Thanks guys, good ideas about the wiring, always handy to have some pointers.
Yes, to say I was relieved when it fired is a massive understatement : )
1 votes
Fixing my brothers UC hatch
Started by
_dirtbag_
, Dec 30 2009 01:19 PM
1690 replies to this topic
#427
_LH8VD69_
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 10:35 AM
This has to be number one build up of all time. Dirtbag you have sucked up more of my time with me reading this thread than i care to think about and i damn love it. So much so that i have downloaded the adoption papers and all i need is a few signatures and you will be my .......son?? Therefore i expect you at my house in two weeks to start work on my SLR. hahaha!!!!
One thing though , please tell me you aren't keeping those little round indicators at the front? They look like they belong on my trailer...lol
Top job
!!!!!
One thing though , please tell me you aren't keeping those little round indicators at the front? They look like they belong on my trailer...lol
Top job
!!!!!
#428
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 01:32 PM
Thanks for the kind remarks, I'm glad you enjoy reading this thread dad, errr... I mean, LH8VD69 : )
As for the front indicators, well I am still looking for something a bit better looking, but they don't look anywhere near as bad when the front panels are on as they do now, just sticking out the front. They sit pretty flush with the front spoiler, but no, they're not perfect.
As for the front indicators, well I am still looking for something a bit better looking, but they don't look anywhere near as bad when the front panels are on as they do now, just sticking out the front. They sit pretty flush with the front spoiler, but no, they're not perfect.
#429
_cruiza_
_cruiza_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 04:45 PM
Again I find I have to comment on what a great job, how come that motor is so quiet, that in amazing, Striaght pipes?
#430
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 05:19 PM
Thanks cruiza. As for the quiet motor, I think maybe the cameras mic might have reached a point where it says "no way" and adjusts itself. Trust me, it's VERY loud in real life.
mmm.....loud......... : )
mmm.....loud......... : )
#431
Potta
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- Name:Craig
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 05:30 PM
Great to see it running DB....must be a real relief like you said....
#433
_LH8VD69_
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 06:06 PM
Thanks for the kind remarks, I'm glad you enjoy reading this thread dad, errr... I mean, LH8VD69 : )
As for the front indicators, well I am still looking for something a bit better looking, but they don't look anywhere near as bad when the front panels are on as they do now, just sticking out the front. They sit pretty flush with the front spoiler, but no, they're not perfect.
I'd for original LH/LX indicators especially since ur turning it from a UC to LX. Perhaps the clear lense? They would definately look better than round. My opinion only of course...Now get to bed ....son ! lol
#434
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 06:18 PM
Again, thanks guys.
Well I'm still at the stage of flat out doing nothing. Well that's how it looks anyway. : (
I spent all morning getting some bits for the A/C and picked up the gauge cluster after having the 4 accessory gauges rebuilt and a new voltage regulator fitted. I also picked up some LEDs for the new indicator and high beam lights on the dash, as the speedo and tacho are to be replaced with VDO units.
I finally finished the last two looms for the computer. I think that's pretty much it for the new wiring except for the gauge cluster. Fingers crossed anyway : )
And yes, I do like the old ribbed conduit : )
Apart from mounting the fuel pump cut off switch and mounting the plug for diagnostics, this side is done. YAY!!! There's a crap load of wires hiding in there.
I bought a new condenser and dryer for the A/C today. I'm going to get the hoses made before I actually mount these bits, just in case. Mounting is easy, making new hoses is expensive : (
Here's the back of the gauge cluster before I rip it to shreds and fit new plugs.
I wont cut any of this out until the new speedo and tacho arrive, but they'll be mounted in here eventually.
I'm going to fit new loom plugs to the dash and the car so it can be easily unplugged like the original was.
I'll have to wire up the handbrake light too, as there is nothing there at the moment.
This is hopefully the last big wiring mess I have to deal with. It looks bad but a lot will be trimmed out once the gauge cluster is sorted out.
Refitted the radiator and wired the thermos too.
Well I'm still at the stage of flat out doing nothing. Well that's how it looks anyway. : (
I spent all morning getting some bits for the A/C and picked up the gauge cluster after having the 4 accessory gauges rebuilt and a new voltage regulator fitted. I also picked up some LEDs for the new indicator and high beam lights on the dash, as the speedo and tacho are to be replaced with VDO units.
