V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1

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Mitsuru
Posts: 2300
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1341 Post by Mitsuru » Thu May 14, 2015 12:36 pm

/i am still doing some work on the gauge pod. After a few test fits I have managed to
find a suitable size chrome bezel for the centre hole. How to hold it and the lens in
place is what I am currently working on.

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The chrome looks better than silver or black, there is still work to be done on the guts
for the centre dual gauge but this is just to halp me see which way or how I can do it!

The gauges will look almost as though they were from the same manufacturer hopefully
by the time I am finished.

Where the pod gets mounted? I syill haven't decided yet!
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

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Mitsuru
Posts: 2300
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1342 Post by Mitsuru » Sun May 31, 2015 5:14 pm

I thought I would try the instrument pod in a place where somebody else has theirs! Because part of the unit is
supposed to below the surface it will be sitting on,I know a hole will need to be cut. But I am not going to cut
a hole until I have a replacement in case I screw things up!(which I usually do!)

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It may go further back but I'm still not sure about it being right back that far!
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Okay I made a start on the lens for the centre dual gauge. unfortunately the structure which holds the lens in place it
was just a touch too small for the hole! So I used a strip of speaker cable and glued that on as a spacer before using
epoxy on the structore and the instrument fascia.

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The two 2" duals are in for effect and a matching pair needs to be bought.

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The rear of the plastic structure that everything goes on carefully cut to keep strength but allow access for wiring.

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Okay out of sun so the jack hammer can stop in my eye, it's really been too windy (no I haven't had beans again!)
to do anything outside. That and if too bright it can really be a headache!
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

User avatar
Mitsuru
Posts: 2300
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD?)

#1343 Post by Mitsuru » Mon Jun 01, 2015 10:36 pm

The cowl for the instrument pod needed to be trimmed so it could sit on a flat surface. In order to get the cowl right
I used one of the car speaker spacers, I sat the white instrument structure in it and screwed them together. This ment
a craft knife with a long flat side on it's blade could be used to trim the cowl down, before using a metal file to even
the edge up!

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I am still looking at 2" gauges, and how best to get some light into the back of the centre double gauge.
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

rich.
Posts: 6804
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:18 pm

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1344 Post by rich. » Fri Jun 05, 2015 7:58 pm

are you still on hold?

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Mitsuru
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Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1345 Post by Mitsuru » Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:37 pm

A cardboard template made with the hole needed and the space the cowl would take up on
a surface to get an idea of what to do next! which is just as well! ideas and advice please
after viewing photos of unit and template as well as alternative overlaping idea.

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I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

zipgun
Posts: 856
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Crowborough

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1346 Post by zipgun » Mon Jun 08, 2015 10:33 pm

Did you get the free Kelloggs spoon? I did , 90 days to arrive , it says "SPUD DOG" and I use it on the dogs meat .

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Mitsuru
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Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1347 Post by Mitsuru » Tue Jun 09, 2015 1:35 am

For the amount of dog food the family dogs get through A plastic pint glass each does the trick twice
a day! Mind you they go through the footballs regularly playing tug of war after they purst them!

I can't put the instrument unit too far forward due to the air vent structure, and I think right up under
the windscreen would cause problems with the air flow onto the glass. Either this one will be mounted
so that the core structure and fascia are on the mid section of the dash while the cowl is cut to overlap
the upper section(the position shown roughly oin my previous post)

Let me know what you think any ideas or sugestions welcome I always am open to critisism on such
things!
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

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Mitsuru
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1348 Post by Mitsuru » Thu Jun 11, 2015 7:33 pm

The dash panel taken into the house to be worked on so I was out of the too brighter
light and out of the paint fumes frome dad's painting!

I have decided on a middle fit with the main core of the instrument unit mas far back
on the middle section of dash as possible. Test fit after the hole was cut!

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The line where I was previously considering where to mount the Unit clearly still visable so
a wipe down later to clean it up! I was cust say able to get chrome bezzels to accept the
dash between them and the lip of the unit.

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I might have taken a little too much off the face plate and cowl if these photos are anything
to go by!

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The cowl will be trimmed to go over the upper dash panel, but would be the first thing that
would need to come off before the upper dash. Luckily it only clips in.

