dinghyguy's restoration of "Mark"

This is the place to discuss restoration problems, post questions or projects-complete or partial.
User avatar
wetminkey
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 1199
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:57 pm
Your car is a: 1979 2000 Spider
Location: Ault, Colorado

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby wetminkey » Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:52 pm

Pretty nice looking car, dinghyguy!
I like blue!
Todd.
1988 Mazda RX-7
1979 Fiat Spider 2000
1978 3/4 ton Chev 4x4 P/U "FRANKENTRUCK"
1976 Camaro
1972 VW Superbeetle
1969 Ford F100
1968 Mustang coupe

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:21 pm

Happy new year to you all

So Santa brought me a few things, including some LEDS for the interior light. Well I finally got some time to work on the car a bit and so down to the dungeon I went.

first picture is the "shop" after organizing. The soldering equipment and meter are not shown, but the basic mechanical tools, timing light, jack and jackstands, plus assorted fluids are all there (oh and not to forget the pipe "extension") .
Image

next I removed the Fiber optic light and replaced it with the LED
Before
Image

After
Image

What a change, and the LEDS are dimmable, so the rheostat works fine. Yea. started on the dash, but that is to come.

One question, are there actually supposed to be 4 lit spots? Oh and only after I installed the LED did I realize that the def switch is lit!

all for now,
dinghyguy in the dungeon
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

User avatar
spiderdan
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 831
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:30 am
Your car is a: 1968 124 Sport Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby spiderdan » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:07 pm

Great improvement
Shouldn't the top one say "Less Heat"? :wink:
Dan
1968 124 Sport Spider
"Angelina"
2015 Toyota Camry XSE (hers)
2016 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited (cottage toy)
http://s1342.photobucket.com/user/68spi ... t%20Spider
http://www.youtube.com/user/Coontache/videos

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:29 pm

hi Spiderdan,

congrats on Angelina being almost as old as you.....and perhaps better looking!
After I installed the LED I noticed that there are red and blue triangles on the heat so for those of you in Ottawa I assume that means cold and colder.....

Interestingly I replaced the courtesy light with a 6 LED array and while slightly cooler color and definitely cooler physically the brightness was not as dramatic as changing the 194 bulbs to LED. My before and after pix of the courtesy light were not dramatic at all.

cheers from the dungeon
dinghyguy
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

User avatar
nelsonj
Posts: 394
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 5:37 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Spider 124

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby nelsonj » Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:59 pm

The red and blue triangles are "ideograms" (as I recall). The idea is the small end of the triangle means no heat (red) or no air flow (blue). The triangles are oriented to show how pushing the lever towards or away from the point of the triangle will either increase or decrease heat or air flow.

So: The blue triangle (at the front of the far left control) has the small point at the front of the car. So if you push the lever all the way to the front of the car (down) you get a "small" amount (0) of air flow. If you pull the lever up toward the back of the car and the large part of the triangle, you get a "large" amount of air flow.

The red triangle (at the back of middle control) has the small point at the back of the car. So if you pull this lever all the way up, you get a "small" amount of heat, and if you push it all the way down (toward the front of the car) you get a "large" amount of heat because that's where the large end of the triangle is.

The single lever without a triangle determines if the heat will go to your feet (when down to the front of the car) or to the dash vents where it can defrost the windshield (when pulled up).

What could be more intuitive? You just need to learn to "think Italian".

Peace.
Out.
Image
Simi Valley, California
Spider 1800
Romans 10:9

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Mon Jan 15, 2018 3:28 pm

Latest report from the dungeon,

first picture is the goodies santa fiat brought this year. The book is very informative I must say I recommend for anyone new to these cars.

Image

Her is the dash gauges at full brightness after tunning up all the connections and the rheostat. It was not bright enough to easily read at night on a well lit shopping street, but OK on the highway.

Image

and after the LEDS are installed. Dimmable too. a major upgrade.

Image

and after the beauty rings were added, not sure I like the wide alum look but we shall see....

