him and tried Mattys. He told me that he had emailed me an invoice (almost a month after my enquiry!) and could'nt understand why I hadn't received it, mmm.
When I told him about Matty's dash, he said he makes his anyway. I said that because of being so messed about, I'd now decided to re-veneer my own, which was met with a slightly negative response
When I get a response from the veneer people I will start the dash and post the results (good or bad).
All the best,
Kev.

[Certified Lotus]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread. Can you tell me who has choke cables (complete with knob) ? I have been looking for one for months. Thanks!

[jono]

Kev,

By the looks of things your dash might not actually require a re veneer - it looks like the lacquer has lifted and gone opaque. Mine was exactly the same and I successfully stripped it, repaired any localised veneer damage and re finished the dash with Rustins plastic coating (2 pack - great stuff)

It's not difficult and the results were very good for me - much better than a repro dash IMHO. You will need to find the full strength Nitromors which is still available in the trade I understand.

Somewhere in the archives is an account of how I did it

Jon

[KevJ+2]

Hi Jon,
Thanks for the info and pics. Unfortunately that's quite a good photo of my dash
The varnish is crusty and comes away in large chunks and the veneer is blown, cracked and missing in some areas, it comes away from the plywood very easily - I think it's been re-veneered in its time and has black lettering
The Rustins sounds good and making the letters would be a good little sideline for someone out there?
Kev.

[GHill]

Hi Kev

Looks good, whenever I see the mass of wires Im always incredibly intimidated, but I suppose its slow and steady wins the race with the electrics.

Im still waiting for the classicdash guy to phone me up to say that they have a dash available (Ive a +2S130) and then its the tough job of putting it all together. Im looking forward to see how you get on with your dash. Looks like quite a challenge, Im going to start on a smaller scale to you with the wood by refurb'ing the gear knob.

Cheers
Gareth

[vxah]

Gareth, I would not be waiting for the guy to ring you! I had him make my new dash and it took about 5 months, in all that time he never ever phoned me or emailed me! And that includes replies to emails to confirm the order or phoning me back when he said he would!
The new dash looks very nice although the warning light holes are too big @14mm and he didn't make a hole for my bonnet release!

That said i was told be people he does the best job....

[worzel]

Hi Gareth

Re your point about multi pin connectors- I did this to my sprint about 2 years ago. Big job but not technically difficult. I bought the connectors from one of the main wiring suppliers but couldn't in some cases get hold of the exact same colouring/tracing so what I did was to cut each cable (one at a time) in the middle of its run behind the dash and using cable of similarly sized core splice in an extra 12 inches- this centre section was covered in heat shrink so that to all intents and purposes (visually at least) the whole length was of the same type. Next I soldered up each individual cable into a junction block/multiplug at the loom end and then repeated the process for the corresponding cable fitted to the dash instrument/switch.
The reason for extending the cable was to permit the dashboard to be pulled right back to facilitate removal.

Once each connector was completed I tested everything to make sure everything worked then unplugged the dash and set about tidying up behind the dash. This involved in some case altering the wiring to the muliplugs again to enable everything to be re-routed neatly. This latter job took a few days in the comfort of the living room.

Worth it?- depends- my car had never had the wiring tampered with so everything worked anyway but- dash removal now takes about 30 minutes and it means I can leave everything on the panel. As it turns out I had to remove the panel a few weeks later as the heater blower had seized thru lack of use.

Regards

John

[GHill]

Cheers John,

I'm seriously considering doing this for the reason you state which is the ease of removal.

Do you have any photos of the job you did?

Cheers
Gareth

[worzel]

Hi Gareth

Unfortunately no pics- as I said it's not technically difficult. I found the hardest part to be working out lengths for individual wires so that they could be neatly wrapped together and didn't foul anything when being refitted. On my elan I had to use the space behind where the radio would mount (I don't have a radio) and above the heater to site the plug connectors (they're quite bulky when you have a few together. Should have done it years ago- actually they should have been wired like this when made- a friend who used to be an auto electrician (he didn't help on this job) once commented that he'd seen rickshaws with better wiring arrangements!

Regards

John