Improved Instruments in my Bronze
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:37 pmSince I got my Bronze back on the road in June 2009 I’ve been slowly ticking off a list of things left to do, one of which was to improve the instruments. It’s still a work in progress, but this is what I have now:
(For reasons that I don't understand, the right hand end of the pictures are cut off when I preview this post, and there's no scroll bar to move them over. I've re-sized them in Photobucket but it makes no difference. If it stays that way when I submit it, you'll still get the general idea).
After some internet research, I decided on VDO units, which although far from cheap are definitely a quality product. I’ve had my modified instrument pack in for six weeks now, and am really pleased with it.
The new instruments are back-lit with the white numerals showing green (or red if you choose to put the other filters on the bulbs). The fuel and temperature guages are still front lit by the standard Metro pea bulb. I need to improve this area as the two middle guages are very dim compared to the main dials, and the needles need to be painted orange.
The speedo uses a sensor with two magnets on the N/S driveshaft. You just have to tell the speedo how many pulses it should see per mile, and Bob’s your uncle. The beauty of the VDO unit as that it can be programmed from the front, unlike some others I found that need a row of binary switches setting on the back. My initial calcs were close, but I tweaked it to perfection with the aid of my sat nav. If I change wheel or tyre sizes it will be just a few button pushes to recalibrate.
I took all the connections for the revcounter and lighting for both dials from the flexi-circuit on the back of the Metro unit, and added a three pin plug from my old Midas loom to take the speed sensor connections. This means that the whole unit can be withdrawn from the front and taken out with only three plugs to undo, and if necessary, a standard pack put back in.
I’m really enjoying having a smooth, accurate speedo that I can see easily in the dark. I now have to modify the centre of the dash to take the matching oil pressure guage, voltmeter and analogue clock.
(For reasons that I don't understand, the right hand end of the pictures are cut off when I preview this post, and there's no scroll bar to move them over. I've re-sized them in Photobucket but it makes no difference. If it stays that way when I submit it, you'll still get the general idea).
After some internet research, I decided on VDO units, which although far from cheap are definitely a quality product. I’ve had my modified instrument pack in for six weeks now, and am really pleased with it.
The new instruments are back-lit with the white numerals showing green (or red if you choose to put the other filters on the bulbs). The fuel and temperature guages are still front lit by the standard Metro pea bulb. I need to improve this area as the two middle guages are very dim compared to the main dials, and the needles need to be painted orange.
The speedo uses a sensor with two magnets on the N/S driveshaft. You just have to tell the speedo how many pulses it should see per mile, and Bob’s your uncle. The beauty of the VDO unit as that it can be programmed from the front, unlike some others I found that need a row of binary switches setting on the back. My initial calcs were close, but I tweaked it to perfection with the aid of my sat nav. If I change wheel or tyre sizes it will be just a few button pushes to recalibrate.
I took all the connections for the revcounter and lighting for both dials from the flexi-circuit on the back of the Metro unit, and added a three pin plug from my old Midas loom to take the speed sensor connections. This means that the whole unit can be withdrawn from the front and taken out with only three plugs to undo, and if necessary, a standard pack put back in.
I’m really enjoying having a smooth, accurate speedo that I can see easily in the dark. I now have to modify the centre of the dash to take the matching oil pressure guage, voltmeter and analogue clock.