Spot the difference

[Sweet Thunder]

My dashboard last year:


Dashboard now:

[kenpage]

well done top job

[Bernied]

I'll be wanting to do that to a v8s in the next few years..

[tinks v8S]

looks better now ,than it did

[markbigears]

Fantastic job converting it to left hand drive!

[Longers]

Great job





All you need to do now is swap the wipers over

[hvdweerden]

Goed gedaan Jochie !!

Br, Han

[Sweet Thunder]

Thanks! it actually was a bit more difficult than I had expected beforehand. Converting the dashboard that is, the rest of the conversion is relatively easy (with a bit of engineering experience). The fact that it's a walnut dash made it even more difficult: impossible to hide any imperfections in the dash' surface.

Bernie: If i'd ever do it again, I'd indeed convert an S3 or V8S: Those dashboards seem easier to 'cut into pieces and glue back in LHD form'.

[Ray S]

I'm impressed looks the job. Ray s

[Barkychoc]

Now all you need to do is make the wipers sweep the other way!

[Sweet Thunder]

Barkychoc said:

Now all you need to do is make the wipers sweep the other way!

Do you mean I have to make them sweep the bonnet?

Actually, the wipers aren't in the line of sight, and 'official' LHD versions sweep the same way, so I won't bother. Apart from that, I've done enough fiberglassing for the moment!

[Barkychoc]

I was just being smart - they won't wipe the top corner on the left hand side but who cares - S wipers are rubbish anyway!

[Sweet Thunder]

Barkychoc said:

I was just being smart

I know, I was just trying to out-smart you with a silly remark. no offence taken.

Talking about wiper blades: Has anyone ever tried these new flexiblade wipers on a TVR? I was wondering if these would follow the curves of the windscreen better (mine don't wipe part of the corner as the wiper doesn't touch the screen there)

[Gerald-TVR]

Ronald

Very interested in the re-painting of the 'walnut' dash. I am trying to find someone to do it for me in Worcestershire might be OK I am hoping to collect the dash next week. If it hasnt worked can you tell me what the cost of the painting was and how relistic would it be for me to get the dash to Holland

Norman

[Sweet Thunder]

Hi Norman,

I paid in the region og 200 pounds for it. Because the restorer had no previous experience with glassfiber, he insisted on me putting the plastic primer, normal primer and base coat on. I also did the sanding and the clear laquer top coat myself. I had the base coat made by a paint shop, according to a paint number he had given me (strange enough the base coat was orange, while the final result is a reddish brown that really suits the red paint on the car.)
The dashboard has a really inconvenient shape, and it's quite fragile if not supported by the bodywork, so sending it to Holland would be a challenge. The best bet would be to tie it to a pallet, but I wouldn't know how costly that will be.
The guy who did my dashboard makes a living out of restauring historic buildings in Holland, Belgium and France. As the british in general seem to be more interested in their heritage than the people in these countries, it would surprise me if you couldn't find a restorer closer to home. A quick search on google using 'fake walnut restauration' found this: http://www.bafra.org.uk/asp_pages/findrestorer.asp...
This would be a good starting point, or maybe ask at your local paint shop if they know someone who masters the art of painting fake wood.
Success! and show us the final result when it's done.

[Barkychoc]

Gerald-TVR said:

Ronald

Very interested in the re-painting of the 'walnut' dash. I am trying to find someone to do it for me in Worcestershire might be OK I am hoping to collect the dash next week. If it hasnt worked can you tell me what the cost of the painting was and how relistic would it be for me to get the dash to Holland

Norman

James Agger took Dave M's S2 in part ex with the wooden dash. He had it restored before he sold it on so it might be worth giving him a call to see if he has any suggestions. Dave's car looked great when the dash was done.

http://jamesagger.com/

[Gerald-TVR]

Chris

I have already done that, my problem is the the 'paint' has been scrached all Daves needed was a quick rub down and laquer.



I might have found someone locally will know by the end of the week, will post and let you know

[Chris71]

Very impressed. What was involved in doing that mechanically? Is there just a LHD rack and some column mounts on the other side?

[Gerald-TVR]

Hi Ronald

No luck from a quick search, if you speak to your man for any reason could you ask him if he knows anyone in the UK who might be able to help, thanks

Norman

[Sweet Thunder]

Norman: I've sent him a mail, let's see if he comes up with someone. It might take a while before he answers though.

Chris: The mechanical part is relatively simple. I've ordered a steering rack and the cover for the warning lights new from TVR carparts. The bracket for the steering collumn is made of steel plate and square tubing, so I welded a mirror version.
The wiring loom is easily modified. The fuse box in the passenger footwell is actually the centre of the wiring loom, so most wires run from there to the drivers side. This makes most wires too long for the LHD conversion, but it's possible to hide them behind the dash, thus making it a reversible modification. I just had to extend two or three wires.
I needed a longer clutch pipe, but all the other parts (steering collumn, pedal box etc.) can be moved from right to left, or vice versa.
Lots of other details to be dealt with, but those can be solved along the way.

I've been looking into doing the same conversion on a Griff, but making a mirror version of the Griff dashboard is probably a bit beyond my capabilities!