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Sterling #416 -- Nic's custom build

Nic

Active member
Peter, if you want to send me some drawings I'm thrilled to design something and send you the files for printing.
 

Nic

Active member
So after all my "fancy" designing I realize there was a MUCH simpler way to go about this. There's an ABS adapter that might work better, depending on the room available in the open space inside the side pods. It's a 3.5" to 2" (about 89mm to 51mm) adapter. By printing a ring to bridge the gap between the outer dimensions of the vent (79mm), and the inner dimensions of the 3.5" adapter, it would be a nice tight friction fit. I might try printing one up tonight. I uploaded the new adapter piece to the Thingverse site under my ID. Stay tuned for updates.
 

Nic

Active member
I decided to stay with that design and printed another. THey are both fitted to the car now, and look good. Here you can see things kinda mocked up.




The aluminum ducting for the heater boxes finally came in and got it fitted to the heater boxes with some 2 inch pipe clamps. The other end is, for now, connected to 2 inch black ABS pipe running up the sides of the car to the footwell heater vents. I ran the engine a while, played with the open/close lever for the heater box vents and was pleased with the bit of heat coming out of them. Nothing too hot, but I will continue to run up the engine and test how warm things get, and possible replace all the ABS bits one day.

I got around to uncovering the other body I bought last year to have a better look at it. Here are some interesting things I found.


The canopy seal is just screwed on all around the perimeter. I've been worried about adhesives, perhaps this is a very simple alternative? Thoughts anyone?


Next, one of the previous owners used pin switches at the top rear of the side windows, perhaps wired to an alarm?





Top corner of the canopy, I saw this. A small Sterling badge and this sticker, which took me a few glances to understand what it really was. Odd place for it I think.


At the bottom right corner of the windshield I spotted wires and something encased in small vinyl pouch.


As you can barely see, there is a very thin wire there, and it runs the perimeter of the windshield. I think it's a thermal wire, perhaps to heat the edges of the glass to help prevent moisture build up? Anyone see this before?

And finally, these headlight bucket stand-off mounting brackets behind the headlights. I've never seen these before. Any idea what they're from?

 

vpogv

Active member
Looks like a lot of fun simple stuff but I do love the 3d printer adapters. Makes me really want a larger print bed on mine to copy it.

At the bottom right corner of the windshield I spotted wires and something encased in small vinyl pouch.


As you can barely see, there is a very thin wire there, and it runs the perimeter of the windshield. I think it's a thermal wire, perhaps to heat the edges of the glass to help prevent moisture build up? Anyone see this before?

Radio antenna! Mine had the same thing except scotch taped. Rick suggested that's what it was and it makes sense.
 

vpogv

Active member
Also those pins could have been for the dome light or courtesy light wired for when the canopy was up/closed. Where do the wires run?
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
Window pin switches are weird. Yeah, maybe a past alarm system or something. The headlight bracket.. doesn't look VW, but then you never know. Is there a stamp anywhere on it? Canopy seals.. yes, were always screwed in place. Thickness of the rubber made that possible. Back in the day, adhesives weren't as good as they are today. Wire.. yep, probably an antenna wire. The decal.. who knows? Maybe the first owner didn't want it on the rear like all the others?
 

Nic

Active member
Window pin switches are weird. Yeah, maybe a past alarm system or something. The headlight bracket.. doesn't look VW, but then you never know. Is there a stamp anywhere on it? Canopy seals.. yes, were always screwed in place. Thickness of the rubber made that possible. Back in the day, adhesives weren't as good as they are today. Wire.. yep, probably an antenna wire. The decal.. who knows? Maybe the first owner didn't want it on the rear like all the others?

I'll have to flip the body on it's side again to get a better look at the headlight bracket. I hadn't thought that would be an antenna wire for the radio. I guess much more likely than window warmer.
 

Nic

Active member
Well, to say "it's been a minute" is drastically understated. I've started poking at the car again, I still have the Orange car in the back yard. Nothing major to report just more electrical work being done. Wired dome lights into the canopy and ran wires through the canopy empty spaces down to the corners. That only took an hour #facepalm. So, hoping to do more work and share more as well. Glad to see everyone here still working away and nice to see Greg/Unofun pop in too. Hi Greg!
p.s. - I like the new site and format, though it took me a few minutes to find my build thread here. :)
 

farfegnubbin

Site Owner
Staff member
Good to hear from you, Nic!

Yeah, the new format took a few visits to get oriented to but it sure does play better with phones. Back when the original site was created we didn’t have internet-connected computers in our pockets.
 
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Unofun

Member
Well, to say "it's been a minute" is drastically understated. I've started poking at the car again, I still have the Orange car in the back yard. Nothing major to report just more electrical work being done. Wired dome lights into the canopy and ran wires through the canopy empty spaces down to the corners. That only took an hour #facepalm. So, hoping to do more work and share more as well. Glad to see everyone here still working away and nice to see Greg/Unofun pop in too. Hi Greg!
p.s. - I like the new site and format, though it took me a few minutes to find my build thread here. :)
Great to see your text Nic!
 
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Nic

Active member
Insignificant update: I've had the dash out for at least a year to clean up wiring and add more for the wipers. Which also means it's been at least a year since I turned her over. I put the dash back in over the weekend and some fuel in the tank and she sparked right up (after some starter fluid). Nice to hear her running again. Today I finally bought sealant to install the windshield, and hope to get to that by Sunday. We'll see how that goes :). Oh and if anyone is looking for some nice loom braiding, this place is great - https://www.cabletiesandmore.com . Kable Control 5ft of 1in diameter of Kable Kontrol® Cobra® Expandable PET Braided Cable Sleeving is less than $4. They have anywhere from 1/8" diameter up to 3" diameter. There are lots of other options too.
 

Nic

Active member
Hello, Friends, tinkering with the Sterling has continued. I bought an actual bulkhead wiring connector and have it place and wired up. I realized getting to it under the dash behind the pedals was going to be a pain in the... back. I cut my self an access panel and have glassed up a cover panel for it. I reinforced the underside with glassed-over 1/4 wooden dowels. No current pictures of that.

And I made a little foam mount for the speedometer connection. I was worried there would be a lot of mechanical noise coming from it and I figured foam would help deaden that.

Here's some pictures.

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Side note - I bought a new 3d printer last week and it's churning out some beautiful quality parts. I already printed a new shit knob and have designs ready for a parking brake handle, as well as other vents, grills and misc parts. Pictures of that eventually.
/imgur.com/ImEqbxe
 

Nic

Active member
3D printing stuff....
Here are a few of the shift knobs - various sizes and depths of threading. I found it's easier to print the inner and outer walls thicker, then I can take my tap to and cut the threads myself vs trying to model them into the print.
The largest is 2.5" and the smallest is 1"

ULwzSCPl.jpg


Shifter and parking brake handle cover
De15zPum.jpg


Shift ring and short shifter
awEmJ11m.jpg
 

nbb350

Member
I think I have the exact same firewall connector. Tip: when testing electrical circuits and connections in your car someday, make sure that screw in the middle of the connector is tight. Or else you might spend way too many hours ripping apart your wiring harnesses to find an intermittent connection that is actually a loose firewall connection! Don't ask how I know....sigh...
 

Nic

Active member
Oh, no. I know. I do know.... This is a Painless Perf bulk head connector kit. I like it, but getting the pins OUT if you need to, is TERRIBLE. I've had to replace a few pins already and if you want to buy replacement pins they're terribly expensive considering size, weight and their consumable nature.

More 3D parts, Shifter, shift ring and matching ebrake cover.
jr7ggYlm.jpg
 
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