DVD3500

All the markings are missing from ma dash so these are great!

I have more than one of these... when I bought a set of Imperial sockets it was in there.... and you can buy them individually if need be. 🙂

Small update: In my toolbox there was a 6 mm hexagonal drive bit and on a whim I stuck in on the broken shaft and VOILÀ! It works! I haven't tested it if the stroke of the plunger is less now but it can't be more than a few mm. You can drill a hole in the bit and use a screw to hold it in place. Such a cool repair! The speedo is not shaping up as well. I will likely have to rethread it with a metric pitch as I can't get anything to hold firmly enough.

I do too but from the standpoint that the lenses on older vehicles are more standardized and therefore an LED replacement ought to be easier. The H7 replacement bulbs that are legal here are because they plugged them into set of vehicles and tested that pattern. These vehicles range from BMWs to Renaults all with differently shaped headlights. Most of our cars have the standard H4 round lights with the same pattern in the lens. The only problem I see is the manufacturers might not see us as a big enough market...

Not necessarily. Still, if they don't match the originals and are indeed inferior/dangerous you have the right to have things rectified and/or your money back if you are in the EU.

Having been self employed (and failing at it) I get both sides. It also irks me when I hear manufacturers of any product claim they have to use sweat shops to make things in order "to offer the product at a price the consumer is willing to pay"... and then pay out dividends and management salaries in the thousands.... Now I am under no delusion that for the suppliers we are a minority but we are not insignificant. Here in Germany if a part is not OEM or a copy it technically cannot even be fitted. Those studs, the stub axles I saw on another post and brake pads I saw somewhere else would all be illegal to even put on your car. (having said that, I doubt the German MOT [TÜV] would even be able to tell....) My first job ever was to smooth a joint venture for making spiral compressors for refrigeration. It was 1995 and computer aided manufacturing was just kicking off. When you look at what is possible today it seems it should be realistic to get most parts machined to OEM specs (or better) with the right amount of time and knowledge and still sell it for a price that consumers are "willing" to pay.

Is there any such thing for Spitfire/GT6 parts?

Well the switches the guy brought were all no good so I will have to try to get this one to work or get a replacement...

It is all out... I had to cut the other nut off but the heat from cutting plus vibration meant I could unscrew the nut by hand once I had cut a wedge into it. The threads on the one side looked fine. I even test fitted a nut (I actually found one in the dash...) The other one I nicked the thread a bit much but I reckon I can shorten the brace maybe 5 mm and if I make a clean cut I can re-use this case. The rust isn't too bad either though the voltage regulator might need renewing... I am meeting a guy who breaks Spitfires tomorrow for a new wiper switch and am taking the casing with me in case if has the same kind and we can do a swap. That might be easiest. I posted pictures here: https://slotcarp.wordpress.com/dashboard-autopsy-23-feb-2021/ Password is: Dash with a capital D Sorry for linking and not uploading I am working on a blog type thing and it was just easier. I work in web tech stuff so the password should keep Zuckerberg and his friends at bay. Also it keeps the amount of content on the forum down. Hope that is all OK. So on with more slaughter...

I think Mark started off by getting a wheel (or a pair of wheels) and then someone pointed out they knew where some body part was ( a sill or something) and one thing led to another. I think the engine was in Australia and some parts in Germany... A bit crazy...

Yeah I asked about a hub puller in a forum and I got about 12 "non-offers" so I ordered one from Iain before the new rules kicked in.. Hopefully I will be able pick up a suitable used switch this week... and I have some ideas on maybe getting the old one working again as well...

That's good to hear. The most famous type of person I have met were race drivers and frankly, with the exception of Jules Guinon, Sophia Flörsch (boy did I feel lecherous talking to her...) and the Halder sublings they have all been jerks.

I have lived more of my life outside the US now than I have in so sometimes words escape me. Google does not always translate well, for example "tap and die set" was translated as roughly "hit them and die". 😄 The German word is literally "rust dissolving fluid" and it does a much better job than WD 40. WD as you likely all know stands for "water displacement" so I mostly use it on tools that get wet but I follow up with other oils. I don't have the gauge out completely yet (mother in law's car is blocking the garage.:-) ) but I can see the voltage regulator is also very rusty ... so I am looking for a good replacement cases until I have time to go out and pull the speedo and decide the way forward, either new case (with new nuts), replacing the thread, recutting the thread, shortened the brass brace etc..

