Ford XW GS Dash Conversion Part 5 - Final Assembly (Looks Mint!)

#ford #gtfalcon #xyfalcon #xwfalcon #restoration
G'day everyone! Final part of this little restoration job - after a couple of hiccups, I think the final product looks fantastic...apart from a couple of wiring gremlins..
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/ @marcsmildlyinteresting
If you have any questions please comment below, or if you want to get in touch please reach out to [e-mail]
Hi, I'm Marc and this is Meatball Garage! Keep up with all the tinkering and maintenance on my Hyundai i30 (Hyundai Elantra) Holden VE Calais V8 (Pontiac G8 or Chevy SS) And my 1970 Ford XW Fairmont 351 Cleveland V8.
If there is anything you want to see on Meatball Garage - Leave a comment below!

[@MeatballGarage]

FInally all in and sorted! A couple of gremlins to still iron out but i reckon this came up a treat! What do you think? Cheers! Marc

[@TheTileplace]

all good ,watched all 5 episodes great effort ,really enjoyed the unseen genuine shit that you go through that you just dont see while restoring cars

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers Tony - Appreciate you watching the whole series mate! That's it - so many professionals on youtube doing top shelf work where everything seems to go smoothly!! I always thought someone needs to represent the bloke that just has a crack, over estimates the size of a job, and stuffs a few things up along the way!

[@aussie-c10-68]

The emotional roll coaster.. 😂 we’ve all been there…

[@MeatballGarage]

Hahah that's it mate! Working on cars is a great teacher of patience isn't it! Cheers for watching and the support mate!

[@MAMBOYS-mv2te]

The super fringe and the clock will light up green as well at night if it’s a real one if it’s fake it won’t.

[@MeatballGarage]

Haha mate in my dash - the clock is a cheap fake one so no lights for me! Those clocks and original radios pull huge $$ too!

[@stevepierce3509]

Your Fairmont is a very tidy beautiful looking sled mate, credit to you

[@MeatballGarage]

Thanks Steve! Did you end up sending me an email so i can get you a couple of pics of the boot wiring for the XW?

[@stevepierce3509]

@@MeatballGarage No mate, I cannot find your email address legend.

[@MeatballGarage]

@@stevepierce3509 [e-mail] Cheers mate!

[@MrJak427]

console will fit better with the rear bracket fitted. it goes underneath the seat belt holder's and welds to the floor pan, two phillips head screws in through the holders into the brace

[@MeatballGarage]

G'day MrJak! Yeah you are right - This car was originally a bench seat car, the console looks like it was slapped on and has always been mounted a bit skewif, and yep it is missing that bracket you speak of. One of the many little things that annoy me on this that i'll probabbly never get around to fixing haha! Thank for watching and the comment mate! Cheers!

[@MrJak427]

@@MeatballGarage they cost $25 Good channel you reminded me of myself when you build up rage and say naughty words to the parts 🤣😂🤣😭

[@MeatballGarage]

@@MrJak427 haha cheers mate!! Nice to know there are a few of us out there that have the odd 'moment' in the shed! :)

[@jimpikoulis6726]

Chuck a spazz over the radio fitment FUCKING HELL.... 3rd time lucky

[@MeatballGarage]

Bloody oath Jim - I had 1 SIMPLE job that afternoon and with all the time in the world I STILL managed to balls it up - too right I was fucked off!!

[@johngibson3837]

What an original steering wheel worth these days

[@MeatballGarage]

G'day John! I think I paid 12 or $1300 for mine - which was the better of the repro options at the time. The cheaper ones really did feel yucko compared to the nicer one. I think they are closer to $1800 these days. Assume at least double that for a mint condition original wheel! Haven't seen one in a while! did you have a couple of these XW/XYs back in the day? Cheers mate!

[@xtfairmontlover]

Great job mate, thoroughly enjoyed the whole journey 👍👍👍👍

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers mate! It was definitely a journey but the end result was worth it!

[@stevepierce3509]

Why put an aftermarket tacho deep in the glovebox ? You will not see it while driving aswell you will have to have the glovebox lid down to even attempt to see it from the drivers seat mate ?

