Classic Questions regarding the future

Tackled the dashboard today. It is in, but not yet bolted down. Instrument carrier is in, but not fully connected, I need to figure out which way the big connector goes in, easy, all I have to do is match wire colors to indicators, e.g. indicator lights are up.

Figured out how to connect the parking break warning light, turns out the negative wire is already / still on the switch. Waiting for the trailer wiring to salvage the white cable to connect the fuel pump. Some of the other wires of that wiring loom will go to the gearbox, the slot for the warning light and the hole in the dash where the temp gauge will go, replacing the pressure gauge of the removed pressure tank. Then I can almost close the cockpit back up.

If it wasn't for two things: I need a bullet crimping tool to fix the butchered switch wires. And I cut the wiring of the rev gauge... Now I am looking at an unidentified, almost antique, VDO rev meter with for wires, red, brown, white-red and green. No idea which is which, I assume red is lights. Not sure so. I'll just attach some long wires, hide those behind the dash until I fugured out what is what.

Oh, and I removed, mostly, the dents in the roof from when the bonnet opened on the highway.

Solved a mistery, the rev counter. The red wire is 12 V plus, the grey-red one is lighting the green one goes to the coil plus and the brown one is the negative. All I had to do was to remove it from its housing... So rev green goes to the coil plus directly, rev red goes to maim harness white if memory serves well, rev brown goes to a convenient black negative or simply to a screw somwhere while grey-red goes to the main harnesses red, again if memory serves well.

The only mistery on the main harness is the heated rear window, not that the contacts are still there in my case. Originally the heated rear window had its own, original, harness connected to the main harness. All Land Rover factory, the wrapping of the rear window one was blue, but otherwise factory spec and it had Land Rover QA labels. The new harness seems to have those wires already included. To lazy to figure that out, so one part of the blue harness will be left in place connected to relay behind the glove box. The other one goes to the bin of original parts to be kept. The switch stays where it belongs for the looks.

Did check the rear diff without handbreak, it moves, at most, two degrees and not almost quarter a turn like the front one.

So, time for quick summary:

Harness installed, everything working except wiper / washer, horn and ignition. Reason, most likely, a mixed up wire at the starter motor, and now a broken contact at the starter. New starter should be here end of next week, we will see then.

The new diffs, the rear is needed to pass MOT / TÜV as the one currently installed leaks a lot, are sitting at DHL waiting for customs clearance.

I did find the wiring for the parking brake sensor and wired the warning light according to the diagram. I did also salvage some wiring, same color as the diff lock warning light, to be attached to the oil temp sensor once the new gearbox cover is installed. Wiring to be finished tomorrow. Also, it turns out, not all instruments are 52 mm in diameter... So the hole in the dash where the pressure gauge for the pneumatic brakes was is too big. Needs some work to make it fit.

The dash is not yet fully installed, I wait until i tetsed everything. I did manage to misplace one of those plastic parts between the lower console and upper dashboard, LH side. Surely I will find it again!

The mud flaps are missing a simple to build metal part as well. So big deal if it stays lost. To fitted next week, maybe. That isn't urgent.

Halfway cut out a body mount to finally fix the gap between the right front inner wing and rest of the body. To be continued bext week, the saw ran out of battery and it is too noisy for a Sunday.

Almost all parts for the fuel system are here, minus a new filter and the new fuel lines. To be installed once the new carbs are in.

The 123inginition distributor that should be there isn't. So an electronic one from Powerspark is on the shopping list.

The Allisport radiator kit with dual electrical fans is on back order. No hurry there, budget is tight right now.

All cables will be properly attached with rubber covered clamps. The rear harness is no inside the car under the trunk carpet. Only thing under the car is the 13-pin trailer socket.

The spare wheel has a place in the trunk, the gas camping cooker will be back in on a drawer im the next couple of days.

To do: reinstall the rear wiper motor, reinstall headliner, seats and carpets. Get MOT, get the new carbs and new exhaust installed, pick up the uses roof tent, if it is still available. Go on the Corsica trip, then install new fuel lines and the new distributor. Properly calibrate and tune everything. Get winter and AT tires. And then leave for Tunesia.

So far, still within the planning, and almost within budget. Well, if you count VERY generiously!

Pics to follow once everything is said and done, ready for MOT. And after, with the other bits and pieces!