My word you got classic car "royalty" on there! Very good! I am very much over drifting, donuts and even stupidly loud engines.... Noise is a for of lost of energy... besides, grannies can do donuts: https://youtu.be/3F3VpsDl_3w?t=59

Thanks for the hints guys! Here are a few I like. I don't mind if the "symbol" is wrong. I have ways around that. I like that the basic shape and size match what is in the MKIV: https://www.ebay.de/itm/Austin-Maxi-1800-Schalter-Heckscheibe/352968329528 https://www.ebay.de/itm/Vintage-Lucas-Fog-Light-Switch-for-classic-cars-Lucas-part-ref-33951A/143866510742 https://www.ebay.de/itm/Vintage-Lucas-Fog-Light-Switch-Classic-Cars/353034612611 https://www.ebay.de/itm/Vintage-Lucas-Rocker-On-Off-Light-Switch-Classic-Cars/373010620177 Like I said, I know that there is a "dome" light for the GT6 that is the same size as the regular light switch as well...

I hate it when I am right.... So after searching for nearly 15 minutes I realized the hole was on top of the knob of the wiper switch. I sprayed Ballistol in the hole as it looked dusty (Ballistol does not hurt plastics, it is great for use on Scalexteric [slot cars] and toy trains ;-)) but no matter what I put in the hole I could not feel any movement. I tried pushing and pulling the knob (gently) while pushing down and when I put a small screwdriver in to see if there was a screw in there and turned it the dang knob snapped off.... With the knob off no amount of pressure could get the piece of the shaft out of the knob. Given the bezel has scratch marks methinks the PO mounted the knob wrong and maybe glued it in. I will try to coax the shaft out in good light (slot car tools to the rescue) and see what is what. The guy with the switch does not have a knob (for the switch... don't get dirty now...) but I I am sure I saw one for sale that didn't cost much... The dash finally came loose. The plastic dashes have 2 nuts at a roughly 45° angle going to the upper left (on a LHD car). Once they were out the dash came loos and was only held by the speedo and the hazard switch. I had to cut through the nut on the speedo and in my haste I touched it and got a nice 2nd degree burn (aka blister) on my finger. (I was using a Dremel) Now that the dash is loose I see that the alumin(i)um nut has reacted with the thread and rusted to it and I can see that is the same on the other side. I have drenched the other nut in breaker fluid (is that what it is called in English? My mind is feeble right now) but have not tried to loosen it yet. I will likely try to use a tap and die set to rethread the bolt (I got too close and cut into it a little...) but I am not sure there is enough "meat" on it to do that. The gauge case/body/housing is fairly rusty so maybe swapping is the easiest option. I might get the nuts that way as well... Are the housings more or less the same across Spitfire/GT6 models or do I have to get a MKIV/1500 type? I think Haynes mentions the MKIII and earlier being different and I think the late MKIV/1500 may have different gauges all together... So a few steps forward ....

As I stated elsewhere I am going to be adding some illumination to my MKIV Spitfire. I would like to keep the dash looking as vintage as possible, mostly to hide the fact that there is some high tech stuff in the car like wireless bluetooth speakers and a GPS speedomoter. Also I discovered after some searching (and reading Thomsen's book "Guide to originality") some of the things I want were actually options on real cars. What I am looking for are pictures of switches (and if anyone wants to sell some to me I am open to that) to get an idea if it all looks like OEM or not. The switches do not have to be from a Spitfire/GT6 they can be from any car as far as I am concerned as long as they look similar in shape and size. Currently plan is: Front LED Fog lights (that don't look crap): Was a factory option I think (Non LED of course) Rear LED red fog light: Was definitely a factory option (Non LED of course) Possible LED daytime running lights if I can figure out a way to not make them look stupid. Possibly a fan booster to increase air circulation with the top up. Possibly a "charging" switch, so the Bluetooth and wireless devices can be recharged only when the switch is on. (bear with me on this one) While searching on "Lucas switches" I saw there were actual fog light switches by Lucas that look roughly the same size and shape as the ones in the MKIV. I also saw a "dome light" switch from a GT6 and a "fan" switch just listed as a "Lucas switch". Now the rules here in Germany are fairly strict so I may have to slightly modify the switches. For example the rear fog light has to have a red light to indicate it is on and I think the fog lights need an orange or white light to indicate they are on. Both I think I could modify with an LED or putting an LED indicator on above the switch (disguised as a standard light). Some of the other (I admit) crazier ideas I was thinking of were for example using the dome light for the daytime running, the fan for the extra fan boost. For the "charging" switch I would likely use a generic switch and repurpose it. The idea here is when I get out of the car and won't use it for a while I will charge it and I can hit that switch to charge the speakers and the GPS speedomoter (which will be hidden where the radio usually goes). The thought behind this is the car is supposed to be a daily driver as much as possible which means short trips that might kill the battery if these things are plugged in all the time. Also I don't want my kids charging without asking. 😉 My guess is they will not pull more than 20-30 amps all together, probably less. I have a licensed auto electrician lined up to help me with wiring but I want to get ideas as to what it could look like plus, he being German is not fully aware of the joys of dealing Prince Lucas. There may be some secrets about the switches that we need to know about. For example I read the main light switch is kind of a slow burning fuse (I may be wording this wrong) just waiting to break... Maybe the other switches have weird properties as well? So if anyone has period "extras" on their dash could you please post so I can get ideas? I would also like to get the layout as original as possible... If I am unclear or being slightly odder than usual let me know. 😄 Thanks and have a safe happy weekend!

