71 Digital dash conversion

Discussion in 'Ranchero Tech Reference & Articles' started by grebaba, Feb 7, 2019.

  1. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Need some opinion's
    My stand offs came in the mail about 1/2 hour ago. I will be able to finish this weekend.
    In the meantime I started to paint the housing. I was going to spray it with argent then mask it off and paint the black.
    While waiting for the paint to dry I set it up next to one of my extra units.
    Looking at it I was thinking of leaving the argent.I have so much black in the dash with the black lexan I was thinking I would just reverse the paint with the black being where the argent is and the argent being where the the black is.
    What do you guys think.
    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  2. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,289
    Location:
    Prunetucky California
    what are you gong to do with the hole left from the old temp /fuel/odometer
     
  3. TestDummy

    TestDummy In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

    Messages:
    23,405
    Location:
    C'Ville
    I like the reverse idea. I painted my entire assembly black, then went back with a good brush and Testor chrome paint for the elevated trim. It's not OE chrome, but close enough for Government work.
     
  4. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    In the last picture you can see the plate of black lexan I cut for it.
    I can't think of anything to put in there so decided to just cover it. I am open to any ideals for something to fill in the hole.
    On the left hole I am going to build a digital clock to fill that hole and the hole in the right I think I will build a touch screen for the ac controls.
    I bought a Vintage Air control unit but it is about 1/4 inch to tall.
    I am open to any ideals.
    Greg
     
  5. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    One vote for the reverse look. The more I look at it the more I like it.
    I went to ace hardware and bought a paint pen. It has a angled tip about 1/8 inch wide which makes painting the raised parts real easy.
    I bought the silver but if I go with the reversed look I will have to go back and buy a black one.
    You find the pens in the sewing section.
    Greg
     
  6. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,289
    Location:
    Prunetucky California
    i would use the reverse trim but I would also paint the recess of the "holes" satin black with just the edge argent

    how about a digital tach in the center hole
     
  7. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Good ideal on the trim paint.
    On the tach I have a hood tach.
    Greg
     
    TestDummy likes this.
  8. rfinnegan

    rfinnegan In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    292
    What color is the interior? Black will go with anything. Argent can be a little less agreeable with some colors.
     
  9. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

    Messages:
    4,419
    Location:
    Portland OR
    I'm digging the argent; it adds some 'pop' to a dark landscape.
     
  10. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    The interior will be black. It came in red from the factory but since I have to redo the whole thing I decided to go with black.
    I had some unexpected company from out of state this weekend so didn't get to work on it.
    Will be able to get back on it in a couple of days.
     
  11. rfinnegan

    rfinnegan In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    292
    With a black interior, the argent should compliment it quite nicely. Looking forward to seeing the completed product.
     
  12. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Thanks
    If the argent doesn't look good I will pull it and redo it.
    I still have to try to shine up the chrome on the consul but don't think it will work so will probably have to have it re chromed.
    Greg
     
  13. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Update
    My company got on the plane back to Hawaii last night so I got to work on the housing this morning.
    Since everything is hidden where I am going to mount it I used scrap pieces of lexan.
    I will say upfront if you decided to go with tube stand offs and longer bolts it would be a lot easier but since I am a shade tree mechanic I decided to do it the hard way plus I didn't want any rattles.
    Picture 1 shows the back of the housing. I left the area I am going to glue in green.
    Picture shows how I was going to do it at first. It has two stand offs that I was going to glue to the back of the housing and drill my 2 mounting holes in each stand.
    picture 4 shows the piece I cut and the straps holding the mount plate to the digital part of the unit.
    I then flipped over the unit and glued it to the housing. It takes it 72 hours to fully set so I will wait for it to set before I do anything else.
    The last picture shows it drying in the housing. I have decided to cut another piece of black lexan to cover all the holes across the bottom of the speedo cluster. I had to order some more lexan so I won't be able to finish untill it comes in next week.
    Ideals are still welcome.
    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

    HuevosRanchero likes this.
  14. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Update
    After the artic front left this weak and I repaired my burst water pipe's I decided to finish the conversion.
    Opened the package I ordered and found out I ordered the wrong size lexan.
    I wanted 1/8 inch and hit the wrong box and got 1/4 inch which is way to thick for the last piece.
    I would be finished if I had ordered the right thickness today.
    Ordered some more 1/8 inch today and should have it Thursday.
    Sometimes I wonder about myself.
     
    HuevosRanchero likes this.
  15. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    1,101
    Sometimes, my wife wonders about ME! You and she are probably thinking along the same lines, too! ;)

    Joseph
     
    grebaba likes this.
  16. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Finished I think
    Ok guys
    I finally got the time to finish this. The only thing I might add is to take a paint pen and highlight the raised ridges on the trim in black.
    What do you think.
    Thanks
    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

    ForistellFord and colnago like this.
  17. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    1,101
    Painting the raised ridges would probably give it that finished look, although it looks pretty sexy as-is.

    Joseph
     
  18. TestDummy

    TestDummy In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

    Messages:
    23,405
    Location:
    C'Ville
    Agreed, and how about red. And a camera with auto-focus o_O
     
  19. HuevosRanchero

    HuevosRanchero In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    5,805
    Location:
    Macon Georgia
    OutStanding!!!!
     
  20. grebaba

    grebaba In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    383
    Thanks for the replys.
    I am thinking about painting the ridges.
    I don't want to look at it in a few years and say to myself why didn't I paint them.
    Red is an ideal I had not considered.
    As for the auto focus my camera might have had it when I got in 2004 but it still works.
    To cheap to buy a new one.
    Decisions?
    Greg
     

Share This Page