I finally finished the last two looms for the computer. I think that's pretty much it for the new wiring except for the gauge cluster. Fingers crossed anyway : )
And yes, I do like the old ribbed conduit : )
Apart from mounting the fuel pump cut off switch and mounting the plug for diagnostics, this side is done. YAY!!! There's a crap load of wires hiding in there.
I bought a new condenser and dryer for the A/C today. I'm going to get the hoses made before I actually mount these bits, just in case. Mounting is easy, making new hoses is expensive : (
Here's the back of the gauge cluster before I rip it to shreds and fit new plugs.
I wont cut any of this out until the new speedo and tacho arrive, but they'll be mounted in here eventually.
I'm going to fit new loom plugs to the dash and the car so it can be easily unplugged like the original was.
I'll have to wire up the handbrake light too, as there is nothing there at the moment.
This is hopefully the last big wiring mess I have to deal with. It looks bad but a lot will be trimmed out once the gauge cluster is sorted out.
Refitted the radiator and wired the thermos too.
#435
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 06:24 PM
I don't want to go to bed yet dad!!!!!! : )
I did think about using the original LX indicators at the start, but because I used the UC guards and stone tray there's a big vertical seam right where they should go. Plus, I like the round headlight, round indicator thing, just for a bit of unusual.
Trust me. It'll look good when it's all finished : )
If not, whatever, it's not my car hahahaha. I don't mean that. I'd happily steal this car from my brother any day..........
I did think about using the original LX indicators at the start, but because I used the UC guards and stone tray there's a big vertical seam right where they should go. Plus, I like the round headlight, round indicator thing, just for a bit of unusual.
Trust me. It'll look good when it's all finished : )
If not, whatever, it's not my car hahahaha. I don't mean that. I'd happily steal this car from my brother any day..........
#436
_A9XOSS_
_A9XOSS_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 07:46 PM
dirtbag, i like the whole car, top bloody job.
but those trailer blinkers?, maybe circle
LED ones would be the go. www.brightlightautoparts.com
may be helpful they have huge range and fairly price. just an opinion.
but those trailer blinkers?, maybe circle
LED ones would be the go. www.brightlightautoparts.com
may be helpful they have huge range and fairly price. just an opinion.
Edited by A9XOSS, 24 March 2010 - 07:47 PM.
#437
_cruiza_
_cruiza_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 08:10 PM
dirtbag, i like the whole car, top bloody job.
but those trailer blinkers?, maybe circle
LED ones would be the go. www.brightlightautoparts.com
may be helpful they have huge range and fairly price. just an opinion.
of more concern is the lack of painted bumpers
#438
_Yella SLuR_
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 08:34 PM
Never before have I read a thread where people applaud somebody for "ripping Torana bits to shreds"!!!
Bahahaha, life is full of irony.
Bahahaha, life is full of irony.
#439
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:28 AM
cruiza........ : ) You're a funny bugger. How's this, maybe the bumpers ARE painted, but just not fitted to the car yet?
A9XOSS thanks for the link. The main problem with the lights is the need to be able to sit fairly flush with the body, but be able to take the lense off to change bulbs without having to take the spoiler off. I had a bit of a look around that site but didn't find anything round. I'll look more though.
Yella SLuR, by "ripping torana bits to shreds" I assume you mean "fixing them and making them lovely"? : ) haha.
Just so everyone knows, the front lights that everyone keeps making me cry at night about don't actually just stick out the front like they do now when the bodywork is on. Having said that, please keep giving me ideas on how to make them look better i.e. less trailerish.
Thanks guys.
Also, I have a feeling the car will be orange or red, so they wont stand out anywhere near as much either.
A9XOSS thanks for the link. The main problem with the lights is the need to be able to sit fairly flush with the body, but be able to take the lense off to change bulbs without having to take the spoiler off. I had a bit of a look around that site but didn't find anything round. I'll look more though.
Yella SLuR, by "ripping torana bits to shreds" I assume you mean "fixing them and making them lovely"? : ) haha.
Just so everyone knows, the front lights that everyone keeps making me cry at night about don't actually just stick out the front like they do now when the bodywork is on. Having said that, please keep giving me ideas on how to make them look better i.e. less trailerish.
