If you want just engine run time why not tap into the alternator exciter wire on the alternator?

Easy enough, that’s a good tap point considering my barrel connector is at the back of the engine (MPI starting/charging harness).

I’m still in decision mode as to where they’ll go. Shoot, I could scrap the bilge idea and mount somewhere under the dash. It’s not like they need to be looked at often.


🤔

Yep, could easily mount low down out of the way and just extend the existing wiring to meet.

Though it’s not much, there is some progress.

We finished getting the headrest put back together. It’s cold so we used a heat gun to help… made the work incredibly easy.

We also cut the PVC board for the after cushion… ready for the vinyl to go back on. the inner pieces are still factory from Formula (the wood is still good). I’ve thought about getting the wood out for PVC board, but it’s lasted this long so it’s staying.

It is amazing that the vinyl on this boat is 34 years old!

Great Job Tom! Looks awesome, the vinyl Formula used back in the day is timeless, always holds up well. I’ll be down your way this week. Give me a call!

We’ll, not the best being that the vinyl has been re-stapled a couple times, but it’ll work for now. It’s have some small gaps but definitely workable. I need to do some aligning but it’s pretty close.




Needs a good cleaning, too.

I’ve done it now…





So idea here is to require some things so that I have oil temp and at the helm plus AFR monitoring.

The wiring is a mess.

I’m going to undo it all and put it back to the way it was with exception of switches themselves (I have a fuse panel vs breaker switches). I was going to reuse the Carling switches but I think some lit aluminum poles will work well and fit the original panels that I got.

I might replace the gauge panel as a whole. Not a fan of the spacing and I think I can get more in it plus have room for trim rings. We’ll see. I know my buddies are going to throw their hands up when they get work that I’ve taken the whole thing apart (scope creep lol).

Keep good notes...I am sure I will ultimately do away with the old breaker-switches to more modern switches.
My current dash:

Thinking I may ditch the GPS speedometer and mount a NAV panel in its place. Definite scope creep now!

One big issue is that the boat wiring is kind of all over the place inside that dash assembly. It wasn’t rigged the way I would do it so I’m going to do it the right way. I’m also going to put back the panel that held the cup holder to get everything back to a little more of an original look. Hoping to get the toggles ordered tomorrow.