Le Mans 2 Seater Dashboard

[cev196]

Just a thought, it may be beneficial to expand your search for change gear levers to those fitted to bicycles, the down tube normally used on older models is a larger diameter.
My cycle from the 50s which I have just looked at does not have a clamp arrangement, however it would seem possible to make up a mounting clamp to fit.

[robertctayler]

Just for interest's sake, I am pretty sure I used replacement bicycle cables in the Bowdens for the advance /retard and manual throttle in mine when I replaced them back in the 60's. They were plentifully available for bicycle cable brakes and derailleur gears back then as the shifters on the downtube of my BSA bicycle were identical to the ones on the steering column of the Singer. No idea of current availability.

Apologies for the slow response on the clock hands. Yes mine are original but Phillip's look correct. I will be home at the end of the week and will take a picture then. I was fortunate to be apprenticed to a watchmaker in '69 and he fixed the clock for me during the restoration I undertook, so it works just fine!

Bob

[Phillip]

Hey Bob,

Yes, my clock hands are original also in that photo!

I'm sure everyone would love to see a photo of the advance / retard levers!

Cheers,
Phillip

[robertctayler]

As promised, the close up. Proof that Phil's are also original (and looking a little smarter than mine)!
I will have to take the picture of the advance retard levers over the weekend.
The choke on the dash was positioned for the original Solex carbs, however when I obtained the '35 block it came with the '35 twin SU inlet exhaust manifold and carbs. A little juggling and the choke cable from the dash will operate the mixture control on the SU's.

Bob

[robertctayler]

Possible slight confusion, in that it was the inner cables I used which were bicycle cables (not the levers). They had the same cylindrical lead (?) end piece as the original Bowden cables so a direct substitute. Thus I could use the original levers and cable casings. They have worked fine for 50 years. Pic of the original levers attached.

[mikeyr]

how does that metal plate behind the dashboard mount ? I assume just a few screws at each corner but those holes don't show in the measurements that Peter posted in this thread. I assume the metal plate is bigger than the hole in the wooden dash, I see the hole is curved and the plate is not. Is the plate recessed into the back or just screwed on ?

Also, does anyone have a tracing of the entire dashboard ? I know there will be variations but just wondering. I am starting on the wiring so I am going to fit a cheap plywood dash that I can cut up and play with and that will be my pattern for the real thing when I make the final dash. I am cutting up that metal plate today.

[mikeyr]

well ok, so here is a very rough drawing since no one had one, I made one up.

Remember these cars were hand built, there ARE variations in every car so don't trace this drawing on a expensive piece of wood and expect it to fit, but this should get you pretty close. Use cardboard to get the dash curve around the top and then the bottom of the dash can be traced from this. Also NO promises this is correct, its a merged drawing taken from both pictures posted in this thread a very long time ago.

I drew a straight line from bottom of cowl across the dash to help get vertical measurements

My car needs my dash to be 37 3/4" long at the bottom of the cowl near the door edge if you print this out to scale it will print out to 38" since I made it a tiny too big for final trimming...but your car could be 38 1/2" so check EVERYTHING. One more thing, check your instruments, I only assume that the holes need to be 5 1/6" for 5" instruments, its possible the instruments are designed to fit into a 5" hole but I marked 5 1/16" on the drawing since that is the normal size for 5" instruments. Same with the smaller gauges, i only assumed 2 1/4" (by the way when I scaled the images to be 38" that is what the circles measured out to but I will check my own instruments prior to cutting the holes.

I will be gluing this to a piece of wood and making a template from this for my dash, should come out pretty good.

[cdk84]

Hi Mike,

What a gift that drawing is.

Thanks So Much for taking the time to do it: we All benefit.

I hope your diligence pays off.

Please let us know when you've 'taken the plunge'.

Do you plan to use a solid piece of wood or a veneer over plywood?

Enguiring minds...

All the Best,

David

[mikeyr]

Hi, glad the drawing is helpful, I am taking the plunge to make this very soon. I was trying to add some style to the dash so was going to use plywood and Birdseye Maple veneer, the use of plywood would make is dimensionally stable and minimize wood movement over the seasons. But the edges are visible in the center panel and glove box hole, yes, I could get the veneer in there also but a ton of work.

Mahogany is a boring wood but original but fairly cheap for a solid board, I am thinking Chestnut as I like the color and it can have some interesting grain patterns although they will almost all be cut out. Chestnut is also color stable unlike Cherry which will darken and Walnut that will bleach in the sunshine. I have no idea what the original wood was since my car had no dash, but in pictures it appears to be Mahogany.

Next few weeks is the plan to make the dash, right now working on details on the motor and I have some wood working projects to get done before my first Grandson arrives in a few months, a baby needs a crib right ? and I have a lot of Ash that I didn't use on the body frame work since I bought a body. Have to refinish the High Chair I made for my daughter when she was a baby also, but that is second on the list a baby does not need a High Chair right away. Of course I will post pics and details of the dash...

[jeans_old_man]

Hardwicks are showing stock of dashboards in various woods. They also have originals for restoration. If you are making your own I would go for solid wood. I made mine out of oak.... and yes, the tacho has never had a clock!