Getting to know Suz

5000 km in about a week together and you start to learn a few things about each other. Suz is a highly geared individual - about 2800+ rpm for 85kph. I thought I was making slow progress at an indicated 90kph and didn't realise that the speedometer was 10% slow at all speeds - until I checked it against my GPS. Radio sound was completely unlistenable - turn that off. Darn that passing road-train threw up a rock and chipped the windscreen! Passenger seat back is broken - but I don't have to sit in that. Dashboard is a bit scruffy - I don't think she was treated with proper respect by itinerent government workers responsible for her.

In Aus. vehicles must be registered in the state in which they are resident. That means despite passing a government inspection in New South Wales 10 days ago she will have to undergo another inspection in Western Australia within 90 days. ("$150 Thank You") The regulations say that "no visible defects in the windscreen must exist in or can be repaired in the driver's normal lines of sight". Oh Dear! I guess that means a new windscreen - I can hear the cash register ringing now. Surprise! Surprise! $325 fitted! (And that's another saga all by itself!)

So while the windscreen is out I might just tidy up a few things while they're easy to get at. So out with the dashboard and all the atttached "accoutrements"and a bit of a "spruce-up". The overhead console, dashboard, door pillars etc are all converted to black (either with vinyl paint or cloth cover).


















Then


















Now



















Then














Now

You may also notice the disappearance of the window winder. I have always liked convenience so I have converted Suz to have power windows and remote central locking. The left over white knob will disappear when the remainder of the door trim is replaced with new cloth trim.

As these items (and some others) required 12v power and Suz only supplied 24v I decided some electrical work was in order. To this end I fitted new starting batteries and utilised the old starter batteries as auxiliaries with voltage sensitive isolation and a 30amp 12v converter connected only to the auxiliary batteries and an external chassis mounted manual isolation switch for the entire system. (That ought to do it for a while!)















Battery setup












Hiding under the passenger seat is a very convenient space which could be converted to a storage compartment and on top of which I could (temporarily?) hide all the necessary electronics.