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Right you are Govnuh!
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackThe madness, defined.
Another way to look at it: garage therapy. My job involves a heady, yet low-paid mix of systems analysis, personal interrogation, sleuthing, technical problem-solving and careful (or not careful) writing–all on a tight and unyielding deadline. At then, end of it all, I get to produce something that will disappear in a week for which I receive a mixture consisting mostly of grudging respect and white-hot hate.Bridget, like Bess the Nova before her, is a place for me to ply whatever creativity I can muster, with whatever intelligence resides in my own hands. I can spend whatever time I can afford, I answer to no one else’s taste or sense of propriety, and when I’m done with a project I can parade it in front of strangers who I’m not bound by professional obligation to ask embarrassing or emotionally taxing questions of. At the end of this I get mostly love, and respect that seems anything but grudging. Aside from the technical problem-solving, garage therapy is pretty much the opposite of my work life.The years I went without car projects I filled with house and condo-rebuild projects. I sometimes wonder what sort of life I would have had if I went into the trades instead of college. Suspect I’d have the car, or cars, and the house, plus a harried business building and fixing things–and I’d be haunting writers workshops and on-line communities talking about the therapeutic benefits of interviewing strangers and writing narrative non-fiction.edsnova2015-11-23 20:58:11
Kall
In spite of your advice, as the car was running fine when I bought it in Sept except for the clutch cable that became detached on the last run of the year, my plan was to garage it in Nov and work on interior throughout the winter. Thus far have built a new dash from black walnut with VDO and Speedhut gauges. (Thanks Edsnova for the advice re gauges)
As wiring behind old dash was a disaster of butt connectors and wire nuts opted for wiring gauges to terminal blocks on back of dash and then running wires to new ATC marine grade fuse blocks. Also as I did not know the condition of the old switches decided to install 30 amp rated contact relays for powering the headlights, fog lights, electric fuel pump, wipers and defogger. Used the FF wiring diagrams provided in the build book to figure out what wire went where but decided to created a standard wiring diagram schema (still in draft stage but will be making a .pdf file for printing and sharing) so I could make sense of the what had been done over the last 35 years since TDR was builtAfter pricing cost with two marinas to refurbish the seats, panels, rugs and top (>$2000) decided to try hand at using wife’s sewing machine to make my own. Door panels are finished, just waiting for clips to mount panels to doors without standard screw hardware. Seats are a work in progress. Top will be the last as use will likely be limited.With recent posting by Spechols on moving the seat back decided instead of just recovering the back rest would construct entirely new back. Have cut back from Baltic birch and instead of using “L” brackets that PO used to support the back purchased marine grade stainless hinges but could not find seat adjusters in marine catalog. Checked design on MG Magic site and as two of the components are used to support bimini hoops all I had to do was cut and drill some 1″ stainless steel flat bar stock. Still have to purchase stainless thumb screw to finish adjuster but for less than $20 per have been able to come up with reasonable facsimile
Next on the todo list is to fabricate a Banjo style steering wheel from some HD motorcycle spokes, 3/4 steel flat and left over walnut from dash build, finish sewing the seats and installing the new carpet.Oh yeah as CIP1 was have a moving sale and as they were offering 25% discount on some of their products ordered a disk brake conversion kit for the front which may have to wait to the spring when I can move the TDR out of the garage to install.David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
SabineGreat craftsmanship, and ingenious solutions! Well done!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...
Good Work!I have a question about dashboards. My LR has a fiberglass dash covered by thin veneer. Is that how others are as well, or do some have a full wooden dash?
Some day I would like to replace mine, but don’t know if it’s possible.Amor Conquista Todo
My Duchess has a solid wood dash. Been so long I forget what kind of wood, but it is solid, not veneered plywood or pressboard, and is about 3/4″ thick.
The top rear edge of the dash is routed out to provide the surface that mates to the fiberglass cowl, with only about an eighth or 3/16″ of wood remaining on the front side of the dash.
PMOSSBERG2016-02-05 12:18:32
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Steve. If thickness of fibreglass dash is the same thickness of body e.g 3/16 ” then only issue you may encounter will be whether shafts on switches are long enough to extend through fibreglass and overlay of wood dash. I started with rough sawn 5/4 walnut and with thickness planer was able to reduce thickness to 3/4″ so that I could reuse most of the switches. I did have to cut a rabbet in the back of the holes to accommodate the speedo and tach which only had 1/2″ of of threads to attach the thread ring
On another issue were you a x-bar or ring and tip tech?David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
SabineToller wrote:Steve.
On another issue were you a x-bar or ring and tip tech?I was a bug hunter:lol:(ring and tip) for 32 yrs. Quite a few changes from 1977-2009!
Repeat after me, “Blue, orange, green, brown, slate. White, red, black, yellow, violet!”;)Amor Conquista Todo
I am in the process of replacing my interior, on my 1985 self built Classic Roadsters Dutchess. I have already completed the Convertible Top, using Marine Grade Tan Vinyl. Interesting enough, I got the plastic for the rear window, from Walmart Fabric Dept. it is a very heavy guage clear plastic. For the interior vinyl, I am using the same color Tan Marine Grade Vinyl, I got from Joanne Fabrics, on a 50% sale discount. I have an Old Style “1952 Singer Sewing Machine”, with a # 20 needle, and Ultra Violet rated Heavy Duty White Marine Thread. I adapted a “Walking Foot” for better sewing the heavy Vinyl. For the carpet, I am using a really nice medium dark Tan Indoor/outdoor (low pile) carpet from Home Depot. I am trimming the edges of the carpet with the same Tan Vinyl of the cars interiors. I am using Stainless Screws and Finishing Washers as fasteners. I will, also cover the large interior trunk space with the same carpet. I am using heavy duty thick dark brown vinyl standing mats, for the floor board covers, also from Home Depot. I am not using carpet on the bare metal floors of my VW chassis, because if it rains, I just pull up the floor matts, and dry out the metal floors, and helps provide a good noise barrier. For the dash, I sanded, and filled in the cracks with saw dust and Elmers glue mix. I then put 3 coats of a special Marine Exterior Ultra Violet Teak Wood Stain, and Waxed the dash to also inhibit any water absorb shun.
When I go to car shows, I use a 10X10 piece of the same carpet interior, as a chair and table umbrella Matt.
Dave
Lakeland, FlDave
Dave
Lakeland, Florida, where we drive Topless every dayDave
Can you elaborate on “ I adapted a “Walking Foot” for better sewing the heavy Vinyl” I am using a Singer from 1940 with standard foot and it will not take foot from wife’s 1970 vintage Singer. Problem encountered was with standard foot the vinyl with foam glued to back will not advance without pulling and stitch count goes from 5 to 10+ per inch which I understand will lead to premature failure of the seam. All vinyl and carpet I bought for refurbishment is marine grade. Will be using “pull the dot” snaps on the floor carpet so they can be removed for cleaning and drying out albeit “Amber” will be a three season ride with no forecast of rain, hail, snow, sleet, etc…….David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
Sabine
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