Farrar's car blog

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Originally Posted by Farrar

I think I have heard the same thing -- "possible but more difficult." I thought about removing the dashboard and adding some sound dampening material to the backside of it, but I am not sure that is feasible. The good news is Steve has removed and installed a dashboard before, so I can draw on his experience in this area. My greatest concern is that, in the process of removing or reinstalling a 31-year-old part, I will damage or destroy it. This is what happened when I took out the kneepads -- when I tried to put them back in, the studs came out. And it's happened in other instances as well. So in the long run, instead of "leaving well-enough alone," I might as well make some changes that I consider to be improvements. It is, after all, my car to do with as I please, right? :)

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Definitely. Plus it's your birthday for at least a few more minutes.

happy birthday, Farrar! :partyhat:

28.Jan.2012

Thanks, all, for the birthday wishes. I hope 33 is a good year for me. (And I hope 31 is a good year for #2613!)

This morning's projects, if my girlfriend will allow them, are to finish the trunk lighting modification I started the other day and finishing wiring up the blinking security light. Then I have to go to a parade... which will pretty much kill the rest of my day. :lol:

Trunk lighting modification is complete and verified functional -- huzzah! I am now waiting for the security light's adhesive to set and will install it later today if there's enough ambient light left after this afternoon's activities. Oh, and I will get pictures/video of new trunk lighting for y'all to see, too.

Fingers crossed.....

Two small SMD panels. Much better than my first attempt at improving the trunk lighting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BY6jxLkNh4

Attachment 7953
Photo was taken with no flash.

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Photo was taken with no flash.

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badass. :headbang:

could you post a photo of the mounted SMD panels while they are off? id like to see your setup.

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Originally Posted by dvonk

could you post a photo of the mounted SMD panels while they are off?

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Do you mean "turned off" or "off the car"?

Technically I cannot take a photo of them off the car since I mounted them with a bunch of black weatherstrip adhesive (I coated the back of each PCB liberally not only to adhere but also to protect the circuitry from moisture). However, here is a picture of the unit from SuperBrightLEDs.com (link is to product page):

http://www.superbrightleds.com/image.../upcbfront.jpg

Superbright does specify that some SMD panels cannot have their plugs removed and still work; I bought ones which can have their plugs removed, for obvious reasons. ;)

If you need a photo of the units in situ with the power switched off, I can get a daylight photo for you tomorrow.

Thanks for the compliment! :)

apologies for the lack of clarity in my previous post; i was curious as to how you mounted the setup on the bonnet lid.

i can wait for a daylight picture. :smile:

Here's a picture taken in daylight with the power off.

Attachment 7987

Strangely, my car behaved quite well to and from today's tech session (about 30 miles each way). Then when I got home, I noticed the same bad idle that I had noticed before. When I went outside just a few minutes ago to move the car, it absolutely refused to idle -- unless it was on the fast-idle cam turning at 1500 RPM, it wouldn't move.

Do I have a vacuum leak to track down? Is one of the symptoms of a vacuum leak running better when hot and running like crap when cold? Because that is what I experienced today -- hot engine, decent idle; cool engine, crappy idle; cold engine, no idle. I will find out Saturday, I guess.

Farrar

Looks like one SMD board would fit the Original opening pretty closely. I might try something like that and create a finishing bezel for it.

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Here's a picture taken in daylight with the power off.

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thanks for the daylight picture. all those SMDs really throw out the light. 8)

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Originally Posted by DMC5180

Looks like one SMD board would fit the Original opening pretty closely. I might try something like that and create a finishing bezel for it.

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sounds like a neat project; id definitely like to see the finished product.

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Do I have a vacuum leak to track down? Is one of the symptoms of a vacuum leak running better when hot and running like crap when cold? Because that is what I experienced today -- hot engine, decent idle; cool engine, crappy idle; cold engine, no idle. I will find out Saturday, I guess.

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Time to call the CarbHotline