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kjrj
United Kingdom
136 Posts |
 Posted - 07/11/2020 : 11:19:20
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With the help of a friend very skilled in carpentry, I've made a new dashboard for NA0950. Thought you'd like to see the result. Amazing what you can do with two consecutive sheets of burr walnut veneer, at £9.50 each!
We essentially followed the process described by Gordon a few years ago, with the veneer clamped to a birch ply base with a total of 18 sash clamps, and left overnight. The holes were cut with a router with a compass accessory. The top profile follows that of the previous dash and the bottom profile is that of an original NB dash bought as a template. The instrument positions are taken from that too, except that the spacing between the dipswitch and speedo is slightly increased to prevent the dipswitch lever from fouling the speedo. I'm still waiting for my water temperature gauge from Speedograph Richfield but I am sure they will get round to it.
If anybody else wants to do this, I'm very happy to provide details of the instrument positions used and the overall dimensions. One good rule is to stick to the units that they used originally. Measure in mm and you will puzzle over half millimetres and one-third millimetres and so on. On a 1/8" grid, everything drops straight into place!
This is phase 2 of a fairly leisurely rolling restoration on this car. Phase 1 was to tidy up the engine bay and fit the correct cylinder head, inlet manifold and dynamo. Phase 3 will be at least a partial respray. However, I spoke to a previous owner who said that in the 60s he had employed a coachbuilder ("a dying art, even then") who had brush-painted the car, but had done such a good job that you would think it had been sprayed. His abiding memory was of water being sprayed around continually to keep dust at bay. It would be nice to keep at least some of this work if possible.
My thanks are due to many, many Triple-M friends who have helped out with advice and rare parts. If I mention anyone then I'm bound to accidentally omit others, but I'm thinking especially of Terry Holden, Gerhard Maier, Chris Blood, Nick Dean, Mike Bradbury, Thomas Heikens, David Allen and David Kidder - not to mention lots of help from Sports & Vintage and Vintage MG Parts.
Best regards,
Kevin
Kevin Jones
Letchworth, Herts
NA0950 |
Edited by - kjrj on 07/11/2020 11:29:43 |
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mgmog
United Kingdom
467 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2020 : 12:48:00
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Great to see, looks very nice the dash.
Rich Stott
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Oz34
United Kingdom
2543 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2020 : 15:05:44
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Looks lovely Kevin, and what an improvement on the previous one!
Dave |
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kjrj
United Kingdom
136 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2020 : 17:05:51
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Thank you! As a PS, does anybody recognise the steering wheel, with the domed MG logo and the spokes in "Mercedes badge" pattern? I don't think I've seen another one like it.
Kevin Jones
Letchworth, Herts
NA0950 |
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