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[Old80]

Hi All
Does anyone have any ideas as to the 2 holes would have been used for in the dash of my 1970 109” 2a between the wiper motor and the binnacle?

[w3526602]

Hi,

My first thought was sockets for the two-pin plug for a lead lamp.

But then I saw the photo ... it looks like a DIY after-thought, to me.

602

[lightweightles]

Mice .. big hole for the adults little hole for its young .. cheers Les

[AdrianH]

Are they some kind of pipe union? If so, what is on the other side of the bulkhead?  They don't look standard to me but could be something to do with a previous heater modification, maybe?   

[Old80]

View from engine bay, it does look like a waterway union. Vehicle is fitted with original flat heater so maybe an additional heater? I bought the vehicle just before the Covid 19 outbreak and have only just discovered the holes after removing old foam sound deadener from the bulkhead. Compressor maybe?remembering it is a 109” and I believe has had a hard working life possibly with a utility company.

[Old80]

Oh and Lightweightles......I love the mouse idea although I wouldn’t welcome them!

[Mr Pickles]

They look like electrical bushes to me, used to clean up the hole in trunking, where cables emerge!
When drilling holes in panels, you either have to file the edges to remove burrs and sharp bits, in the electrical world, they fit these as well, to stop the wires chafing when pulled through the hole.
The nuts are usually steel and the bushes brass.


Mr.P

[Old80]

Thank you Mr P....sounds like the best possible answer.....I guess I will source screw on stop caps for them and the holes may be useful for access in the future.....but for what who knows🤔

[lightweightles]

Definitely electrical bushes used for passing cables through , the bush stops the cables from getting damaged and supports the plate removivg any sharp edges ... cheers Les 

[autorover1]

Any evidence that it had a Radio fitted as it was a utility company . Could have been power leads etc.
Derek

[Exile]

Those holes seem to be in position behind where an auxiliary panel would go.

For an oil/water gauge on that panel in front of the bulkhead, you'd need a big hole to get the water temp "bulb" through, and a smaller hole for the oil pressure pipe.

You could use one large hole for both, of course.

[Old80]

Hi Derek, no sign of any other extra screw holes in the scuttle where a radio would have been fitted but I guess it’s possible. Exile, same for auxiliary panel. The scuttle is Galvo so the holes cannot be factory fit so definitely been made by a previous owner. Thanks guys for your input.

[agg221]

Hi Derek, no sign of any other extra screw holes in the scuttle where a radio would have been fitted but I guess it’s possible. Exile, same for auxiliary panel. The scuttle is Galvo so the holes cannot be factory fit so definitely been made by a previous owner. Thanks guys for your input.

Afraid this doesn't help with identifying the purpose, and you have already established that these are not 'factory fit' but for anyone else, it might be useful to be aware that bulkheads were made with every conceivable hole pre-punched in them and then covered by grommets (there are holes to the right of the round heater that I have never seen anything in and yet they are still there!) Later holes tend to be drilled rather than punched and step drills are relatively uncommon. That means it is easy to tell because aftermarket holes are very rarely round and usually have a burr on one side.

Regarding your fittings, I wonder whether it is deliberate that they are that way around? It would look a lot neater to have them the other way round so the near flush hex fitting was on the visible side. If they were covered by an auxiliary panel as Exile suggests then they would be better way they are as it would reduce risk of snagging in the engine bay but left exposed as they are it isn't the neatest way to fit them. Has the bulkhead been repainted on the cab side? Any chance that someone has filled over the holes for an auxiliary panel?

Alec

[Old80]

Hi Alec
The bulkhead had been painted in blue as was the rest of the vehicle. I am in the process of stripping that paint off as I want to take it back to its original bronze green, there aren’t any small screw holes drilled in the bulkhead for an extra auxiliary panel as I now have the bulkhead back to the bare galvo finish.