BUGA Community
Technical => Exteriors and Interiors => Topic started by: Clance on August 31, 2008, 08:38:35 AM
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Hi guys n Gals, Lets get some dash pics up on the site? I've got mine in my gallery but here is one I found on ebay (complete listing link is in For Sale section)
(http://i12.ebayimg.com/01/i/001/08/b7/1f57_1.JPG)
(http://i2.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/08/b7/2c90_1.JPG)
Someone has done a magic job on this one!!! :o :o
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You're not kidding Clance, this is a well made dash! 8)
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dash from 'Star Wars'
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want to see / know how to build a dash check out the pis of my dash build on the gallery page 4 top row, there is also a pic on the gallery on page 1 of my first dash, will consider posting build pics of that dash on the gallery later when I get time if anyone is interested.
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jeff your work makes me want to take 6 months off and build a show van (or attempt)
fantastic, bloke!!!!
ben
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Jeoff, your the reason i want to rewire my beddy an give her a new dash..
how did you go with the speedo?
i have a 202 red manual myself. (can the ford speedo thing fit on a holden 202 red?)
i found a better digital dash out there at the wreckers, but by the time i got the money, the car was gone..(by by dash)
thanks for posting a step by step, an if you dont mind, i'll be making a simular dash..
thanks again
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Thanks Jeff for the comprehensive info on showing us how you made the dash. Really good info, much appreciated ;D
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Glad to be of help, if you have any questions or get stuck with how did he do that? then don't hesitate to call or send me an email ( my email address is on my profile) As I have stated will post the build pics of the first dash I made from scratch when I convert them from photos. There is a finished photo of it on shanes album of "vans I like". That dash was built similarly but not uppolsered by me. I as meny other bedford owners am not a fan of the factory attempt bedford made so have it my goal to help as many others convert theirs to what they really want. Other Dashes I've assisted club members with are, a VN commodore and an XF falcon, the most locally famous one I wired up was my mate matts cf double cab custom truck (will post a pic on gallery soon) which we put a 280zx dash into. Let me tell you that was no easy job, but it worked out really well.
As to the question of how did I get a falcon electronic speedo to work on a holden gearbox. Well all you have to do is go to your nearest instrument specialist, take them the electronic speedo drive from the falcon box and get them to make up a speedo cable with an screw attachment for the falcon speedo drive. So then you have the manual speedo cable comming out of the holden box which then converts into the falcon speedo sender, then all you have to do is connect the 3 wires comming out of the falcon speedo sender to our dash loom. However ther is one other thing the falcon only reads about half the speed you are doing so you will have to get your instrument shop to insert in the cable line a speedo gearbox which they can then insert different gears to calibrate so it reads true. These are about $200 here in nz to have installed and calibrated, and the speedo conversion cable cost me about $100. Hope this is of use to you, oh and this can work for any dash conversion you like.
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doing my dash and rewire now nearly finished have been and will continue to post photo's etc.......been away for awhile ....good to see new faces/vanners, welcome all .... luv ya vans!!!!!
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Cool,
are the temp an fuel guage just as easy to hook up?
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Temp senders from falcon six fit in place of the standard holden temp sender on most holden six engines particularly the commodore six's. As to the fuel sender you need to get the xf falcon ute or I believe the station waggon is the same, fuel sender. You use these because they are the shortest, the sedan is too long. You then need to get a falcon plastic fuel tank or at least the top of it. You then cut out the sender attachment and leave a reasonable flange around it. This done you need to cut another 2 rings the same outer diameter as the first and cut out the centers to make spacers. Next you have to take your beddy fuel tank out, remove its old sender. Next you cut the mounting ring out of the top of your tank. This done stick the falcon sender into the tank to see if the hole is big enough in diameter also you will noe see how close in height the falcon sender is to the height of the tank. Now you need to go to the parts shop and get a sheet of cork to make gaskets from, as there are still no sealants that really seal fuel systems. Take this cork and lay your spacer rings on top and draw round them. Cut out the cork gaskets 3 in total. Now stack them all together along with the sender and place the stack on top of your tank. All in position drill holes through the sandwich stack into the tank and secure to the tank with self tapping screws. Then remount the tank in your van and all that is left to do is connect the 3 wires to the sender, red to ignition, black to ground and yellow/green to the dash loom.
Hope this helps
Cheers Jeff
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bugga, i was hoping i could of used the orginal fuel sender an temp senders... bugga more more than what i realy wanted
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The problem with bedford senders is they only work on bedford fuel gauge and in some cases smith fuel gauges from the likes of jaguar.
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so basicly if i want any sort of dash, i need to make sure i get the senders an that as well..
i saw a better digital dash than the xf at the wreckers, did'nt know the model, small red car, think it was ford, but when i went there a month later the car must of got smashed..
if only they would let me raid bits off for free before they crush them..
the jaguar fuse/realy panel looks nice, might make a fake panel on the dash an hide the fuse box under that.
i covered my dash with carpet as it covered all my wood working flaws very well.