Thanks guys.
Also, I have a feeling the car will be orange or red, so they wont stand out anywhere near as much either.
#440
_LH8VD69_
_LH8VD69_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 07:26 AM
Hmmmm i see what you mean about the space available on the front for the indicators. I have to be honest though Dirtbag you have done such a masterful job of the car , it would be a shame to leave those........things...on there. They really do look awful even recessed back. Whatever you do i'm sure you will make the right choice in the end :-)
#441
_niterida_
_niterida_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 08:09 AM
They just need to have a clear lens with an orange globe (or however they make the clear lens oes glow orange ??)
But if the car is red or orange (top colour choice by the way) then i don't think they will loook too bad.
But if the car is red or orange (top colour choice by the way) then i don't think they will loook too bad.
#442
_AD_75_
_AD_75_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 10:29 AM
Engine sounds tough Dirtbag i like it, hey btw why don't you tint the front indicators? might take the emphasis off the shape? 
its a hard one really, can't think of any other shape lens that will suit the front end.
its a hard one really, can't think of any other shape lens that will suit the front end.
#443
ls2lxhatch
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#444
MRLXSS
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 11:33 AM
What about
And fit some driving lights to the bottom?
And fit some driving lights to the bottom?
#445
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 12:02 PM
The main problem I've had is finding something the right size. All the things that look good are too big. I need something 73-74mm. I have actually got something here now so give me a day or two to try it out and I'll post it up whether it's good or bad so you can make fun of me : )
#446
_darrenmark1_
_darrenmark1_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 12:23 PM
They don't look that bad, Leave them. tralier lights stick out of the panel, they are recessed, depending on the colour smoke them a bit? Either way they look ok, how often do you look at your lenses anyway? Looks like a top job to me.
#447
Potta
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- Name:Craig
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 01:37 PM
I don't think they look that bad either...
#448
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:28 PM
Thanks guys, for the positive and negative comments. I was always a bit sus on the look of the indicators, but just couldn't find anything at the time. I really do like the look of them being round though, so that makes it a bit harder. I just put it in the too hard basket for now so I could worry about it later. Then all you whinging bastards started at me hahahaha... just kidding. I'd probably have said something too.
If it were my car the whole thing would be black with tinted lenses, and sorry cruiza, chrome bars : ) If it's going to be red or orange the lenses will diappear into the colour.
I did find a way of improving them today, and cheap, but I haven't done it yet.
I did do some more wiring on the dash. I'm extending the dash wiring on each side of the new plugs so everything isn't so tight if and when you have to work on it later. I hate that.
The pieces of wire I'm holding with the plug clips attached are the extension for the gauge cluster. Maybe I'm just the worst sparky in the world, but all this soldering, crimping, wrapping looms and what not seems to take me forever. Having said that, at least things work now it the finished product looks better than it did at the start, so that's a plus.
Here's the dash wiring extended and the new plugs fitted. I don't have the new speedo or tacho yet, so obviously they're not wired up, but everything else is.
The 3 LEDs are for the indicator and high beam lights in the dash. The little lump inside the heat shrink is a resistor, to bring the volts down from 12 to about 2 or 3. Otherwise the LEDs would fry instantly.
I'm sure if someone who knew what they were doing did this it would look a lot neater, but I'm having fun so jam it : )
LEDs only work when wired one way, unlike normal bulbs, so make sure they're the right way around. I bought these yesterday, and today discovered the blue LED was a dud. Bugger. Back to town to get another. Over and hour round trip : (
And yes, I know the heat shrink is a bit too big for the LEDs, but too bad that's all I had.
Remember the ugly fitting I had to make to fit the rear brake line into the master cylinder? Well I always hated it, as I couldn't find anyone around here with a 12x1mm flare nut to suit a 3/16 bundy tube. I couldn't even find a 12x1mm bolt to machine out into a flare nut, hence the ugly fitting. Well after another million or so phone calls I finally found a shop with the flare nut I needed, so while I was out getting the new LED, I picked the nut up too. Yay for small victories. : )
Oh, and the engine covers arrived today too. They look pretty good quality wise. I like them. They'll look good painted up, even though the gel coat matches the primer anyway : )
Tomorrow I'll bolt the cover mounts back on and bolt the covers on, so they're not all lopsided like in this pic.
