July 10, 2009

My Wifey made me go camping this weekend…so many things to take away from my manly MG restoration efforts…but I got tent loving so it’s okay!!!

I finally decided on a configuration for the switches on the radio console. I am replacing the factory switches wherever possible with the racing toggle switches that have the flip-up cover over them to prevent them from being switched on accidentally.

The center console will have two cigar lighter/power outlets on either side and the heated seats controls under them. There will be six toggle switches across the center to control the fog lights, driving lights, two interior light switches and one switch to kill the daytime running lights. The DLR-kill witch will be mounted upside down so that turning it to the “on” position will actually turn off the daytime running lights. The sixth switch will turn the heater fan on and off.

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That switch is in the center consol because I have rewired the hazard lights switch and indicator lamp and moved them to the dash. I pulled off the old dash light dimmer rheostat and jumped the two leads together and then pulled the fan switch out of the dashboard, I them added jumpers to the wires on the hazard switch harness and ran them up to the dash with the indicator light where the old rheostat used to be.

So now the hazard light switch and indicator are where the fan switch and dash light dimmer were and the fan switch is now on the center consol where the hazard switch used to be.
I will be having an aluminum panel made to place over the old, beat up center consol face which will hold the switches. It will be more sturdy for holding the switches and it should look pretty good too.

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I finally broke out the mig welder for my first attempt at welding. After about 30 minutes of screwing around with it to get the wire feed to work right and keep it from just spattering little dots of molten metal all over the place, I finally got it working properly. I started laying down some nice, long beads on 16-gauge steel. They looked good with a nice, smooth bead and good penetration. Then I tried some plug welding…not even close to acceptable. Holes that weren’t distorted were burned through and a total mess. I need some more practice on my welding but I guess it’s an okay start.

I ordered the LED and cold cathode tube lights for the interior as well as the 80-amp relay for the new interior cockpit fuse panel. The headlight relay kit has arrived and my shock absorbers should be her in another day or two so I’ve got some work to do.