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View Full Version : General Modded Center Console and Automatic Shifter


81dmc
03-20-2016, 06:51 PM
Lately, I have been getting quite pissed off due to the DeLorean's automatic shifter. I would have to to slam the shifter into park against the quadrant, and the plastic slider would get hung up on various objects and wiring. Since I'm movingly almost all of my console switches to the door, I decided to make my own plate. Once I complete the plate, I will post pictures, but for now, I'd like to show one of my ugliest and weirdest mods, the plastic shifter housing.

In the housing, metal ball rolls in notches for each gear, PRND21. First I drilled 3mm holes in each one, then I modified copper rivets from Ace Hardware to fit in the hole and stay the same shape as each notch. The product is this...
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/F794D03F-F297-4CEC-9BB8-5CE2AB30DF2A_zps7me2vqme.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/F794D03F-F297-4CEC-9BB8-5CE2AB30DF2A_zps7me2vqme.jpg.html)
It's not perfect, but it accomplishes its purpose.

Also, in that picture, you can see a wire going into the pivot. This wire was stripped and inserted under the spring, and I hot glued it in place.

Next, are the other ends of the rivets. I soldered a 14 gauge wire to each post. After that, I filled the entire cavity with hot glue as it does not conduct, is flexible, and sticks properly to both the housing and the copper/solder.
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/1D09F78E-FFC4-4769-915D-4E15ACAA9A65_zpsn95dx1o6.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/1D09F78E-FFC4-4769-915D-4E15ACAA9A65_zpsn95dx1o6.jpg.html)

Here is the entire housing
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/4E1CB296-5AE8-4E6D-B2FC-75D856DE2330_zpsvxr2odpf.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/4E1CB296-5AE8-4E6D-B2FC-75D856DE2330_zpsvxr2odpf.jpg.html)

The finished product is this, a switch which function is similar to the door lock bellcrank.

Ground travels in a wire through the pivot and touches a metal spring. This spring then holds a metal ball which touches a different copper rivet depending on the position of the shifter. The wire from each copper rivet will connect to about 6 relays. These relays will convert the ground signal to a positive signal which travels to a digital display.

I bought from here (http://www.ebay.com/itm/231674291256?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
Farrar
03-21-2016, 11:19 AM
Nice! I was thinking years ago about a similar mod, to have gear selection display on the dash like a more modern car (would send light to a row of LEDs behind cutouts for P, N, R, D). You're halfway to what I never accomplished!
Bitsyncmaster
03-21-2016, 01:47 PM
There are better options to invert the grounding signal then using relays. I have not looked at the data sheet for your display but most likely it uses very low power signals.
81dmc
03-21-2016, 01:56 PM
There are better options to invert the grounding signal then using relays. I have not looked at the data sheet for your display but most likely it uses very low power signals.

What do you have in mind? I really want to avoid relays if I can.
Bitsyncmaster
03-21-2016, 03:38 PM
What do you have in mind? I really want to avoid relays if I can.

Do you have the technical info on the display? Need to know if it is logic (0 to 5 volt signals) levels. I see a "sender" is recomended by the seller.

Depending on the interface which could be anything from an analog signal or logic inputs. You can logic invert signals with one hex inverter IC.
81dmc
03-21-2016, 04:40 PM
Do you have the technical info on the display? Need to know if it is logic (0 to 5 volt signals) levels. I see a "sender" is recomended by the seller.

Depending on the interface which could be anything from an analog signal or logic inputs. You can logic invert signals with one hex inverter IC.

I don't have any technical info. Is there any way to test this when I receive the display?
Bitsyncmaster
03-21-2016, 06:17 PM
I don't have any technical info. Is there any way to test this when I receive the display?

I would guess there is some info when you get the display. If not maybe you can ask the seller for the info. Hard to test not knowing the range (voltage) rating of the input signals.
81dmc
03-22-2016, 11:21 PM
I received the display today and took a picture of the board layout. I'm guessing it runs on 12v, but I could be wrong.


Also, does anyone know how much room is behind the speedo and tach? I want to place this at the bottom center of the cluster if possible.
Bitsyncmaster
03-23-2016, 04:10 AM
I received the display today and took a picture of the board layout. I'm guessing it runs on 12v, but I could be wrong.

Your photo shows some transistors and resistors. So there is no documentation with the board?
81dmc
03-23-2016, 07:17 AM
Your photo shows some transistors and resistors. So there is no documentation with the board?

Nothing.

I suspect they just want me to buy the proper "sender."
Bitsyncmaster
03-23-2016, 10:08 AM
Nothing.

I suspect they just want me to buy the proper "sender."

I could probably figure it out if I had the unit here but maybe someone else has already done it. Do an internet search to see if someone posted the interface.
81dmc
03-23-2016, 09:12 PM
Today, I installed the display between the speedometer and tachometer. It looked a little too bright, so I fixed that further down the post.

http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/5C499BFA-A1F1-4A43-BA84-71AFD7CF4B48_zpstaghlviu.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/5C499BFA-A1F1-4A43-BA84-71AFD7CF4B48_zpstaghlviu.jpg.html)

Wiring through a hole drilled into the bottom.
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/957AF768-0191-4E47-8BDC-CC5662737043_zps9lrc2tbd.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/957AF768-0191-4E47-8BDC-CC5662737043_zps9lrc2tbd.jpg.html)


SEM Trim Black and a heat gun later...
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/D12D2CC5-35BC-4F6C-9B79-C7268C8D7B54_zpseesjdyfj.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/D12D2CC5-35BC-4F6C-9B79-C7268C8D7B54_zpseesjdyfj.jpg.html)


Look better?
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/1B4D162F-D1DA-4C14-8E85-84E4199585FA_zpsngfbzd9g.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/1B4D162F-D1DA-4C14-8E85-84E4199585FA_zpsngfbzd9g.jpg.html)


How about a test of the display?
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/89FE1B76-4DBC-4EFC-9A88-880F16D19CEF_zpsjwb9r6te.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/89FE1B76-4DBC-4EFC-9A88-880F16D19CEF_zpsjwb9r6te.jpg.html)


Hmm, closer, maybe?
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/250DB903-AB01-4E99-9044-C4BE0BDF2EED_zpsx2lfhyb8.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/250DB903-AB01-4E99-9044-C4BE0BDF2EED_zpsx2lfhyb8.jpg.html)

The display ran perfectly when connected to the 12v wire from the old OEM PRND21 indicator. I think I'll just use simple relays and hide them next to the shifter housing in the frame.
81dmc
03-25-2016, 05:26 PM
Gear indicator done!

http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/0C588601-E679-4498-B94D-D6B409EBEE0C_zpsghhh6xb2.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/0C588601-E679-4498-B94D-D6B409EBEE0C_zpsghhh6xb2.jpg.html)

http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/rodolfovii/C7328928-7928-44A0-A049-BE99A48AAEBC_zpsyz1ix1mg.jpg (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/rodolfovii/media/C7328928-7928-44A0-A049-BE99A48AAEBC_zpsyz1ix1mg.jpg.html)


BTW, how do we post youtube videos here?
81dmc
03-25-2016, 08:27 PM
BTW, how do we post youtube videos here?

Never mind, already figured this out.