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Yeah, you can fit almost any dash instruments to a cf the only limitation is whether the fuel sender can be fitted to the cf tank. The other thing is to get all the senders off the car you get the instruments and don't forget to get the assoiated plugs for those senders especially if they are unique and cut enough cable on them to connect to.
I have several digital dash clusters from cars in my parts shed. Second choice I was considering was toyota celica ( about 1987 I think), the tank sender would have been easier to mount, but it didn't have digital battery or oil hence opted to use the ford LTD set because it was all digital including the odometer. Others I have are honda crx, honda city, mitzi mirrage mk3, and honda accord/ ledgend.
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The problem with bedford senders is they only work on bedford fuel gauge and in some cases smith fuel gauges from the likes of jaguar.
Hi Jeff.
Actually the Bedford sender works with early Commodore instrument clusters. I had it working fine with both a VB and VK cluster. I hadn't quite got around to sorting out the resistance values to make it accurate as when it said it had around a sixth of a tank left it was actually empty but it wouldn't have taken much to make it accurate.
I've fitted an EB Fairmont cluster now and will be having the fuel tank altered shortly for the EB fuel pump. As that has the sender unit attached I won't have to worry about it this time.
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Thats interseting when I had vh commodore instruments in my old dash and I hooked it up to the bedford sender I got very little deflection. So I took it to parrots ( the local instrument specialists in christchurch) and they said no the bedford sender wouldn't work because the resistance of the bedford sender was way off. They took the bedford sender I had taken in and tried to rewind it with different resistance wire to get a better deflection they said they couldn't get enough length to wind on enough wire to get it to work. So they sold me a commodore sender and I bent the float rod at right angles to get it to work in my cf tank. Might have to try a bedford sender and commodore guage on the bench myself to see if it works.
Will let you all know how it goes.
Cheers Jeff
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Maybe there is a difference between the earlier and late model CFs. I wouldn't have thought so but mine is an 83. That's the only reason I can think of off hand.
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Maybe there is mine is a 76, and I had another member in the club a while back with a 73 and a vc commodore instruments and his only came up to about a quarter when full. Oh well dosent worry us any more we've both changed our dashes now.
Any chance you'll get your van on the road by next easter? we'd love to have it here in chch for the nats next year.
Cheers Jeff
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Busy was having some trouble with his earlier and I didn't think there was any difference but in light of this I guess there must be. Certainly had no trouble when the tank was full.
I'd love to have the van ready but there's just not enough time and I'm afraid I don't have enough dollars. If I can get the engine and diff in by the end of the year I'll be very happy but there's still a lot to do including wiring, exhaust, altering some of the body mods, etc, etc, and as soon as the weather warms up I have to stop the van and start on the house. Roof and all the windows need painting.
I'm aiming for 2011.
Al
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I've been working on making a dash for my van, I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible.
this is it so far, Only a small tacho fitted (and the gas switch/gauge that I haven't taken a pic of yet) I plan on wrapping the whole thing in velour.
the stereo, glove box and vents are still to come.
I'm happy with it so far.
(http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/3106/img5666q.th.jpg) (http://img52.imageshack.us/i/img5666q.jpg/) (http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8140/img5660.th.jpg) (http://img294.imageshack.us/i/img5660.jpg/)
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I've used a Volvo 265 dash which fits in perfectly. I took it completely apart to follow the circuit and wire it up. the side gauges are vacuum, oil pressure and voltage.
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nice work bro:)
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ive never really liked the volvo dash.. but it looks surprisingly good there
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Here is my current dash, in a few weeks it will become one of the most original dash/consoles ever put in a bedford. Not long now and all will be revealed. :o :o ;D
George.......................
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Can't wait for the pics George... :)
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Hey John, mate I can't wait to finish, lol ;D my brain will go to mush when the van is finished, I wont know what to dream about, or maybe I will lol ;D ;D I have lost track of the amount of times I have woken up early morning, yep I like that idea for seat colours, yep do that for floor and so on, everytime I get another job done it spurs you on to go the next job. So far my biggest hurdle are trady's, you are at their mercy, but it will happen. I'm so close now, only death will halt me now. lol :o
George...............
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All the suspense is killing us George :o
looking forward to you revealing your beast
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Pic of the dash in my van not to shabby actually...
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa315/johnabbott_2007/Johnnosnewvandash1.jpg)
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That's a bit bloody flash Johnno! :D
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Yeah Rogue ....So flash im not sure what to do with it!!! ;D ;D
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nice work John, I like it.
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Unfortunately not my work guys. One of the previous owners was a cabinet maker so he put it in. ;D
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i see you J A . . shakin that dash,. shakin that dash,. shakin that dash at meeeee sorry . . . . sorry ..sorry dunno wot come ova me ill go away now ;D
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While we're on dashes, I rebuilt mine last year. He's some before, during and after shots.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/sundownernz/vans/IMG_5154.jpg)
The original dash I built years ago
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/sundownernz/vans/IMG_6028.jpg)
The new one under construction
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/sundownernz/vans/IMG_6472.jpg)
Pretty much finished.
