70 duster: updating, and a no-dough pro-touring makeover
Before we get to the gauge cluster, lets talk about the stereo. I wanted good front sound stage, decent bass, and high quality audio. So, to do this, I'm using a kenwood ez500 deck, with the HD radio add on module, some aftermarket power antenna, Memphis belle 6x9 3 way in the rear deck, blaupunkt 5.25 components in the kicks, some generic 4 inch speakers in the factory 4x10 opening in a plate made out of a mudflap, and a kenwood 3 channel amp powering the kicks and a first generation JL 12w6 wired to a 2 ohm load in a truck box. I need a bigger box for the sub, and possibly more power to push it. It ALMOST has the right amount of bass response.
Ok, if you haven't died of boredom or headed off to YouTube to watch cat videos, there's only two sections left.
First, gauge cluster. Remember I had sold the autometers and bought speedhuts? Yeah, they didn't fit. Not even close. So I wound up using the original metal pieces from Roy's cuda that held the lens to the bezel, modified for the speedhut gauges to sit in like gauge cups, glued to the back of the bezel with the gauges mounted. They are not serviceable without breakage. So hopefully they don't go bad. I then had to bore the center hole considerably to get the tach to mount anywhere close to where I wanted it, and make a lexan plat to hold it. Came out pretty good. Shot the whole bezel in black, re-installed my LED indicators, used a silver sharpie to color the letters for the switches, and jammed it home.
Last section I will be discussing my megasquirt experience up until this point. Now, mind you, I'm nowhere near a rocket surgeon. My computer skills are limited to word documents, Al gores internet, and listening to music. I can occasionally defrag a hard drive, and install a program, but I usually have to look up how to do it. I'm a borderline Luddite. I didn't grow up with computers, hate my smart phone, and believe skynet will be the death of us all when it gains sentience. But I have a small block mopar running on megasquirt. It still runs poorly, but dammit, it started up on the first spin of the key after adding gas to the tank and adjusting fuel pressure. So, if I can do it, anybody can.
Now, it isn't so intuitive as to be able to do it by myself. I'm just not that bright, nor is my reading comprehension involving computer things that great. The manuals are fantastic in guiding you through, once you figure out which manual you need, and read it about a dozen times. Then begin to follow the directions specific to your install. Realize you have no idea what the hell you are doing about the time you get to this picture:
Go back and read some more. Twice. Repeat as necessary until you have all the basic settings flashed to the megasquirt on the workbench, and tunerstudio responds appropriately to the jimstim.
Hook the ecu up in the car, make vroom noises while you play around making sure that sensor readings look reasonable. When they don't, research why. You probably missed switching a setting somewhere, and each setting has a domino effect on the rest. Again, repeat as necessary. After a while, turn the key and see what happens. Hopefully you get real vroom noises coming from the tailpipes, not your vocal cords. If not, keep digging around in the manuals and over at msextra.com forums.
I will also take this opportunity to say, without ANY reservation, to buy your stuff from diyautotune. Matt Kramer over there is the only reason I've gotten this far. He has held my hand and spoon fed me every step of the way. The forums at msextra and GRM have also been a huge help so far.
I haven't driven the car yet. Hell, I still haven't been able to set base timing or get it idling well yet. But I'm still learning this stuff. And if I can, through YouTube, email, and guys on forums, etc., anybody with 3 brain cells and a cup of coffee can. You just have to be patient and willing to learn.
Before we get to the gauge cluster, lets talk about the stereo. I wanted good front sound stage, decent bass, and high quality audio. So, to do this, I'm using a kenwood ez500 deck, with the HD radio add on module, some aftermarket power antenna, Memphis belle 6x9 3 way in the rear deck, blaupunkt 5.25 components in the kicks, some generic 4 inch speakers in the factory 4x10 opening in a plate made out of a mudflap, and a kenwood 3 channel amp powering the kicks and a first generation JL 12w6 wired to a 2 ohm load in a truck box. I need a bigger box for the sub, and possibly more power to push it. It ALMOST has the right amount of bass response.
Ok, if you haven't died of boredom or headed off to YouTube to watch cat videos, there's only two sections left.
First, gauge cluster. Remember I had sold the autometers and bought speedhuts? Yeah, they didn't fit. Not even close. So I wound up using the original metal pieces from Roy's cuda that held the lens to the bezel, modified for the speedhut gauges to sit in like gauge cups, glued to the back of the bezel with the gauges mounted. They are not serviceable without breakage. So hopefully they don't go bad. I then had to bore the center hole considerably to get the tach to mount anywhere close to where I wanted it, and make a lexan plat to hold it. Came out pretty good. Shot the whole bezel in black, re-installed my LED indicators, used a silver sharpie to color the letters for the switches, and jammed it home.
Last section I will be discussing my megasquirt experience up until this point. Now, mind you, I'm nowhere near a rocket surgeon. My computer skills are limited to word documents, Al gores internet, and listening to music. I can occasionally defrag a hard drive, and install a program, but I usually have to look up how to do it. I'm a borderline Luddite. I didn't grow up with computers, hate my smart phone, and believe skynet will be the death of us all when it gains sentience. But I have a small block mopar running on megasquirt. It still runs poorly, but dammit, it started up on the first spin of the key after adding gas to the tank and adjusting fuel pressure. So, if I can do it, anybody can.
Now, it isn't so intuitive as to be able to do it by myself. I'm just not that bright, nor is my reading comprehension involving computer things that great. The manuals are fantastic in guiding you through, once you figure out which manual you need, and read it about a dozen times. Then begin to follow the directions specific to your install. Realize you have no idea what the hell you are doing about the time you get to this picture:
Go back and read some more. Twice. Repeat as necessary until you have all the basic settings flashed to the megasquirt on the workbench, and tunerstudio responds appropriately to the jimstim.
Hook the ecu up in the car, make vroom noises while you play around making sure that sensor readings look reasonable. When they don't, research why. You probably missed switching a setting somewhere, and each setting has a domino effect on the rest. Again, repeat as necessary. After a while, turn the key and see what happens. Hopefully you get real vroom noises coming from the tailpipes, not your vocal cords. If not, keep digging around in the manuals and over at msextra.com forums.
I will also take this opportunity to say, without ANY reservation, to buy your stuff from diyautotune. Matt Kramer over there is the only reason I've gotten this far. He has held my hand and spoon fed me every step of the way. The forums at msextra and GRM have also been a huge help so far.
I haven't driven the car yet. Hell, I still haven't been able to set base timing or get it idling well yet. But I'm still learning this stuff. And if I can, through YouTube, email, and guys on forums, etc., anybody with 3 brain cells and a cup of coffee can. You just have to be patient and willing to learn.