SO DASHING

Three small tubular spacers were cut from a length of ali. tubing, these were so that I could bolt the bottom of the dash board to a chassis cross member, I thought I would need to cut five, but the two outer pre-drilled holes in the dash didn't line up with the cross member, so I bent up a couple of brackets, drilled and inserted an M5 riv-nut into each one.

I marked the chassis rail and then removed the dash so that I could drill and insert the 5 riv-nuts, I bolted the two end brackets to the rail and offered up the dash and fortunately the riv-nuts and holes in the dash lined up.Three 60mm button head bolts went through the dash and tubing and into the nuts although I had to run a a tap through a couple of them to free up the thread. A couple of short bolts went through the two end holes and connected with the nuts that I had inserted into the brackets and all was rigid.

 

Whilst the dash was off the car I offered up the glove box lid and drilled and fitted the hinges, I ran out of M4 nuts and bolts, but had enough to ensure that it will stay put until I get some more. Arthur had provided me with a GRP moulded glove box, this was squeezed into place under the scuttle. I had been giving some thought as to how to fix this into position, but with the dash in place, it is so snug it can't possible move.

Arthur had told me to buy a column mounted indicator, dip,flash, horn switch for an old BMW Mini, he also provided a replacement backing plate and advised me to carefully remove the larger plate as fitted and the blue self cancelling plastic moulding, fit the new plate and open out the large hole sufficient so that it would go over the steering column and this I did. Unfortunately the pre-drilled hole in the dash was a bit snug. I had previously marked out were it fouled and whilst the dashboard was on the WorkMate I filed out the hole with my, very useful electric file, neat and quick and with the dash back in place I was able to wriggle the switch into position and tighten the clamping screw from behind the dash, mind you I have still got to work out with of the many wires does what.

 

A couple more weeks to wait for my steering wheel and removable boss, much longer than I had hoped. When Moto-Lita confirmed my order, whilst I was still in France, they quoted four to six weeks and four of those weeks are just about up, so not much longer and then the dash will  have to be removed to drill all those holes.