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Meet Red, my 81 Restomod Build

Another big step today. I installed the dash panel. Whew! Everything cleared. I still have to tie up some wires, but here’s the pics-

Yes, the opening in the dash will go over the late model column if you remove the tilt lever and the turn signal stalk.
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The lights look pretty good too!CD45991E-5D8F-4299-B0B8-0E5215CADD12.jpeg

This isn’t the final steering wheel, but I just wanted to see one on there. 792227DB-2868-433E-93F1-B44005098BEF.jpeg

So…still fighting with the dash pad and the cowl gasket. I’m not having much luck getting the cowl gasket to not have an overbite, but I’m getting closer. The replacement dash pad from Morris is worse than the first! It looks like it was dropped from 20 feet onto the drivers end. Still waiting g for a reply from them. I’ll probably try to get a refund then who knows.
 
A black Laredo wheel with red stitching would look killer!
Kim, that was my initial plan. I even have a nice wheel as a base. But with my height and weight I need to use a smaller diameter wheel. I was able to find a Grant wheel that looks somewhat stock.
 
You gotta use what fits. A wheel with no dish will be a little closer to your legs but more room to the back of the seat. I'm sure you will use something really nice . . . everything else you have done is as good as it gets.
 
Looks great, can you please explain how you were able to run the cable through the windshield up to the GPS box for the speedometer? As well as show a close up of how you mounted it? Will that also clear any bikini tops/hard tops?
 
Looks great, can you please explain how you were able to run the cable through the windshield up to the GPS box for the speedometer? As well as show a close up of how you mounted it? Will that also clear any bikini tops/hard tops?
I drilled a hole at the top of the frame a bit lower than the footman loop holes. I had to go 3/8” IIRC to fit the connector. Then I drilled another matching hole at the bottom of the frame, a couple inches from the end so the so it would come out in the hollow part of the cowl gasket. I took a long piece of mig wire and started at the top, and snaked it through the frame. Once I had it pushed all the way through, I used a second short piece of wire bent with a small hook at the end to guide the wire through the small hole at the bottom. This was the hardest part and it took a while to get it. Once the long wire was out the bottom, I crimped on a red insulated connector. The diameter of the red plastic insulator screwed into the Speedhut coax connector. I then pulled the coax through, gently. Once it was out the top I put a grommet on the upper hole. For pics see posts 1061 and 1066

I haven’t made a bracket yet, but it will be just a small piece of angle that the magnetic antenna base will attach to. I will screw the bracket to the frame using the footman loop holes. I don’t plan on lowering the windshield once I get the cowl gasket issue solved.

As long as I don’t make the angle bracket too tall it will clear a bikini top.
 
Wiper linkage and motor in and working. Runs as smoothly as one of these can.

I ended trimming the outer leather gaskets to fit, and used a thin ring of black auto strip caulk on the inner flange. No leaks allowed.

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Well, Morris did me right. They gave me a full refund on the tweaked dash pad. Told me to keep both of the tweaked ones. I may try and get the thick end OE pad recovered. I need to decide on SEM texture coat or stretchy vinyl or leather. Just have to work out the Jeep logo on the pass side. Maybe cut it out, clean and re-glue? I may also try and twist one of these tweaked OMIX pads to usable status, now that there’s nothing to lose. I have about zero confidence in that though.
 
I'd try tweaking it back. Heat gun or hair dryer and some wood to fit on the sides to clamp and flatten it out. Like you said, nothing to lose, and maybe you will win.
 
Thanks for the advice, Kim! I actually got a 2x6, bolted one end down and went to town. It’s getting close. There was a ton of extra “filling” that overflowed the back, I ground a bunch of that off too. I’m pretty confident this might work.

If I could only get the cowl gasket problem solved, I’d be really happy!
 
Well, I finally got far enough on the house projects that I could put some more time in on the Scrambler. I mounted the trans cooler to the bracket and got the tubing bent and connected. I used some fuel injection clamps to make sure there would be no leaks. 1BE79505-0C0A-41EA-8A69-58D1AF651FC4.jpeg6D390295-7BA3-4A12-B82F-00392CB9FC18.jpeg240E6B56-A0F5-4D70-8835-7D767D29E95C.jpegThe insulator material on the clamps is some HD glue lined heat shrink. It gets pretty thick when it shrinks down and makes a perfect insulator.

Next I bolted in the A/C condenser. One nice thing is all the clamps and bolts are accessible through the grille slots.

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So, right away I remembered an issue that I saw on mock- up. The A/C line interferes with the rearward headlamp bucket. That will have to be trimmed. It almost fits. Looks like the wiring plug will be no problem though. 219ED24A-B4AC-40FB-91A8-6C63B1DBCC48.jpeg7D63E3DA-1DF6-417E-9D5E-C3882FC2BA51.jpeg

That’s it for now. I think next I’ll install the grille for the last time. I need to get my butt in gear and get the doors built and hung, and the top fixed/painted/ installed. There have been no bites on the house sale, but at the price I’m asking I don’t expect it to go fast. But I need to be ready when it does.
 
More progress. Headlamp bucket trim- just a little off the top. Plenty of room now. Clears the radiator by 3/8”- I’ll have to use a right angle plug on the wiring. 2048500A-1104-48D9-B8AE-30BF0CF05279.jpeg11386232-C1F8-424B-9FDA-FC56899C77B8.jpeg2DC19398-9B93-4D8D-8689-A4335ADCF173.jpegAfter installing the radiator, I realized the clearance for the A/C lines was minimal at best.F45A38E4-179B-469E-9218-66504AF53ABE.jpegD5D20425-583C-4BDD-AB28-408E523B5F5D.jpegI spaced the top of the radiator mount out 1/4” and now there’s adequate clearance.910700AE-955E-4149-8883-CD729E5412DC.jpegThat’s all for today.
 
I realized that the heat shrink would not hold up too well to a line that is heated by trans fluid. So I replaced the heat shrink with some silicone self-bonding tape. Good to 360 degrees. That should work.63832433-220D-4E35-8D0A-6C51B960E2C7.png

This is the stuff I used. I got a couple rolls of it in a box full of goodies at a yard sale. That $2.00 box had hundreds of dollars of treasures inside!
 
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Back to the cowl seal issue. The Fairchild gasket fits better but not perfect. I have tried combinations of foam weatherstrip in strategic places to re-align the figment, none worked. I’ve got the original “soft aftermarket” gasket in a makeshift clamp to try and reform it. I’ll keep you posted. 😕
Randy, no first hand product experience with this company Metro Moulded Parts Inc.
They have been sponsors of the last few National Scrambles.
They offer a cowl seal. Might be worth giving them a shot.
Hit me up if interested and I'll get you a 25% off coupon (that goes for anyone else as well.
 
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