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Topic: And the work goes on... (Read 1370 times) previous topic - next topic

And the work goes on...

I have been going a bit crazy here lately! I don't remember if I mention this before, but my wife and I are in the process of fixing up our house in preparation for a move to Tennessee. At the same time, we've also been packing up all the extra "stuff" you need to get out of the house so it can be shown. Needless to say, this has been rather time consuming!

On top of all of the above, I have also been working on my father's boat, which was stored here at my house. We finally got it all done, and towed down to my parent's home in NC.





As you can see, it even floats!

After all of these projects, it's finally time to work on the 'bird. The last couple of days I have spent my running stereo wiring, and installing my new dash cluster (with 140mph speedometer). While I had the cluster out, I converted it to red lighting. I also installed an buttstuffog clock in place of the digital one.

For the stereo I went with a 2-din Kenwood with integral Garmin GPS. This is backed by all new MTX speakers and subs, driven by a couple of old Fultron amps I had laying around. Sounds ed nice, and without too much cash outlay!



Interior pics are so hard to take! Anyway, here is the new dash pad installed, along with a bit of the new cluster and headunit.



Another shot of the headunit. This thing is so cool!

Today I hope to install my black headliner and trim, after I tidy up the garage.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #1 –
Ooooo, red lighting. Me likey. How did you do yours?

Cool boat too!

That KKenwood unit looks ed good in there, how hard is it to see while sitting in the driver's seat?
(you know how the angle sometimes makes it hard to see something on a flat screen...)

140 speedo...lucky ass lol :flip::bowdown:
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

And the work goes on...

Reply #2 –
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;288452
Ooooo, red lighting. Me likey. How did you do yours?


First I used "Red Anodize" high heat engine paint to paint a set of bulbs (it's a clear red), then I removed all of those little green bubbles and installed my new bulbs. Looks really cool at night!

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;288452
Cool boat too!


Thanks! My '86 Colony Park wagon pulls it with ease too. hopefully, after we move to TN we will again become the custodians of it as there are quite a few lakes near where we will be moving.

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;288452
That Kenwood unit looks ed good in there, how hard is it to see while sitting in the driver's seat?
(you know how the angle sometimes makes it hard to see something on a flat screen...)



Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;288452
140 speedo...lucky ass lol :flip::bowdown:


I don't really know why, but I just had to buy it when I saw it on Ebay. My wife doesn't really know why either, but she's cool with it, though she was a little perplexed by the "need" to purchase it!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #3 –
And the work continues...

Replaced the bad oil pressure sending unit, and hooked up the temperature sending unit the last guy left disconnected (from when he tried to hook up his own gauges).

Replaced the TPS and calibrated it (yeah! No more Check Engine light!).

Installed the headliner, parcel deck, rear interior panels and rear seat. Installed both front seats, and wired the new rear view mirror and driver's side vanity mirror.

I hope to have everything done except for the exhaust before we leave for France...

We leave Friday.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #4 –
Wait...I thought there was an entire green diffuser in the cluster, not just the green globes? Also, how did the 2DIN unit fit in there with the blockage on the top slot? Chop stuff away?
1988 Thunderbird Sport

And the work goes on...

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Seek;289409
Wait...I thought there was an entire green diffuser in the cluster, not just the green globes? Also, how did the 2DIN unit fit in there with the blockage on the top slot? Chop stuff away?


Just the green globes as far as I can tell. I've tried the dash at night, and everything glows nice and red.

As for the head unit, yes, I had to remove part of the metal dash brace, and make a few serious modifications to the ducting.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #6 –
Bill,

Did you take any pictures of the cluster while you had it apart?  I recently got myself a blue LED tripminder and was considering converting my cluster to blue LED as well.

And the work goes on...

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Ryan H;289436
Bill,

Did you take any pictures of the cluster while you had it apart?  I recently got myself a blue LED tripminder and was considering converting my cluster to blue LED as well.


No I didn't, sorry. The unit comes open pretty easily, and if careful, you can pop the little green globes off and remove them without disassembling the whole cluster.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #8 –
just curious, what part of TN are you moving to?
Currently Birdless but never Foxless

86 Mustang GT

And the work goes on...

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Dougy_Fresh;293736
just curious, what part of TN are you moving to?


Oak Ridge, about 30 minutes southwest of Knoxville.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis

And the work goes on...

Reply #10 –
I converted mine to red by pulling off the green filters/globes and swapping red bulbs. It's not a bright red, but more red than orange.
Very easy on the eyes, as well.
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

And the work goes on...

Reply #11 –
I kinda like the "old-school" look with the buttstuffog clock.

And the work goes on...

Reply #12 –
Quote from: hwy73;293805
I kinda like the "old-school" look with the buttstuffog clock.


Thanks!  I thought it went with the gauges better.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis
 

And the work goes on...

Reply #13 –
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;293752
I converted mine to red by pulling off the green filters/globes and swapping red bulbs. It's not a bright red, but more red than orange.
Very easy on the eyes, as well.

Same way I did mine, except I couldn't find red bulbs, so I made them. I found a high-heat "anodizing" transparent red paint at my local Pep Boys, and painted the bulbs with it. Worked like a charm! I even converted my buttstuffog clock.

I get the car MD inspected today. If I get a chance, I'll post pics of the finished product once I am back home. One thing is for sure, I love this car! Handles very well, and goes like stink! Eventually I will get the interior reupholstered, but that won't happen until after we move to TN.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
"as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature." -C.S. Lewis