If all the dashboard lights have gone, maybe its a fuse or two. The Haynes says that number 5 does the instrument lights but there's loads of different fuses for all the switches.... Anyhow, I have some secondhand bulbs if its them - just lerrus know which ones you need.

Finished! Tint matches!
Can't show in pic till daylight.

One dam fine automobile. Well worth the repairs+paint. Well-chuffed with the result, dash is asthetically spanking.

Bulbs:
Gotten some temporary light for the clock and enough of the dash.

Need pretty much all of them, 2 clocks bulbs work, one dash warn-indicator doesn't. Neither does the lighter socket or ashtray, all the heater control bulbs don't work,

Can modify some to fit others so the more the merrier.

The fuses+wiring are faultless. I've not tested a single bulb that was out and found it to actually work.
Got a few fuses left too, everything is powered up.

A handful of 12v white leds might be on the cards..

Must* (not actually) Work*(ha) at 7* ish.
Zzzzzzzzzz. Laters.

If it's going through bulbs, you have an earth fault. First one I'd check is the engine block to battery.

Great point, earth worth checking. Actually, I think it was getting like that when I had the car, so it might be a historic problem! I just let the bulbs fade and fade and then never noticed that they weren't working. I'll pop some bulbs from the roof in the post this week. Keep up the great work.

it hasnt blown any more bulbs while ive had it, theyve all worn out naturally: the heater lighting is slightly suspect to be earthing itself unorthodically but i think its the 1/4 million on the clock thats killed off the bulbs if I'm honest.

CBA wrote:theyve all worn out naturally: the heater lighting

It's be blown bulbs. Usual story, nobody can be arsed pulling the middle bit of the dash apart to get at the bulbs and just do without.

He's injecting new life into it which is awesome.

Certainly is.

How's the carb/fuel consumption issue doing?

on the motorway its excellent best part of 50mpg!

Problem:

accellerating in 2nd, using upto all the primary venturi but keeping secondary closed, it splutters a bit; feels like inconsistent/over+enriched when low vacuum pressure at manifold with a light/medium load. thats screwing my urban economy up.

No vac leaks, airfilter new, spark is good, fuel is good, carb gasket has the 'recommended' modded cutout. Compression is good.

I know the Thermostat is opening too soon, for certain, temp hangs at around a third of the scale..

carb is leaking fuel internally I think. Could do with 'shopbought' gasket set for it but all I see are stupid prices.

I've seen a DIR dump fuel out the accelerator pump diaphragm, but that was plainly visible.

My personal best was just under 14mpg when I had a bad blockage and leakage. Amazing it actually ran at that point considering. It was running like a complete dog though.

Unless it is corroded to the point of holes, only gasket really is the lid to body (putting aside the various ones between heated sandwich plate and manifold). Need valve could be shot? Leaky float? Or is it just leaking out of the expansion tank system pipework at the rear of the car? (with the associated whiff)

i have some sheets of gasket paper and a 32dir hopefully with its original gasket, so a good copy is makeable. made the gasket thats in use by pressing the carb onto the paper to make gasket shaped indentation. And cut out by stabbing it with jewellers screwdriver!
Not very good copy*

i pray this carb has an original gasket!!!!

there is very rarely a smell of petrol when I turn the engine off, but im sure thats just 'natural' backdraught from the engine turning back half a rev on konking out.