Project Domes Locost Kit car-Now Sold :(

[rrsix]

That combined unit looks great! Gauges all over the place. I'll find a pic of my dash to illustrate....

[dome]

It'd been a long time since I'd done any wiring so one evening after my shiny new speedo arrived I sat down in the car with the intention of trying to make sense of the fecking mess in there.

 

 

In this picture there is no ECU wiring, this is just general electrics.

 

With some masking tape to mark wires and my trusty multimeter I set about working out what was actually required.

 

In not too much time, all of this was deemed to be excess and chucked out. No need for windscreen wiper wiring any more amongst other things...

 

 

I then started wiring in the new unit which thankfully went fairly straightforward.

 

It does this every time you switch it on. I R KID AGAIN

 

MOV_0075_zpsapi5sjdj.MP4Fetching info...

 

Light check

 

MOV_0076_zpsmo07vggv.MP4Fetching info...

 

A few more wires attached and this happened...

 

MOV_0086_zpspxlss5cj.MP4Fetching info...

 

 

Rev counter not reading right as it needs set up for the engine but at least it works

 

Edit: How do i get the vids to embed?

[rrsix]

NIce Work!

[johngarty]

Great thread

[skattrd]

  On 26/03/2016 at 11:48, dome said:

Edit: How do i get the vids to embed?

 

 

Upload to youtube and post youtube links, apart from that, not sure.

[dome]

I then turned my attention to the dashboard. A sheet of marine plywood was purchased and the old one was used as a template.

 

First cut.

 

 

Second cut-going for a more minimalist look with some curves.

 

 

I then had the interesting task of working out what dials and switches I wanted and where to put them. It's makes you think and no two people will come up with the same thing.

 

I wanted the digi dash in the drivers eyeline which wouldn't have been possible to do with it mounted in the dash as there wasn't enough space. It came with a mounting bracket for bike use though which turned out perfect.

 

Switch wise most of the ones that were there originally were not necessary, I only kept the headlight switch and the one for the radiator fan.

 

Being a big kid I wanted some big red switches to play with. The fuel pump and starter were rewired from the ignition barrel to a couple of switches with military style guards on them.

 

This is how it starts now. Red light is alternator charge warning light.

 

https://youtu.be/SyPkak3FSOU

 

A new coolant sensor and wiring means it starts a lot better too...

 

I also have a hidden switch behind the dash to read the fault codes from the ECU. I'm sure it'll get plenty of use...

 

Final addition was an oil pressure gauge, fuel level, coolant and oil temps are all taken care of by the digidash (or will be when I get them all wired in)

 

(Semi)final wiring setup.

 

 

Tidied up to test it before it gets wrapped

 

 

The unit dangling down on the left hand side is pretty nifty-digital voltmeter, USB charging and cigarette lighter socket. Complete with rubber covers and £7 posted from ebay. Result!

 

Managed to get it out for a quick blast last weekend to remind myself why I was going to all this trouble...

 

 

 

A sheet of carbon wrap was applied and this is how it looks now.

 

 

 

The speedo sensor is a hall type one so the usual way of mounting is on the back of one of the hubs counting the back of the wheel studs. I went for the easier option of mounting it on the transmission tunnel counting prop shaft bolts. It was easy to mount but means I need to find out the diff ratio and measure the tire circumference and translate that into something to make the speedo accurate.

 

So that's where I am just now. Next mission is to put the dash all together and drive the thing. No doubt there will be more issues and it desperately needs a coolant flush(at the very least...) but it's getting to be where i want it. A North Coast 500 tour is planned for the summertime which should be pretty damn cool...

[cort16]

Good work, much improved. That little gauge cluster thing is ace.

[garbaldy]

I was looking at those gauges at the bike show other weekend and they look neat, my mates just bought a locost and he's going down the same route as you with his cluttered dash.

[dome]

Here she is after fitting the dash today.

 

 

Of course the forecast is shit for the next couple of days so I'll not get to drive it

[xtriple]

Where are  you going to fit the head unit and the 9X3s? Got to have banging 'tunes in the car mate:)

 

No, lovely, jealous.

[320touring]

That looks fookin epic!

 

top skillz!

[Richard]

I like how the bike towers over it.

[rrsix]

Cluttered dash is cluttered. This is the standard Caterham effort.

 

Note the particularly nice Racetech replacement gauges in the middle. Being non illuminated however makes them grrreat for night. driving.

 

Please ignore the cap head bolts on the steering wheel they have been replaced. 

[Tickman]

/\ Handy place for the hazard light switch, could have gone a little further from the driver but not much!

 

Dome, was down your way earlier and there was plenty blue sky to be seen, unfortunately only for a few minutes then the showers came again!

Hundreds of bikers at Kinross services all enjoying the changeable weather, looked like some charitable ride with a few in Superman outfit over leathers.

[dome]

I gave it a coolant flush this morning and did some more tidying of wiring under the bonnet then took it for a wee drive

 

40 miles completed today in between fettles. I managed to get the speedo set spot on with a combination of guesswork and fag packet calculations.

