Feeling Dim!

[JonathanT]

How on earth do you dim the lights if you have a Mk2 R4L ?

I can see how the switches work but not how headlights would be dimmed. Do these models have foot operated dim switches?

 

[JonathanT]

Ah ha ........a little sleep helps . Could it be that the right hand stalk isn't the windscreen wiper switch but the side low and high beam ? The wiper switch being a little switch on the dashboard ?

 

[JonathanT]

Nah!!!! Got that all wrong!!!
The left hand big stalk is side low and high beam. I think maybe pulling stalk toward driver would 'blip' the headlights too? Seems to have some lateral movement?
The right hand stalk is the direction indicators and the wipers are on the dash. The little stalk on the left being the lights on off switch ?

 

[Paul Narramore]

I guess they are typos but why would you want to 'dim' your headlights. You mean 'dip' surely?

 

[Piet]

On the Mk2 the RH is indicators, on the LH side the small switch is master lights on/off, large LH stalk has 3 positions: low is sidelights, middle dip beam, high is main beams. Push the LH stalk in axially for horn.
Dipping is manually move the big LH lever up and down. Some countries had (I think) the same switches wired with additional foot switches to give dipping. There is no switched forward and backward moving, just free play.
Sadly the Mk2 lost the best feature of the Mk1- TWO horns with two positions on the axial switch giving you town and country.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Well I understood all that but I've got that setup on yellow peril
You lose cancelling indicators on old dash btw
I've had to fit warning buzzer as can't see silly green tell tale in bright sun or hear tick tock over engine noise

 

[JonathanT]

Marvellous guys thank you. Yes I knew cancelling indicators would go I even lost those fitting the earlier steering wheel before I took off the road to restore. Piet I'm really interested in the Town and Country set up with two horns. Guess we are all deaf in the country well I am at least
Paul I've been noting your recommendation for a temperature gauge . I've ordered one and will fit that below the dash. Where would the sensor be best placed?
Paul N you're right dip ...proving I am dim

 

[Azazello]

Marvellous guys thank you. Yes I knew cancelling indicators would go I even lost those fitting the earlier steering wheel before I took off the road to restore. Piet I'm really interested in the Town and Country set up with two horns. Guess we are all deaf in the country well I am at least
Paul I've been noting your recommendation for a temperature gauge . I've ordered one and will fit that below the dash. Where would the sensor be best placed?
Paul N you're right dip ...proving I am dim

Think that best place for the sender would be the water pump itself!

 

[David M]

Town and Country
There were two horns fitted. A high tone and a low tone.
Each was mounted on the bumper bar bracket on either side of the car.
As Piet says you cold push the stalk in a little and one horn would sound ( high tone, I think). Press the stalk hard (panic) and both of them would sound.
I had them on my 1963 R4 (6volt)
When I put them on a 1968 12volt car they sounded even better!

 

[mr-reno-139]

2 thoughts
1
water pump on r5 mk1 had threaded hole for sensor so aftermarket or late original equipment spec pumps should have a blanking plug in the centre
2
Regarding dash wiring a friend of mine with 72 car has got the dash out at the moment so can get pics of wiring layout if it help
Ps bearing arrived but collecting from post office monday

 

[JonathanT]

Hi guys yes like the sound of two horns. Pauls recommend site Mr Auto do both low and high pitch in an R4 pattern. Not expensive either . For now will stick with my 'Basso gravo ' or whatever it is horn.
Paul you're right again there is a blanking plug on the water pump. Glad bearing arrived I hope you don't have to pay to collect as I had it weighed and everything.

 

[JonathanT]

Today I tackled the dashboard. It's a whole mass of wiring to do but it didn't take me that long to work it out by using the Haynes manual and a test meter. I began by making a bridging harness between the old dashboard and the new. You can see in photos how the connectors to the modern switches now are bridged temporarily . The hazard switch was a straight swap. The windscreen wipers currently will only have one speed and the electric wash on one switch. I might modify the GTL wiper switch to sit discreetly on the lower edge of the dashboard.

 

[JonathanT]

Once I was certain everything was working as it should. I then set about wiring directly to the earlier style dashboard. The temporary harnesses where all removed and the wiring now terminates where it should. I will publish a wiring diagram in case anyone else wants to do something similar

 

[JonathanT]

As Paul says the little illuminated legends on the display are quite small and not very bright. So maybe a indicator repeater might be a good idea .

 

[JonathanT]

I should put heat shrink over all the connections before I install the display within the dashboard.
Last job today was to cut the switch support officer steering colu last job today was to cut the switch support off The steering column. Will resume on Tuesday and commence by making the air ducts and dashboard fixings.

 

[JonathanT]

All windows in and door rubbers on- beginning to look very pretty

 

[Azazello]

There are two kind of wiper switches on older dashboards, one fore one-speed wiper motors and another one or 2-speeds ones... it changed when wiper motors changed! (Or at least in my 81 f4 I have two speed, and the motor is the same as for the 91 tl...).
Even the one-speed buttons are different: earliers have a third contact to bring the wipers in the "standing" position (it was so in a 73 export but already more "modern" with automatic return in my 75, same motor).
In order to make your car look older you could invert wipers position too...

 

[Azazello]

This is the best I can do with my phone.
If you need some more measure lee know, indicating the precise point... if it is not clear I can try drawing something...

 

[mr-reno-139]

Remember when I converted yellow peril to rhd the speedo support brackets different and don't swap side to side
Best i measure friend 72 rhd car for you as his dash is out at the moment

 

[mr-reno-139]

pics from 25 years ago when I changed from left to right hand drive
Must of been difference as otherwise would still be original white brackets swapped over not the red ones I took dashboard from