These bits of wire are the extension for the loom on the car side of the gauge plugs.
There's still more to do, but you can see how the extra length will make any future work a lot easier, in my opinion. It's not like the wire wont fit behind the gauges.
Well here's my simple fix for the indicators. I bought some truck light lenses. I cut the clear plastic piece out from behind the middle (red) area, so I now have 4 clear and 2 orange lenses big enough to cut to the size I need.
I will be mounting this piece of lense to the indicators that are here already, via the two bolts that hold the lense on. Obviously I'll need longer bolts. Once the existing lights are moved back a little bit more, the new lense will sit flush with the bodywork, hiding the trailer light completely.
Being a bolt on thing, my brother can change from clear to orange as he pleases. That's if they look OK. I'll try to get one fitted in the next few days. Too busy wiring at the moment : )
What do you think?
If it were my car the whole thing would be black with tinted lenses, and sorry cruiza, chrome bars : ) If it's going to be red or orange the lenses will diappear into the colour.
I did find a way of improving them today, and cheap, but I haven't done it yet.
I did do some more wiring on the dash. I'm extending the dash wiring on each side of the new plugs so everything isn't so tight if and when you have to work on it later. I hate that.
The pieces of wire I'm holding with the plug clips attached are the extension for the gauge cluster. Maybe I'm just the worst sparky in the world, but all this soldering, crimping, wrapping looms and what not seems to take me forever. Having said that, at least things work now it the finished product looks better than it did at the start, so that's a plus.
Here's the dash wiring extended and the new plugs fitted. I don't have the new speedo or tacho yet, so obviously they're not wired up, but everything else is.
The 3 LEDs are for the indicator and high beam lights in the dash. The little lump inside the heat shrink is a resistor, to bring the volts down from 12 to about 2 or 3. Otherwise the LEDs would fry instantly.
I'm sure if someone who knew what they were doing did this it would look a lot neater, but I'm having fun so jam it : )
LEDs only work when wired one way, unlike normal bulbs, so make sure they're the right way around. I bought these yesterday, and today discovered the blue LED was a dud. Bugger. Back to town to get another. Over and hour round trip : (
And yes, I know the heat shrink is a bit too big for the LEDs, but too bad that's all I had.
Remember the ugly fitting I had to make to fit the rear brake line into the master cylinder? Well I always hated it, as I couldn't find anyone around here with a 12x1mm flare nut to suit a 3/16 bundy tube. I couldn't even find a 12x1mm bolt to machine out into a flare nut, hence the ugly fitting. Well after another million or so phone calls I finally found a shop with the flare nut I needed, so while I was out getting the new LED, I picked the nut up too. Yay for small victories. : )
Oh, and the engine covers arrived today too. They look pretty good quality wise. I like them. They'll look good painted up, even though the gel coat matches the primer anyway : )
Tomorrow I'll bolt the cover mounts back on and bolt the covers on, so they're not all lopsided like in this pic.
These bits of wire are the extension for the loom on the car side of the gauge plugs.
There's still more to do, but you can see how the extra length will make any future work a lot easier, in my opinion. It's not like the wire wont fit behind the gauges.
Well here's my simple fix for the indicators. I bought some truck light lenses. I cut the clear plastic piece out from behind the middle (red) area, so I now have 4 clear and 2 orange lenses big enough to cut to the size I need.
I will be mounting this piece of lense to the indicators that are here already, via the two bolts that hold the lense on. Obviously I'll need longer bolts. Once the existing lights are moved back a little bit more, the new lense will sit flush with the bodywork, hiding the trailer light completely.
Being a bolt on thing, my brother can change from clear to orange as he pleases. That's if they look OK. I'll try to get one fitted in the next few days. Too busy wiring at the moment : )
What do you think?
Edited by dirtbag, 25 March 2010 - 05:31 PM.
#449
_evil UC hatch_
_evil UC hatch_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:36 PM
that lens looks heaps better mate, I like it. How will you be able to attach it though?
#450
_dirtbag_
_dirtbag_
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Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:41 PM
I'll just drill and countersink 2 holes and bolt them on with longer versions of the bolts that are holding the current lenses on. Does that make sense? I'm not too good at explaining things. The voices in my head make it hard to understand : )
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