d3c0y Posted June 5, 2016 Posted June 5, 2016 (edited) They said it couldn't be done! Here is the long awaited modern replacement to the oscillator box for the 240Z rally clock. The clock has exactly the same movement as the stock setup. This circuit completely replaces your old oscillator box and is driven by a super accurate microprocessor, instead of a tuning fork. We have a full working example after reverse engineering my own rally clock. It now keeps time more precisely than the factory unit and will be very reliable, with no moving components. We have also located a plug that will be compatible with the OEM harness for people wanting a plug in solution. You can see from the pictures that you can actually mount this PCB inside the clock it is so small. If you are interested, we are happy to supply just the circuit or an installed board depending on what you want. If you want a metal box from jaycar we can do that, or post us your original oscillator box and we can convert it. Let me know what you want! First run will be about 10 units so get in quick! PCB cost is $99ea which is 1/4 of the price of the actual oscillator box which may not work! Edited June 5, 2016 by d3c0y George, HS30-H, Ponyo240z and 1 other 4 Quote
HS30-H Posted June 5, 2016 Posted June 5, 2016 Brilliant! I'll take two, please. If you can spare two that is. I have two oscillator clocks sitting in the cupboard with knackered oscillators, so this is perfect. I reckon I'll be able to install them myself (fingers crossed...), so just the units themselves please. Tell me where to send the money. Thank you for doing this! Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted June 5, 2016 Administrators Posted June 5, 2016 Yes pretty impressive considering you didn't even have an original oscillator to work from! Out of the first 10 I'll take 1 for now, but when / if you make more in future I'll probably grab a few more. Can't hurt to have a back up method of running these clocks if my Oscillators ever die. @Alan - your broken Oscillators, are they beyond repair? Are the tuning forks stuffed? Quote
shaun240 Posted June 6, 2016 Posted June 6, 2016 Hi mate, Looks the goods, put me down for one. Thanks, Shaun Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted June 6, 2016 Administrators Posted June 6, 2016 Friend of mine in the US wants 2. So make it 3 for me. Quote
HS30-H Posted June 6, 2016 Posted June 6, 2016 @Alan - your broken Oscillators, are they beyond repair? Are the tuning forks stuffed? At least one of them is (oscillator had water ingress for some years before I acquired it...) but not 100% sure about the other. They've been in the cupboard in the garage for years... Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted June 6, 2016 Administrators Posted June 6, 2016 At least one of them is (oscillator had water ingress for some years before I acquired it...) but not 100% sure about the other. They've been in the cupboard in the garage for years... I reckon Ron @ Zclocks can pretty much fix anything on these clocks but the tuning fork is still a bit of a mystery in terms of what material it is made of, we don't know what it's made from because in order to find out we'd have to sacrifice 1 to analyse it's composition. Given how rare they are and expensive we haven't been willing to find out. Quote
d3c0y Posted June 6, 2016 Author Posted June 6, 2016 So all you guys happy with the plain PCB?We have enough parts for 3 at the moment and we are ordering parts for another 10 which will be around 3 weeks. HS30-H - 2 units PCB onlyGav240Z - 3 units - 1 box ? shaun240 - 1 unit Hunter - 1 unit Brilliant! I'll take two, please. If you can spare two that is. I have two oscillator clocks sitting in the cupboard with knackered oscillators, so this is perfect. I reckon I'll be able to install them myself (fingers crossed...), so just the units themselves please. Tell me where to send the money. Thank you for doing this! No problems it was an interesting challenge and you can get clocks without oscillators for much cheaper! I took the punt and bought one, knowing my mate Wayne would be able to pull off the electronics. Quote
d3c0y Posted June 6, 2016 Author Posted June 6, 2016 What US forum is this worth putting on? I don't go on them any more and Hybridz you have to pay to sell anything. I replied to an old rally clock thread on classic Z cars. Quote
HS30-H Posted June 6, 2016 Posted June 6, 2016 What US forum is this worth putting on? I don't go on them any more and Hybridz you have to pay to sell anything. I replied to an old rally clock thread on classic Z cars. US-based forum wise, classiczcars.com is probably the most relevant for a part like this so you're probably already in the right place there. You could try some of the S30-series Z specific Facebook groups, but 99.999999% of people on there won't have the faintest clue what these clocks are in the first place, and secondly would not pay the going rate for one even if they did.... ;-) d3c0y and gav240z 2 Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted June 6, 2016 Administrators Posted June 6, 2016 You could try some of the S30-series Z specific Facebook groups, but 99.999999% of people on there won't have the faintest clue what these clocks are in the first place, and secondly would not pay the going rate for one even if they did.... ;-) Tell me about it, it's like a time warp. Stuck in 1995 some of that lot. Willing to pay over the odds for Rocket Bunny kits but wouldn't know what to do with a Rally Clock, I suspect some of them would try blowing on it. Quote
d3c0y Posted June 6, 2016 Author Posted June 6, 2016 So we will have enough parts for 11 boards and i have just ordered 11 OEM plugs to go with them for $6.50ea extra. These should be shipping at the end of the month. Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted June 7, 2016 Administrators Posted June 7, 2016 For those who want to replicate the original box, this is what they look like deconstructed. I'm going to have a go at making 1, helps that I have my own as a reference though. You can also see some really rough measurements here: https://goo.gl/photos/3hMH4ukKzE6Fqm2v8 Quote
d3c0y Posted August 14, 2016 Author Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) Hey guys, quick update. I have the circuits built and sitting on my desk ready to post out along with the plugs. We ended up soldering some wire tails to the PCB so all you have to do is crimp the pins for the connectors on. If everyone can PM their address details, i'll take payments and start shipping these bad boys out. Sorry for the delay, I've had a lot on. Edited August 14, 2016 by d3c0y gav240z 1 Quote
Six_Shooter Posted August 20, 2016 Posted August 20, 2016 This almost makes me want to find a rally clock. lol d3c0y 1 Quote
d3c0y Posted August 24, 2016 Author Posted August 24, 2016 Everyone has been PM'd so i'll try and send out as many as i can this weekend. Please get your addresses in! To anyone still looking we made extras, so it's not to late to order! Quote
d3c0y Posted September 6, 2016 Author Posted September 6, 2016 OK all of the round one customers have been sent out. We still have 6 made up if anyone wants to buy. Quote
d3c0y Posted September 7, 2016 Author Posted September 7, 2016 Yeah i saw thanks, i'm an idiot though i bought a new box to send yours while i was there but forgot to take the bits! Quote
NZeder Posted September 7, 2016 Posted September 7, 2016 Yes please....I will PM you d3c0y and gav240z 2 Quote
d3c0y Posted September 23, 2016 Author Posted September 23, 2016 Looks like we made a mistake with the wiring. I have an updated PDF here with a correction for the plug pin out. Don't worry, as the circuit has reverse polarity protection if you hook it up the wrong way. readme-with-correct-polarity.pdf gav240z 1 Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted January 28, 2017 Administrators Posted January 28, 2017 Ron has been busy, he's knocked up a cool looking box to house Oscillators in. They haven't been plated yet. That's happening soon. Quote
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