[@MeatballGarage]

Its there to drive a hidden shift light - check out some of the earlier dash conversion vids and you can see the theory behind it 👍 Cheers!

[@Kaitler_Motorsport_Engineering]

Those wonderful slide around Falcon bucket seats. If you didn't have your seat belt on you would end up in the passengers seat when you cornered.

[@MeatballGarage]

They have definitely caught a few people out! They are actually reasonably comfy now that they have been re-sprung. Just don’t sit in em on a hot day though hahaa!

[@michaelperrin3503]

Looks mint mate clean job and sounds even better.👍

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers Michael! Hehe love the thump of the Clevo in the morning - Might need to do a couple of vids at full noise once lockdown is over :)

[@waynedowding7168]

How do you get the heater and vent knobs back on with those little clips, I am struggling, there must be a trick can't find anything on the net.

[@MeatballGarage]

Wayne mate I don't think I ever took mine off for that reason (the black knobs on the sliders). Give Grand Tourer/GT Performance or the GT Shop a call - these places always have the knowledge on how some of this stuff goes on and off and have saved my backside a few times! Good luck mate!! Cheers - Marc

[@meloz1246]

Well done, much like.

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers Mel!!

[@gmskippy]

Looks fantastic mate love those LED bulbs👌👍

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers Glenn! Yeah those LEDs are bloody bright compared to the old globes - they light up beautifully!

[@JAStheACE]

I was going to add a few comments but after watching through the vid it all turned out ok and I'm sure you are happy and will proceed to fix the niggly bits, I love a good old XW any day and this car looks amazing. Good job old son, i did get a laugh, first time i have seen your channel, the car sounds great and would be a treat to own, Enjoy.

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers mate! Glad you enjoyed the vid and got a few laughs too!! Yeah a year on there are still a few niggles with the dash actually, me thinks earthing issues (yuck) - but it looks good so thats the main thing! Cheers the car is a beauty - have you ever had an ol Falcon yourself? I have a few little projects up my sleeve for summer. So once I am done with the vids on the new car we will be back filming and working on (and probably breaking stuff on) the XW! Cheers for the comment and the sub! Marc

[@JAStheACE]

@@MeatballGarage Yes I've owned and driven regied ZD Fairlane, XR Falcon, XW Falcon, XT Fairmont, the misso has an XY ute in the build atm, there's a ridgy XD 6 banger hiding ere and some other stuff. Hope to see a few more vids mate, Cheers Jas.

[@lukealsmith]

Did you ever sort out your RPM issues? Mine isnt registering at all and it drives me batshit crazy

[@MeatballGarage]

Hey Luke! Funny you should mention that. When i cranked it on Sunday - i got nothing out of the Tach! Even played with the earth location and got bubkis. A few people have told me its all about the earth for them. Which is frustrating cause every other tach i have work fine, and grounds to bloody anything. This repro job - which was like $400 is so sensitive, and when it does decide to work, seems really lethargic! Really slow to rise and fall with the engine RPM. I added new earth to the batter to the block. and from the block to the shock tower and it's still rubbish. If you are getting nothing - check all your earths in the engine bay, then maybe run a long earth cable from the tach and try attaching it to different surfaces. That's how I found it only liked my hose clamps. Bloody things!!!!

[@munckintattoolover24]

Well done mate! I've leant a fair bit because I want to do the exact same to my xw as well. I have a 1970 xw fairmont exactly the same with saddle interior, originally lime frost. Yours looks mint!!

