I liked the look of the Aero-catches sold by Rally Design because they are flush, neat and give a positive closure. I purchased a pair of the non-locking model and fitted them with the help of the template supplied to cut the holes and using an aluminium reinforcing sheet behind. In order to keep the bonnet flush with the side pods at the wheel arch end another location was needed. I came up with a stonking idea (I never said I was modest!) of fitting inboard over-centre catches, invisible from the outside but very effective.

I had the various bits that I had made powder coated and these were fitted. They included the roll cage covers, inner wings and top rear firewall.

Bulkhead

I needed to design a removable dashboard, not straightforward when the lower rail is round tube. I also wanted the dash to be set back from the flange on the fibreglass scuttle. I formed a tray from aluminium sheet to fit from the bulkhead under the round tube with a joddled flange so that the lower edge of the dash would be a flush fit. This tray hopefully will keep the wiring tidy and out of sight. After I had covered it with leather-cloth and fitted it I regretted not including a removable inspection cover for access to the speedometer cable and the cable to the brake bias control. I might live to regret that oversight!

I’m really struggling for sufficient space for the instruments, wiring and relays. I have always liked the idea of running all the main circuits through relays but this does involve more space and wire. There is not much depth behind the dash and not a lot of height either so everything needs to be carefully thought out so that available space is used effectively. I have not gone overboard to build in lightness and for reasons of rigidity, I made the dashboard blank from 16swg galvanised steel. I sat in the car and marked the blank with the blind-spot areas masked by the steering wheel and placed the gauges accordingly. I had hoped to reproduce the dash layout from the CJB so that the

dashboard loom would fit without any modification. That was the grand plan but it was not to be. There was insufficient room to mount the minor gauges above the switches meaning that the loom had to be butchered and a fair stretch to reach the far switch.

Circuit

I’ve always liked the idea of relays for the high load circuits and although this involves more work more cable and inevitably, more expense, the result is worth it particularly the feature that turns the headlights off with the ignition. I shall be transferring over to the Phoenix seven relay circuits so even more space to find! I fitted the relay base to the outside of the scuttle rather than on the inside so this saved a bit of space. The blue box in the picture below, houses the GEMs Mini Zeta ECU. I have now reached the stage where I realise that it would have been quicker and easier to start the wiring from scratch rather than trying to modify the look from the CJB. I have had to cut the main loom twice to remove it from the CJB because with the plugs etc it was impossible to remove it any other way. I am now faced with joining dozens of wires and trying to make a neat job of it!!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Another small problem is the thickness of the fibreglass when trying to fit grommets. The grommets I have suit 16 or 18 gauge material. I don’t know whether it is possible to buy grommets for a thicker material but I intend to cut out a portion of the bulkhead and replace it with 16swg aluminium which will solve that little problem. I have just found a 20 way connector in the Autosparks catalogue (http://www.autosparks.co.uk/) which will come to my rescue in joining up the butchered wiring loom. I seem to have spent a great deal of time recently just looking and not really doing much. I want the finished job to look neat and tidy so I am taking time to plan the placement of the various components within the constraints of the available space.

The two fuse boxes giving a total of nine fused circuits are now mounted and an aluminium panel incorporated in the scuttle to accommodate the grommets. Apart from running cables via plug and socket to the main loom from the ignition switch the dashboard loom is finished now. I hope there will be enough room behind the dashboard for everything. 

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