i notice yours also has the dip in the middle of the dash like mine does.

is this something that happens with all of them?

I've seen it on others to. Its probably just the sun warping the centrepiece.

the dash looks good ! im using an oil pressure guage too, it always sits on 100+ unless its cold and idling badly, when the guage can drop to 40 or more..(till i rev) does yours do much the same? the good oil pressure i assume means a good oil pump...

you may want to reconsider the thermo switch, i found one at picknpayless once for $15. i rekon they are worth it ; i would quickly forget to notice my temperature as i need to be alert for moronic sydney drivers. also sydney = traffic/lights all the time = overheating.

when buying thermo fan rheostats second hand beware!!!

If the small diameter copper tube gets bent enough, it can develop fine cracks, and the liquid inside leaks out..The fans won't come on.. and your warm and fuzzy feelings of safety will be worthless, except to help you cope with replacing the headgasket, and/or head after the engine blows it's top, on a steep hill, in the middle of summer, a million miles from a telephone.

Buying them new is the best idea. They are less than $50 from memory.

You could pull the bimetal switch in a 240V sliced bread toaster, and use that and a relay if you are really desperate.

Thanks about the dash. My oil pressure is up around 70 (maybe more)or so when up it and idles at about 15psi when hot. With the thermo switch I just leave it on when driving around normally so I dont forgret if I stop somewhere and I just turn it off when cruising on an open stretch of road.

Another cheap way of "automating" your thermo fan can be seen at the bottom of the following page:

A Cooling Page

The thermostat as pictured "was" picked up at Dick Smith. They come in a variety of temperatures and Normally Open or Normally closed configurations.

I know RS Components can supply them still.

Otherwise, newer cars have these switches located in the radiators in some cases. You still have to mount it somehow though.

i got that same switch the other day for my thermo only differance is i put mine where the choke cable usually goes