Bits and bobs (and dash cam)

 Whilst running out in my first year 2 things started to bother me 

1 No were to place my phone so navigating is a chore

2  My other cars have a dash cam but not this one 

first problem was an easy fix ebay to the rescue 

attaches with a sucker and stays put 

Second not so easy 

Didnt want to attach to the windscreen as didn't want the wires draping all over .Needed to come up with some way of attaching it to the body near the roll bars.

First task was power already  routed a spare pair of cables to the back of the seat when i built the car for a just in case .

So tied these in to the aux power switch and fitted a socket behind the drivers seat sorted .

socket fitted 

The second was not so easy there was  nothing i could find on the internet that suited my purpose so came up with something in stainless steel but all my attempts ended in the bin .

To the recue came Dave my work colleague and best mate since we were 16 ( so a few years !!) 

whilst talking of my dilemma he calmly announces that he thinks he can rustle up something on his new 3d printer, 

With a hint of skepticism we moved forward ,Well the results are nothing short of amazing.

So impressed with this it is nothing short of fantastic  and works a treat!

  

 

Modifications 5

 Went to the GD open day ,first time in the car and it was a great turnout and good to see fellow owners .

soo many cars but good to see 

While i was there met up with David from Canems who has now put a secondary map on my ECU . This will be used when the wife is driving or we are pottering somewhere as it limits the horse power to 40% 

430HP  @40%  is about 170 HP , 

Tried it on the way home and i still get the great sound but it performs like a normal car that is until  flick the switch and take my foot off the accelerator and then its back to the animal !

Half Cover Mark 1

 Decided as I (we) are going out more in the car there is going to come a time when I  need to keep it dry while away from it . Following other peoples advice I came up with the half cover idea. 

I wanted something light and easy to fit so that if there was a shower I'm not sat in a wet chair and also keeps eyes and fingers away without having to put the proper roof up .

I purchased  this cover from Amazon which is the smallest they do but still needs some modding .

 bit on the large side but works 

Modifications 4

 After putting the car back together and testing all the parts i had one slight issue when the footwell lights were powered up and the doors shut the alarm LED started flashing ,not a big problem but none the less not right .Once the doors were opened and the lights came on the LED stopped flashing.

The only common link to the 2 circuits  was they both use the door switch ,to this end i figured that the alarm sounder was allowing enough current to pass in the wrong direction to power the LED 

I solved this by placing a diode ( 1N407 )  in the alarm wire and now all working as it should

Negative on the left 

Modifications 3

The hospital advise that I  am allowed to drive after 6 weeks so  assuming I can can in and more importantly out of the car I will able to drive on 1st May .

As i cant kneel for long periods and don't want to impede my healing I have enlisted the help of my son to finish putting the car together .

Yellow wire in the loom ready for dash refit 

Dash was straight forward as speedo and rev counter cables were left long enough on purpose 

Dash fitted with the rev counter in the right side 

Fitted the surround with the Alarm LED  happy with the outcome .

LED fitted and hoping its bright enough 

Next its the undertrays which are amazingly fiddly made worse because of all the switches ( Bluetooth ,rev lockout and second map switch ) as well as all the associated wiring.

Forced smile as the undertray just slips in ( not)  

Once everything in and found to be working car had to come out the garage to be washed for some strange reason Connor was ok with volunteering for this job !! 

No forced smile here then 

Modifications 2

 After taking the dash out and the ECU I was unable to find the wire that I need to earth to obtain a second map which was a  plain yellow wire 

After a call to Andy and David from Canems it transpires some looms don't have this wire and you've guessed it I haven't .

Now waiting tor David to send me the wire with the pin on it hopefully easy enough job to fit 

missing pin and so no wire either 

While waiting for the wire installed 2 more switches under the dash 

one to turn the indicator beeper off ( just in case i need to ) and one for this elusive wire for the second map 

new switch on the right for indicator 

new switch on left next to blue tooth speaker  power 

Also got a holder for the led cheap enough and looks better  check the current draw of the LED and its 25mA so no big shakes with power drain .

Silicon'ed in waiting to dry 

Yellow wire arrive and very easy to fit  so now fitted in the correct pin on the ecu plug 

Plug apart 

Wire fitted and ready for ecu to go back 

At the same time fitted the flashing LED to the steering shroud ready for assembly 

Led fitted 

Modifications

 Dash out first which was more involved than i thought as one of the securing screws was turning in the dash .

Managed to get it out after removing the screen vent ( well Steve did!) 

Swapping the guages is straight forward on rebuild as the loom is long enough just need a hole for the trip button .

On to the alarm ,bought 2 red flashing led's a 3mm and 5mm 

3mm is going to be too small 

Plan to place it on the steering wheel cover 

While the dash is out i have elected to go for a buzzer instead of trying to make the indicators self canceling as i like the idea of it being retro .

I was going to make one from transistors ( from my apprentice days ) but eBay to the rescue as i could buy one for less than a fiver 

Off the road for winter and some tweeking

 Took the car off the road as December is too cold for me and Cobras,

Just because the car was done wasn't finished as needed to tweak a few bits 

1 -  I  wanted to swap the speedo and rev counter over after IVA so the rev couter is my side 

Original fitting of speedo 

2 - I have an alarm but no visible light so want to add a flashing led somewhere

3  - I would like  an aux socket behind the drivers seat in case i fit a dash cam 

4  - Andy says the ECU can have a switchable second map which reduces horsepower and throttle 

       response which will be an advantage for cruising and when the wife is driving

5 -  I need to do something with the indicators either alter them to self cancel of fit some kind of buzzer so  I don't  leave them on  

further to follow