pitbull63 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Just picked up my new Series 3 SWB project on Saturday and I,m going to be needing to rebuild the dash area completely (with the exception of the top rail) as the previous owner has ripped the bottom rail/shelf out and removed the instrument binnacle in favour of a series 2a unit!(centre mounted) There is no cowl around the steering column either and the wiring that would normally sit behind the clocks is hidden by a canvas bag.Its going to be a busy day or so sorting out what wire does what and goes where as none of the original switches have been used at all.(I,ll try and post pictures tomorrow when its light again) So..................whats the best options for moving forward with things?Try and go back to how it should be or go custom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Building a decent looking dash is not trivial, I'd go standard, although I'd look at a few wiring nicities like blade fuses & adding a relay for the headlights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 I think I will be attempting to go back to putting an original dash and clock set-up into the SWB after much head scratching today. Hopefully the pictures below will give you some idea of the task ahead and the fun and games I,m about to have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Would some kind soul please post a picture up of a standard series 3 dash/fascia please that I can use as a point of reference during my part collection marathon? Cheers in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 ill see what ive got in my photo stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Cheers mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 ignore the middle section, it aint standard. its probably best/easiest to buy the dash panel with the clocks still in it. probably cheaper too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 p.s.my syeering wheel is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Thats sound thanks mate. Just gives me something to look at as I,m trying to get it all together. Reckon its going to be a bit of a pain but it,ll be worth it eventually Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Looking at that I'd be looking closely at buying a complete new loom from Autosparks or similar (or re-doing it yourself if you're happy to) - a little spendy but I wouldn't like to trust that mess, and sometimes it's faster to rip it out & start again than fix someone else's bodge. Green bible shows all the wiring, including a full layout of behind the instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Going to completely do it from scratch myself (built a few chop looms) .Real rats nest isn,t it ? Sad to say I quite enjoy wiring and thank goodness its not too complicated a loom to do if I divide it into sections for the rewire( indicators,then lighting etc etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 ive totally rewired a series 2 (slightly less complicated) and it took me about 2 full days worht of work but i did it nover about 3 as i always get pulled away from jobs living on a farm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Same here, no light in the evenings doesn't help with outdoor work too, and the cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Got the indicators working today with what wires were there but I can see that a lot of wires are just twisted together and taped up. Going to get stuck in properly after next week(end of the shooting season) and do the lot back to front.VWP here I come! Hopefully we,ll be moving to a new place in the very near future where I don,t have to be messing about with things at the side of a main road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Horner Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Can anyone recommend any good sources for a SIII top dash pad? I was looking to have mine restored but would love to get my hands on a used one if it was in good shape. Are there not a lot of people in the UK/EU wanting to restore SIII vehicles? I'm surprised that this part has been out of production for this long. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Series IIIs are getting more popular as 'classics' now, but the fact that only very early ones (line mine ) are exempt from our UK road tax may well push people to earlier Land Rovers instead. Still, there are plenty of Series IIIs about! Top dash pads are a weak point as I'm sure you know, you'll be very lucky to find one without cracked vinyl. I managed to dig one up at Newbury with only one small crack in the top by one of the large screw holes...the original from the vehicle had barely any vinyl left on it! Even harder to find in the US, but I'd start with trying to find a breaker with some Series Land Rovers and go from there! Be aware there are two types. Earlier and later, they differ by the vent widths and the resultant screw spacing. I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Can anyone recommend any good sources for a SIII top dash pad? I was looking to have mine restored but would love to get my hands on a used one if it was in good shape. Are there not a lot of people in the UK/EU wanting to restore SIII vehicles? I'm surprised that this part has been out of production for this long. Thanks! If it's just the vinyl top cracked you might be able to peel the remains off and completely recover it with some leatherette cloth. You can buy material that has a very similar grained pattern in it. If any of the foam inner is missing, how about building it up with expanding foam (that's what the inner looks like anyway) and carve it back to the required shape? That stuff sticks like nasty stuff to most things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 mine was perfect, untill i accidentally cracked the vinyl during my rebuilt. very annoyed. and be careful. theres 2 very slightly different shapes of dash top, one being the earlier one which can be identified by larger vent holes in the top. this is because the earlier dash models didnt have any holes in the steel dash back plate that sits on an angle. this means that the vent flaps are directed through larger vents in the top. i dont like the look of the earlier ones as they dont have as much of a pronounced angle on the front edge. but if you can get hold of some vinyl and contact adhesive, i would have a go at covering it. just be careful not to make any creases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull63 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Started the wiring today as I,ve managed to get my mitts on just about all the dash parts now. Rather cold out there today so I,ve jacked in after a lot of head scratching and but slow progress is being made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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