Main instruments are Rover SD1 cluster, gauges are VDO, Heater controls from a 4x4 and switches for the Hella catalogue.
Cheers,
Garry.
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Hey Gary ...do you know if that dynamat stuff would be ok to put on the underside of my engine cover? I need to reduce the noise from the cover but was wondering if it would stand up to the heat of the motor? cheers..johnno :-\
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hey Garry, what model 4x4 did the air-con come out of. I have been thinking about a late model van, based on suggestions here, that they have compact air set ups because they have short dashes like a beddy.
George.
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C'mon Johnno show em the rest of ya interior i dare ya!!! ;D ;D
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Ooorr OK... Come and get me girls ::)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa315/johnabbott_2007/Johnnosnewvaninside1.jpg)
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MY EYES......MY EYES......Pardon me while i go and poke out my minds eye!!!! your a shocka Johno.
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hey johno, is that smile grafted on, his always smiling. lol ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :D :D :D
George.
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thats a bit suggestive johhno! nah i caught him once without a smile so it cant be grafted on!!
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Big new shed and 2 Beddies.....Of course your gonna smile ;D ;D ;D
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hey johnno do you carry chess pieces in the beddie too? ;D
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Hee Hee Skip...If my kids could be bothered to learn how to play chess, it would keep them busy for hours eh? ;D :D ;D
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my missus has chest pieces, i love playing with them : ;) :D ;D
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CHECKMATE!!! ;D ;D ;D
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a utilitarian console I made up of off cuts from making a faraday cage! ;D
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Here's one I knocked together in the late '90s. HK Monaro with Amps, Oil, Temp and Petrol, Smiths Volts and Vacuum, unknown tacho. HK ignition and switches. Can't find a photo of the fininshed article with glovebox.
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Hey guys, i was real impressed with rogues dash and a few others in the last week, so i got my but into gear this week and have started to fabricate my dash & console, in cardboard to start with. Up till now i have been there while the tradies were doing it all, but it's time to try and shave the hrs that i am paying for. Also shave time, if i am going to be on the road next year i need to get in and do a lot of the grunt work between the tradies. So as i get it a bit further ahead i will post the pics.
george.
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Make it up as you go along George. Add a little mystery to keep things interesting. ;) ;D
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I have a great dash in mind rogue, it will be a one of a kind like my grill. 90% of my van will be an original build, something no-one in buga will have, at least i hope so. lol
My problem rogue has been trying to get in a position to do things, having to sit on your butt to do everything can make reaching and marking difficult, but it felt great there today seeing the cardboard come to life and becoming a dash and consoles.
george.
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Hay George, can't you set up your work space to suit you, my friend who is in the same vote as you has done this, his work bench is quit low and in a u shape, it works well.
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Hi Baz, i have done the same thing, and still doing it. When the tradies come in to work on the van, my mechanic is 6'2'', he almost has to kneel on the ground to use a vice, grinder and so on. lol. My problem was, being able to get in and out of the van when we had it on the hoist. I actually had to pull the seat boxes out so i could get to the dash to start on the engine cover. But as i tell people, i can do most things now that i used to do, it just takes longer and a different way of doing it. But it was great, i felt alive again getting in and doing things on the van, just like old times b4 the wheelchair, i will be heading down again in about 1/2 hr to do a bit more, i can't put in the hrs that i used to, but i'll get there. ;D :o
george.
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George you are a bloody inspiration!
Keep at it mate.
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George you are a bloody inspiration!
Keep at it mate.
x2
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Aint no stopping ya Georgy... ;D ;D ;D Hey throw up some pics of the bench setup dude ;)
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Good on you George, my mate has lost most of the strengh in his arms now, and can only use the slide board to transport these days.
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I have days where my shoulders and elbows joints give me hell, people think that pushing a chair round that we have arms like rock, but it is the opposite, a wheelcahair actually wears out the joints real quick. I'm lucky so far, i've lasted 10yrs now, but the time will come where i will have to go electric, oh well, just have to put up with boosting it's power and going turbo. oh yeh, always an up-side to the bad, has to be. ;D ;D :D
george ....PS.. will take some pics in the morning and post them tomorrow johnno..
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Here is my fully sick custom dash
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vaguely familiar.. kimbo did you ever read my story how i drove that truck down from bundaberg with 2 tonne on the back and lost a wheel and blew up tranny.. but still got home?
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hi Ben....i have put a whole new surround on it.....the other one was to busted up and cracked....put the cover of the donor beddy onto it.
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oh right didnt notice sorry
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tastfully sixties look kimbo nice touch mate ;)
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Well lookie, Kimbo has a standard dash, this will go down in history...... ;D