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You can see there is enough of the structure of the mid section of the dash after I had
carefully removed only just enough for the Unit to fit!

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Okay painkillers a dark room till twilight! then I can come out of the coffin and not crumble
to dust!
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

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Mitsuru
Posts: 2300
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1349 Post by Mitsuru » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:53 pm

Okay I couldn't find the gauges I wanted to match the centre dual gauge, so it looks like I'm
modifying some old damaged smiths gauges to suit!

Top complete gauge is made by Yazaki I like the plates but not the graphics. So using that as
a idea for altering the old smiths gauges but old smiths graphics for all gauges.

On the bottom row.
Left is the rear faceplate which has the smaller hole but wrong graphics so total respray needed.
Middle what the original front faceplate which covers the needle base and prevents the back-light
shining everywhere but on the gauge.
Right is a work in progress but you get the idea I hope

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Yazaki Gauge with its small needle and unsuitable graphics but pleasing sweep and curves

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And the work in progress smiths front faceplate (I haven't done metal shaping like this in decades so
forgive the crudeness!)

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I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

User avatar
Mitsuru
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 am
Location: County Durham

Re: V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1(ON HOLD)

#1350 Post by Mitsuru » Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:07 am

I've been looking into getting a proper factory roof rack system for the car.
As you may recall there is just a thin strip of rubber covering the panel joins between the
roof and door frames on a neon. So If the seam needs repair and I have to put something
over it to cover the repairs then this will be perfect!(thinking ahead!)

I've never seen or heard of these roof racks even being an option for the export cars. And
this is going to be off a car in the USA, from a gentleman who is thining out his spares.
Considering that the after-market roof racks tend to nip and bugger the door seals as they
G-clamp the the length of the roof and under the door glass windows seals(scars me when I
shut the doors when I have it on in case I smash a window!) I thought that the factory one
would be a better option later down the line and buy one now while they are available at a
reasonable cost, it would save me later.

As the doors are frame less windows and the seals run down each side covering both
doors to replace they are about £150 plus vat a side the last time I checked!
(before FIAT took over from Mercedes And strange but Mercedes were cheaper!)

Service manual and parts catalogue for the factory fitted roof rack which was never an
export car option!

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A Factory roof rack fitted

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More cars with the factory roof rack

http://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?f ... +roof+rack

Amount you have sent: $143.00 USD
Currency conversion: £95.53 GBP = $144.43 USD
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.51201 USD
Sent on: 17 July 2015

The seller thinking he was doing me a favour marked the value of the item at $100 !
When they look at the $100 they will see as the item only then add the shipping cost onto
that! With roughly what was told to me!

Item $100
post £83
subtotal $183

subtotal £117.64 (subject to exchange rates) £1 = $1.556 USD

+VAT 20%
+handeling £8 (I think but am more likely to be wrong!)
Total £149.168 ($232.187 USD)

Which means a possible minimum £31.528 ($49.067 USD) I have just had to bail a family
member out of part of a large bill I barely have that in my bank account!

He said that on the form he put 'automotive part, a roof rack' and ticked it as gift not goods/
commercial. It was posted on Monday I thought okay it will be a 6 to 10 working days plenty
of time for me to coble some more funds together and still have enough for another bill due!

Err NO!
SACRAMENTO, CA posted July 20, 2015 , 2:28 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (USPS) arrived July 21, 2015 , 3:43 am
San Francisco, UNITED STATES Departed July 21, 2015 , 1:26 pm
London, UNITED KINGDOM Departed July 22, 2015 , 7:49 am
Customs Clearance UNITED KINGDOM July 22, 2015 , 5:36 pm

And now it is with Parcel Force, but as the family call it Parcel Farce! Why call them that?
Because of what they have done to every large parcel I have ever sent or received with them
being the delivery company! I sent some toyota lights the recipient refused delivery and told me
why. When the parcel came back to me it had been badly damaged and had been everything short
of being driven over by a tank!

The insurance they point blank refused it even with evidence! Plus it was late there by 2 weeks!

So I am bricking it! The best laid plans of mice and men!
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

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