[Mick O'Malley]

As I wandered down to the sunlit but somewhat chilly man cave yesterday morning I was feeling pleased with recent progress and was looking forward to finalising my dash and scuttle brace installation. This reverie was rudely shattered when I realised that I hadn't taken account of the steering column! Once my rage at my stupidity had subsided a little I pondered the options. Cut a hole for the column through the tacho. with a thermic lance? Probably not. More measuring (with brain in gear this time) showed that raising the dash by 44mm and cutting a recess for the column would solve the problem. Five new 5mm mounting holes later it was back in the car in its elevated position; the white paper dot being where the column will run. I'll probably fill the redundant holes with my dreadnought rivets.

I appreciate that it looks as though it'll be stuck out in the elements but the rake of the wind deflector will cover it nicely.



Luckily for me I'd suspended operations the previous day before cutting the scuttle brace which would, of course, have been too short. Half an hour with the jigsaw and files and it was resting in position .



I then removed the scuttle with dash attached, hung it over the bench again and carefully marked the GRP where it will need to be cut for the gubbins sticking out of the back of the dash. This done, I remounted the clocks and switches into the dash, added the reversing light switch and warning lamp, popped the horn and dipswitch wires through their grommets, and set to with wiring the earths for the panel lights, voltmeter, accessory socket etc. Once again my new Machine Mart ratchet crimping tool came into its own: it really is light years ahead of the flimsy combination cutter/stripper/crimper I've used for the last five decades!

Once my newly made black insulated earth festoons were in place I called it a day.

Regards, Mick

p.s. Don't forget the Castle Combe Classic meeting this Saturday - unmissable!