Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Posted January 7 The dashboard kit maximises the efficiency of the cooling/heating and also allows improved air distribution, for both Right-hand drive and Left-hand drive vehicles. Key features: 1. Divides the large dash board space into smaller insulated compartments so that the cold AC air is not heated by the surrounding metalwork. 2. Provides directional centre and lower foot/leg vents. 3. Provides rotary fan and heat controls. 4. Provides A/C, windscreen demist and recirculation controls. 5. Windscreen demist, recirculation and temperature blending are servo controlled. The original mechanical cables and levers are no longer required. Right-hand drive assembly: Left-hand drive assembly:
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Author Posted January 7 This guide shows the installation of a Right-hand drive dash kit, installation of the LHD kit is similar but with the components flipped to the opposite side of the vehicle. In order to install the dash kit, the exiting dash needs to be disassembled. This includes removal of the radio holder, the grey finishing panel and the black plastic dash tray. There are plenty of online forums and videos on how to do this so we won't cover it here. Eventually, you will get to the metal dash 'lid' that sits on top of the triangular cross car ventilation plenum. Around the edge of this lid there are about a dozen self tapping screws which need to be removed, then the metal dash lid can be removed. Save the screws for refitting the new lid(s).
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Author Posted January 7 After the lid has been removed, you can see inside the triangular section. Remove the clips from the footwell flaps and remove the entire assembly At this point, have a good clean out and vacuum of the whole area.
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Author Posted January 7 The dashboard kit includes foam pieces and 2 partitions to divide the dash section. 1. Start by fitting the side pieces of foam to the passenger side. 2. Lay in the large piece of foam, starting at the bulkhead, stick the foam around and trim off to the require length. 3. Fit the foam tape around the divider and push the part inside the triangular section, it locates by pushing against the inboard edge of the large piece of foam just fitted. 4. Trim the foam around the bulkhead aperture and the tabs for the foot flaps. Cut the hole for the foot vent ( not shown in picture ). Use any offcuts from the large piece of foam to patch any 'holes' in the foam. 5. Repeat on the driver side of the vehicle. using the smaller piece of rectangular foam. 6. Fit the directional foot/leg vents
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Author Posted January 7 7. Fit the larger flexible ducting cross car between the lower port on the passenger side divider to the driver side divider's port, fix with cable ties. 8a. Fit the control panel: The control circuit board must be removed from the control panel before fitting. Firstly remove the knobs (they pull off). Then remove the PCB retaining clip - it slides up. 8b. Fit the control panel plastic bezel (without the circuit board attached to it) into it's oval shaped depression in the dash, add the black screws at either end of it and fix in place with nuts inside the dash. Push the control circuit board into position from the inside of the dashboard, the holes in the circuit board align onto the pins on the back of the plastic bezel. The protrusions on the back of the plastic bezel and the circuit board should fit through the original rectangular aperture in your dash panel when assembled as described above, however depending on your specific vehicle the right hand edge of the aperture may obscure the LEDs on the right side of the board from shining through the red lens in the bezel. If this is an issue for you, you may want to use a mini belt sander (or similar) to extend the right side of the aperture further to the right. 8c. Push the 'goal post' clip downwards to secure the circuit board to the bezel. 8d. Install vents and knobs 9. Connect the ductwork from the two upper ports on the passenger side divider to the vents on the back of the centre control panel and fix with cable ties.
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 7 Author Posted January 7 Identify the 2 halves of the replacement plasic 'lid'. Attach the cut foam pieces to each lid (foam sticks to the underside of lid - e.g. inside the triangular section) and install in the car using the screws you previously removed from the original metal lid. Fit the 2 windscreen vent air-valves (with servos attached) on top of the replacement lids. Fit the 45mm duct connectors on top of the air-valves; the windscreen vent restrictor gets sandwiched between the top of the passenger side air-valve and the 45mm duct connector. On the passenger side place the air restrictor element in between the actuator and the air hose. This balances the air flow between the drivers and passenger side Attach the 2 windscreen vent valves to the air hoses that go to the windscreen vents. You can use the original windscreen screen demist hoses but you may need to shorten them slightly.
Jonny Retrofit Posted January 14 Author Posted January 14 Refit the orginal black dash tray. This does need some modification to let the two vent pipes through. Do not reassemble the rest of the dashboard until the system has been tested.
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