In previous posts you’ve seen a glimpse of the new instrument panel I made out of sheet steel. I decided to keep it simple and go for a large central Speedo with a temperature gauge one side and a fuel gauge the other, as the minimum essential instrumentation. Oil pressure and alternator charging will be taken care of with warning lights which I’m more likely to notice (or hear!) A Tacho would be nice but as this is a cruising car I’m not likely to want max performance in each gear and I could always add one later. The instruments came from ETB instruments who can provide a range of styles to match your car, they’re expensive but very good quality. The speedo is digital so can be programmed to the car and I’ll be using a propshaft sensor. The warning lights came from CBS, very nice black aluminium with LED lights but again not cheap. All in all this complete panel has cost around £400 with sender units but it is a focal point inside the car.
I used a holesaw for the two smaller gauges and a jig saw with a metal blade to cut out for the speedo – very slowly I might add. The holes were then cleaned up with a file. The hazard switch was a pain as the cutout is a very odd shape – lots of small drilling and filing to get a snug fit. The paint finish is several coats of Smooth Hammerite, baked on top of the garage storage heater for a few days and then sanded with 800 grade wet and dry. Finally it was polished to a dull sheen with T Cut, it has some very minor blemishes to give it some patina, cheating I know but it’s my car… 🙂