New Engine Panel

[mregan]

Was looking to replace my engine panel.  Just the aluminum plate itself, starting to look pretty warn, would switch out all the gauges/buttons.  I found a co. that can make me a new plate.  I've got an 1986 with the separate ignition, glowplug button, and start button.  Looking at Catalina Direct I noticed they had a replacement panel for sale with a combined ingition/glowplug and separate start button.  Any benefit to switch to the combined ignition/glowplug or should I keep the separate ones I have.

[britinusa]

Not sure if you have the same system as us, we do have the ignition and separate Glow/Blower/Start buttons.

The panel on Eximius is not metal! It's plastic painted to look like metal. There are a few cracks in ours but not worth replacing it just for that. I read here on the forum where someone painted theirs and did a great job.

If I were to replace our panel I would make the new one myself. Take a piece of aluminium, screw it down to a piece of ply and use a hole saw to cut out the instrument holes and drill out the switch holes.

When I replaced the engine harness, I added a switch to control the instrument lights. (Plus all new instruments)

Paul

[Dave Spencer]

mregan,
I have the combined ignition / glowplug keyed switch and a separate push start button.  I would be far happier with three separate switches as it sounds like you have; a switch for ignition and separate momentary action switches or buttons for glow and start.

[mregan]

Dave
Thanks for the input, I'll keep the separate switches.

[kh3412]

Repaired my panel and replaced all gauges and switches on my boat. Have a 1987 and the panel was washed out. Thought about replacing or making a new one but decided to try and refinish the old one. Removed all the old stuff and sanded the front to remove all the silver. Painted the front with white paint. Sanded the front to remove the white leaving it in the groves that Catalina used to print on the front. Added a bit of blue and red on the logo and sprayed the whole thing with clear to lock it in. Neighbors on the dock love the way it came out.

[Ed Shankle]

I bought the Seaward replacement panel and have no complaints except for recently having a start issue due to what I eventually determined was a loose nut on the post from the ignition switch to the start button. Should of had a lock nut, as Ken K noted.
regards,
Ed

[KWKloeber]

Just to throw three more options into the mix....

1)
I have only 2 switches -- the key switch - Off / On (panel power etc.) / Start  (just like antique autos before "Start" buttons became popular,) and a preheat (Off - Momentary-on) paddle switch. 
What's the advantage to 3 switches -- why unnecessarily use up more panel space?

2)
One of my C-30 brethren eliminated the key switch altogether but put a switch in for gauge lights - He always cuts off 12v power when he's not aboard, which cuts power to the panel, preheat, starting, etc.  Why have a key switch?

3)
Actually, when I re-do my panel, I may "switch" (sorry, can'thelpits) to a single (push-to-choke as on some powerboats) key switch -- Off / On / Push to preheat / Start.   

-kk

[patrice]

Hi,

On my boat, I have the key swich with the pre-heat combine and the separate start button.
Work great.
Just turn the key, 1st position to turn on power, turn further to pre-heat.
let go key and press start button.

[Lance Jones]

That refurb looks great!!!!

[mark_53]

Repaired my panel and replaced all gauges and switches on my boat. Have a 1987 and the panel was washed out. Thought about replacing or making a new one but decided to try and refinish the old one. Removed all the old stuff and sanded the front to remove all the silver. Painted the front with white paint. Sanded the front to remove the white leaving it in the groves that Catalina used to print on the front. Added a bit of blue and red on the logo and sprayed the whole thing with clear to lock it in. Neighbors on the dock love the way it came out.

Looks nice. Did you paint the face black or was that just sanded down?  What happened by the fuel gauge?

[kh3412]

Thanks
Just sanded the white off.
The panel was black under the washed out silver.
That's a reflection by the fuel gauge. Could have used finer sand paper. Sprayed with clear.
Put a new plexiglass cover over panel and it came out great.

[Noah]

The replacement faceplates sold by Catalina Direct for the later MKI panels with the "newer" combo  key switch and instrument arrangement, are just so-so quality flexible/bendy white plastic and the infill black lines are kinda wavey and scratch easily. I know as I have one. They also feature a shameless LARGE Catalina Direct logo advertisment WITH THEIR PHONE NUMBER etched into the faceplace. Kinda cheesy ploy in my opinion. But, they do fit and "do the job" just not very elegant.

[KWKloeber]

Anyone looking for a new panel might want to try contacting Dennis Igarashi directly -- I bet he might be talked into selling just a faceplate with no guts.

Hope these are still current.

(626) 374-6422
digarashi@earthlink.net