TDM 2004 Sable V6

[Chilli Girl]

Very nice Simon

[Topdownman]

Cant resist another picture as its still sorned!

[Ardent]

Sorn is easily sorted.
Sort it.
Only a few days till BST.

[Topdownman]

Not even driving the 86 at the moment, nowhere to go. Dont want to get stopped by the rozzers and have the car searched for any picnic items!

[1979scotte]

Not even driving the 86 at the moment, nowhere to go. Dont want to get stopped by the rozzers and have the car searched for any picnic items!

Go where you bloody well want to mate.
I know people who drive over 100 miles round trip for work.
Just tell them it's for your mental health.
Long as you wear your mask and keep physical distance .

[Topdownman]

So today, I machine polished the headlights, vacuumed it, cleaned the interior, conditioned the leather seats and washed the car for the second time this week before fabsiling the fabric roof.

It was too hot to claycloth and wax it but I have to say, I am very impressed with the Autoglym shampoo conditioner I bought recently, the car looks great with just washing and drying it off.

I started it up on thursday (1st time) after it has sat there for 5 months. I will be taxing it for May so first drive planned for saturday. Probaly need to take out some breakdown cover too, just in case!

[s12vea]

So today, I machine polished the headlights, vacuumed it, cleaned the interior, conditioned the leather seats and washed the car for the second time this week before fabsiling the fabric roof.

It was too hot to claycloth and wax it but I have to say, I am very impressed with the Autoglym shampoo conditioner I bought recently, the car looks great with just washing and drying it off.

I started it up on thursday (1st time) after it has sat there for 5 months. I will be taxing it for May so first drive planned for saturday. Probaly need to take out some breakdown cover too, just in case!

Quality time washing the 2 in the sun, great way to spend the day

[Topdownman]

It was just like old times!

[Topdownman]

[shnazzle]

Interesting place for window switches

[Topdownman]

The centre console is now my oyster.

Or something like that!

[1979scotte]

Interesting place for window switches

wondered what it was all about

[Topdownman]

I am glad someone is observant!

(Sadly no prize though).

[s12vea]

When I looked at the pictures I just saw two coin holders. Then I looked again...

Ideal place for the heated seat switches if you had them and interesting place for window switch to it would seem

[Topdownman]

I got the idea off someone else (cant remember who it was) so cant claim credit for this.

With the switches elsewhere now, time for some cardboard aided design!

[Joesson]

@Topdownman
OK Simon I doubt I'm the only one to wonder, but  I am going to be the only one to ask:
What is the one half of a Velcro fastener doing above the switches?

[Topdownman]

Tony, thats just being too observant now!

I dont exactly remember but it is covering 2 screw holes where I used to have a temperature thing.

I am guessing that the velcro is an old bit that I replaced on my subwoofer switch mount and may have just stuck it there to cover the holes rather than throw it away to cover the holes?

[Joesson]

Tony, thats just being too observant now!

I dont exactly remember but it is covering 2 screw holes where I used to have a temperature thing.

I am guessing that the velcro is an old bit that I replaced on my subwoofer switch mount and may have just stuck it there to cover the holes rather than throw it away to cover the holes?

Explanation accepted. Good luck with the cardboard template cutting.

[Call the midlife!]

I think I'm going to shamelessly steal that idea too, I've never been happy with how mine ended up in my centre console but was thinking about using different switches instead.

[Petrus]

I got the idea off someone else (cant remember who it was) so cant claim credit for this.

With the switches elsewhere now, time for some cardboard aided design!

Could you reroute the OEM wires or did you need too extend them from the plug?
Secondly; how did you lock the switches in place from behind?

I´d probably delete the whole console with those switches moved.

[Topdownman]

Yes, the wiring was very easy, just cut the tape in a couple of places where the loom for the switches is taped onto other parts of the loom and reroute it to the new position with no other work needed.

There is a fair bit of fiddling with sanding the inner parts of the dash so that the switches move freely without snagging and then when I came to fit it back in the car I found I had to trim part of the under dash panel (mostly at the top I think) so the switches would clear.

The switches are glued into place from behind with a hot glue gun that I bought for the job as liked the idea of the rapid set time. I used bits of ice cream lolly sticks to give something to glue onto. Not sure how long it will last so may need to re-visit with a 2 part epoxy glue if it doesnt last.

A bit of a fiddly job but not rocket science.

Oh, 1.25 kg for a centre console and 12 grams for the old dash switches removed!

Sand the dash holes;


Glue the switches;


Trim the dash (probably only needed to do the top so start with that);

[Chilli Girl]

Excellent job Simon, well done.

[Topdownman]

Just spotted that it was @justinread72 who came up with the idea for the switch move!

I have used it a few times now and while you cant see the switches when driving, your hand finds them straightaway so better than looking for them on the centre console.

[Topdownman]

I have now taken the coilovers off and put new kybs and tein lowering springs on it.



A bit early to tell what I think about them despite about 300 miles over the Ding day weekend.

There is definitely more body movement and lean and the set up is not playing nicely with my ET35 rims!

A couple more pictures from Ding day.

[1979scotte]

I'm going to come out and say what I said to you at the weekend.
I've never heard of anyone running a mk3 V6 with a standard ish suspension setup.
In my mind @ayresyboy tried it and it wouldn't work but perhaps he had huge wheels or something.
Maybe get a standard set of rims and see if that works better.