Image

I also changed out the annoying door seatbelt buzzer for a bell from a later model fiat. Much improved. You can see the bell in the first picture. Next is the shifter kit to get rid of the rattle there, plus the chrom trim for the footwell storage compartments.

all for now from the dungeon
dinghyguy
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

mamsterla
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:10 pm
Your car is a: 1969 Fiat 124 Spider AS

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby mamsterla » Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:14 pm

I like the lights, but I think the beefy rings are well, too beefy. I prefer the stock sized rings. I will be doing the LED upgrade on lights (except the charge light for the alternator which depends on an incandescent).
1969 Fiat 124 Spider AS0012768

User avatar
nelsonj
Posts: 394
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 5:37 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Spider 124

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby nelsonj » Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:44 pm

Lights look fantastic! With the headlight relay and the dash LEDs, night driving is a blast. I'm still not sure how visible I am from behind though... Thanks for posting the pics.

I have to track down the light for the fiber optics. Where is that light located and what replacement LED did you use for it?

Peace.
Out.
Image
Simi Valley, California
Spider 1800
Romans 10:9

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:30 pm

Sorry for the delay, I was away
The light is under the dash just near the ignition switch, ina silver tube
Mine used a 194 bulb same as the dash light
I put in a 5 led 194 equivalent from super bright, a
Same as all the dash lights

Hope that helps
Dinghyguy
In the dungeon
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:44 pm

Hi all a question about locks
I have one key which fits trunk and glove box and a second that fits a door
The shape not just the teeth of the keys are different. The keys do not fit in the other locks

So my question is, should 1 key fit all locks ?

Ignition is different again which is fine

Thanks in advance

Dinghyguy
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

User avatar
NorthernOtter
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:28 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby NorthernOtter » Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:55 pm

mamsterla wrote:I like the lights, but I think the beefy rings are well, too beefy. I prefer the stock sized rings. I will be doing the LED upgrade on lights (except the charge light for the alternator which depends on an incandescent).


Have a question about this: I recently swapped out all my dash lights or LEDs. My red alternator light (the one on the tachometer) is constantly on when the car runs. Shouldn't this only be lit when the key is on and the engine is not running?

How do you mean that this one depends on an incandescent bulb?

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:48 pm

Hi Northern Otter,

When I was researching the LED conversion I found the following in one thread:

"2. The Alternator bulb should probably stay conventional. That circuit works on a differential of voltage across both sides of the bulb. An LED will definitely work if there is zero output from the alternator. However, if the alternator output is low or high with the engine running, then chances are you'll never know it with an LED bulb in place. With a conventional bulb you could probably at least see a glow. A conventional bulb is what I've switched back to."

This made sense to me. In another post I found this:

"Incidentally, I also switched my alternator indicator bulb back to a standard bulb for the reasons mentioned by James."

So after reading that, and not wanting to cause more issues than already exist in a fiats wiring I left that one incandescent (and now after the LED work I have lots of spares).

Incidentally, I have not found a LED for the tiny bulb in the hazard switch, did you change that one too? If so what did you use?

cheers
Dinghyguy
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

User avatar
NorthernOtter
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:28 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby NorthernOtter » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:09 pm

I'll switch it back to conventional and see if there is a difference. I suspect I have some wiring issues to sort anyways, as a few of my dials do not light up.

My LED bulb does actually dim a bit, but it's more in relation to the engine speed - if the engine is warming up and slightly sputtering, the LED will weaken in sync. I'm more concerned about why it is on when the engine is on if it's only supposed to activate when the battery is not being recharged...

I did not replace the hazard light as of yet. I need to look at the fuses and wiring as my hazards no longer work, even though my turn signals do. Nothing major, as my main lights, signals, and brake lights all function well.

User avatar
dinghyguy
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby dinghyguy » Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:32 pm

hi all a spectacular weekend here in Vancouver, drove the car everywhere the last two days, which led to the following questions:

Does an old wood steering wheel of earlier versions fit the 1979 steering columns? If so what is a good price for a steering wheel?

How do people keep the sun visors from falling down (without removing them entirely from the car)?

dinghyguy,
briefly out, but back in the dungeon
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

KWL82
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2016 9:48 am
Your car is a: 1982 spider

Re: dinghyguy's restoration

Postby KWL82 » Sun Mar 11, 2018 9:43 pm

Wife bought this for me for xmas for my 82. $200 from Allisons. Very nice quality took 3 minutes to install

Image


Return to “Restoration Projects”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 59 guests