 

Only set it on fire once(brakes sticking on after hooning.) A combination of bad adjustment and hoonage had the fronts stuck on. A bottle of juice put the fire out. I then adjusted the brakes and was able to drive it home...

 

It's goood to get some miles on it. There's more to do to make it right but at least I can drive the thing now!

[Tickman]

Excellent news.

Well done getting 40 miles done in today's weather with a car without a windscreen and all associated necessary items!

[Dave_Q]

Great work, I really like the look of the finished dash, looks WELL PROFESH to say it's a slab of wood with a big sticker on it.

[dome]

  On 27/03/2016 at 20:42, Tickman said:

Excellent news.

Well done getting 40 miles done in today's weather with a car without a windscreen and all associated necessary items!

Raindrops hurt at 60*mph

[dome]

Drove this to work today. Cold but fine on the way there. 4.5 degrees and raining on the way home. Might take the car with a roof and a heater tomorrow...

[dome]

Not a lot to report here, been using it a wee bit but the weathers still rubbish up here.

 

The XE engine does have the usual porous head issues though so it looks like the heads coming off.

 

Which to be honest is a good thing as it'll let me sort out the cooling system(which is misrouted) and the wiring(which is fucking shocking), do the timing belt/water pump and generally get an idea of the health of it. Might as well get this done before the summer* starts...

 

I am contemplating building a Saab turbo engine up for it over the winter-it'll bolt right onto the gearbox. 2 litre is a better bet than a 2.3 as it's smaller and will give more than enough power.

 

Been lazily eyeing up 2.0 Saabs turbos for sale as a donor but it needs to be a ng900-a 9000 engine would do too but i like them so would feel bad about breaking one

[Tayne]

Will this be running in the GLF event at the weekend?

[oldcars]

Some of those switches look very Reliant like.

[Sigmund Fraud]

  On 15/04/2016 at 12:24, shumarialto said:

Some of those switches look very Reliant like.

 

They're 1970s BL switches, lovingly* made by Lucas. Also used in various humble Reliants and many exclusive* British sportscars like Caterhams, Morgans, Marcoses, Ultimas etc.

[dome]

  On 15/04/2016 at 12:03, Tayne said:

Will this be running in the GLF event at the weekend?

 

No, it'll not be I'm afraid. Combination of it not running right and me flying to Iceland tomorrow evening means if I do turn up it'll just be in the BMW for a flying visit...

[320touring]

  On 16/04/2016 at 13:41, dome said:

No, it'll not be I'm afraid. Combination of it not running right and me flying to Iceland tomorrow evening means if I do turn up it'll just be in the BMW for a flying visit...

LAME;)

[dome]

Since the Scottish springtime has been fucking miserable I decided it was time to get on with the next stage of sorting this thing out. The cylinder head has done the classic C20XE thing of developing a crack between the oil and waterways allowing oil into the coolant. It ran fine but the coolant bottle was full of mayo

 

To be honest, I was glad of an excuse to get the thing ripped to bits and sort out amongst other things

 

Fucking terrible engine bay wiring

 

 

Wiring in the oil pressure gauge I've fitted and an oil temp feed to the dash unit

 

Sorting out the coolant system which is a bit of a mess. Not fundamentally wrong, just untidy.

 

Doing the timing belt/water pump as there was no history of it being changed.

 

Air intake-at the minute the air filter is hidden behind the radiator, only drawing in hot air. Some sort of duct will be going into the bodywork.

 

 

It also gave me a chance to get a closer look at the home built inlet manifold/throttle body setup. I have no idea how effective it is but it looks purposeful. Comments welcome...

 

 

 

 

As it sits now...

 

 

I dropped the head into the engineering place I used for the Merc this morning with instructions to quote to fix the head and also quote for a wee bit of headwork. It may turn out to be too expensive but no harm in asking...

 

It's pretty daunting knowing there's a fuckload of work needed but parts are being accrued and t'internet is being consulted. One thing at a time...

[cort16]

The throttle body looks home brew but there are similar shiny looking ones on eBay for 1200 quid. Does it have bigger injectors?

What ecu does it use? 

[320touring]

That wiring is simplicity itsel:)

 

good effort though- I expect it to be in the 12s at crail!

[dome]

  On 02/05/2016 at 22:11, cort16 said:

The throttle body looks home brew but there are similar shiny looking ones on eBay for 1200 quid. Does it have bigger injectors?

What ecu does it use? 

 

I think standard injectors although now you mention it the numpty I bought it from had fitted new injectors so I'll have a look.

 

It's running Motronic 2.8 out of a late Cavvie/Calibra-similar to earlier C20XEs but with a coil pack instead of dizzy. The ECU is apparently quite good at adapting to mods like the exhaust/intake so it can stay too for the time being.

[dome]

Not a lot to report here, the engineering company are taking ages to do the head so I've been twiddling my thumbs. 

 

Done a bit of painting to the suspension and cleaned the engine bay, got some bits ready to fit but just waiting for my head to be done...