[@MeatballGarage]

G'day Connor! Thanks mate, in truth mine looks good from 10 feet, still turns heads but will never win any awards!! I had a sticky beak at your car on your channel! My build plate says it was originally a 302 saddle trim car so at one stage they were identical! Lime frost is a winner! If your car hasnt been mucked around with wiring wise, the dash job is pretty straight forward - 12 months on and i still have some gremlins that make my tach and oil pressure gauge play up. If you ever tackle the job and need some advice - shoot us a message here or on insta and I will see if i can help! Is your car on the road? Cheers - Marc

[@munckintattoolover24]

@@MeatballGarage same with mine thats an older photo, shes rough atm shes a mix of lime frost, another green and primer on a couple of panels cos I had a minor accident a little while back. We have had the dash off before and was a bit of a mess but gotta expect that with a 50+ year old car! And yes she is still on the road its a head turner as well! Cheers

[@MeatballGarage]

Ah sounds like she has a bit of history! Love that although its a bit patchy, but is still a driver - thats awesome!

[@stevepierce3509]

Why put a shift light in ya glove box mate ? You wont seen it driving for one, and if you want even driving with your glove box down its positioned on the drivers side so you will have to lean over to even see it !

[@MeatballGarage]

Hey mate! I thought you already made this comment - that tach is purely there to drive a shift light i have hidden in the dash. Was a cheap way to get one installed...turns out it was cheap for a reason as its quite erratic!!

[@stevepierce3509]

Yeah but you cannot see it legend while driving was my prime mention as to why @@MeatballGarage

[@MeatballGarage]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gabQgah_js94odU Have a squiz here bout 11:30 in - its where my shift light is - driven off that tacho. All hidden away :)

[@deerashy]

Whats with the tacho swinging all over the place when you first start up.

[@MeatballGarage]

G'day John - these aftermarket 8k tachs have a feature that each time the ign is turned on, the tach will will do a full sweep to 8k and back to calibrate (that's what they told me anyway). Not sure how long that has been a feature of these but since installing my one I have seen a couple do it here and there. Thanks for watching mate and for the comment!

[@davidcalabria5669]

Do the fuel temp and oil gauges work off 12v or do you need a 5v regulator? Thankyou!

[@MeatballGarage]

Hey David - the pod gauges are driven off 12v power that connects through the temp gauge, which then feeds the other two. I got mine off the ign switch. Not sure if i did it right thought as my oil pressure gauge has a mind of its own (much like my tacho)! Are you fitting one up yourself? Cheers! Marc

[@MeatballGarage]

There is a pic somewhere online that shows you how to connect them up - If i find it i will post it here!

[@xagentofchaos_8783]

Awesome job. What gt shop did you shop at ?

[@MeatballGarage]

Cheers mate! At the time parts were scarce on the ground so rather than buy a kit i sourced parts from both GT Ford Performance in Niddire and The GT Shop in Epping. Pricing was very similar between the shops and they both offer great advice too. Have you and XW/XY on the go/build? Cheers for watching and thanks for the comment mate 👍

[@xagentofchaos_8783]

@@MeatballGarage yeah have wild violet xy gt replica. Been going to gtshop for years aswell as grand tourer now im trying to finish her off.

[@MeatballGarage]

@@xagentofchaos_8783 Oh mate wild violet XY is the ducks guts! With white trim, orange stripe and a sunroof can make grown men weak at the knees! Grand Tourer are pretty good too - some of their resto work when Neil was around was off the charts!

[@xagentofchaos_8783]

@@MeatballGarage no sun roof, black interior was going to go white but its hard to keep clean I've heard so went black with gold stripe's Yeah Neil was a great guy, good to talk to

[@MeatballGarage]

Still a killer combo! Hopefully its not too far off getting back on the road!

[@darcya5731]

I'm gonna buy a dash where did you get the steering wheel new old car co or somewhere else

[@MeatballGarage]

G'day Darcy! I had to get all the bits from different shops at the time due to availability. It was pretty much all from GT Ford Performance or the GT Shop in Melbourne. The nicer steering Wheel was from GT Ford Performance though - not sure if many other places have this one. Yeah from what I can see the New Old Car Company is the mob that manufactures all this stuff. The job is pretty easy IF it doesn't end up snowballing into a mini re wire, dash re paint and interior touch up... If you have any questions about the process let us know mate! Cheers - Marc

[@darcya5731]

@@MeatballGarage thanks for responding

[@MeatballGarage]

@@darcya5731 my pleasure mate!