Age old thread I know but I have irregular contact with Mark. After seeing him on the "Bomb" DVDs I realized he has been on Wheeler Dealers and Car SOS. The kids were dead chuffed that Dad knew someone "famous". I bought my Spitfire mid November and had to source a gearbox so I actually rang him and we worked out a deal on a refurbed 1500 box including prop shaft with u joints. He even took a mangy 1300 box in exchange and we got it all done before 31 Dec. (a whole pallet's worth of parts). He can very slow on emails but he is trying and both he and his wife have health issues are are very much in the high risk category so you should cut them some slack (meant in a nice way). For me, I had little time as we had no idea what would happen come 1 Jan. and knowing that he only sells things he has put in his cars made me feel a lot more confident which is something I think we all need. Didn't the Triumph Heritage society (I may have their name wrong) entrust him with restoring the Herald prototype that was a coupé on one side and a saloon on the other? You can help him by dealing with him directly and not through evilPay and PayPoor as they take double digit percents off the transaction. I have not dealt with him since the new "rules" have come into place with shipping to the EU as he had several order to France and Italy I think and he wanted to see how they panned out...

I found a battery powered GPS speedometer that you can set on the dash. Supposed to be very accurate. It is "technically" a radar trap indicator devices that you download all known traps into it, supposedly legal and all but the upshot is it tracks your speed... We have a lot of 30 kmh zones here and my speedo bobs up and down so I am not sure how accurate it is... I have not bought the device yet but my plan is to use it instead of getting the speed recalibrated...

John Clancy's DVD "Codename: The Bomb" http://www.bfcc.biz/triumphdvd/bomb.html Covers this really well with some exclusive pics and film snips but also how they built the cars etc.

I will see if they have somwhere near me (I am only an hour from the border). There are places in Germany offering similar services. I have done a LOT of searching and I have not found a lot of recent reports of people who have done this. I have found some reports from 2009ish and people said the effect wore off over the course of a year but some people posted later that the process had been improved... If anyone has had this done and can report I would greatly appreciate it.. Maybe your friend could let me know Chris? I speak fairly fluent French but I might stumble on some of the technical terms...

I actually fond someone who has a working pump switch if I fark it all up. Ballistol is safe on plastics so I will try to get that in there if things seem to stick. Will let y'all know how I get on..

Yes it is "crinkly" at least 4 maybe 6 "dents" on the edge. I've not got any copper tubing lying around and hardware stores are all close because of some virus or something, but I might find something close enough... In fact I think I have a tool for a bicycle or a washing machine that might do it... Cheers!

Thanks Gents for all the info! I will search around for the tool. With any luck it won't be stuck like a tick on hot summer's day... I was planning on trying to cut the nut off to save the thread as much as possible. Once it is out I can assess the damage and determine how to handle it. The speedo works. I tested it with drill so I really hope to keep it. Spares here in Germany are sort of weird. Often you get stuff dirt cheap but it goes in waves, like when someone is breaking up a car. Otherwise they hang around at nearly the same price as new (chrome and other "shiny" bit being the exception of course). The weather is threatening to be almost summer like so I will hopefully get a chance to get it out. The PO put in two gauges on the passenger side and the writing on the middle section is nearly gone. I will try not to damage it it getting it out but I was planning on replacing it with wood (the new interior is beige/biscuit) .... So if a plastic one is worth something to someone I will try to keep it.

I might put standard bulbs in to pass TÜV/MOT and replace them with LED for actual use. BTW: Here is an LED License/Number plate: https://www.gelumic.de/ The whole thing is an LED... I will be putting that on as well! I have no connection to this company and I am only posting this as an FYI. I admit I don't remember seeing anything in the T&C about posting such things so apologies and feel free to delete if that is an issue...