Morris Minor Owners Club

I had vague thoughts of trying to obtain the lid from a left-hand drive car's passenger glovebox, but there aren't many of those around in the UK...

the same thought occoured to me but I cudnt find one at the time. maybe they turn up on ebay now and again??

I have fitted Temperature, Ammeter (because I still use a dynamo) and Oil Pressure Gauges, just below the Speedo behind the switch to dim the instrument lighting. They are fitted into the 'traditional' bracket with three 52mm holes in it.

I took the cluster off a minor before I sold in 1978. I feel that this type of fitting is more in keeping with the Minor and doesn't sacrifice a glove compartment. I haven't experienced any difficulties with the gauges in this location.

I thought about putting oil pressure, water temp and voltage gauges in a pod underneath the dashboard, but I need the revcounter where I can see it easily, i.e. right behind the steering wheel. Ideally I'd have the speedo there too, but that would involve considerable modification of the dashboard that I can't be bothered to undertake

If you are going the mechanical route, you can get combined oil pressure / temperature, or oil pressure / water temperature gauges in 2" diameter, allowing you to fit more read-outs in a smaller space. Try Burton Power or Demon Tweeks.

That would allow you space to fit a small clock, for timing the acceleration , in addition to what's already been mentioned.

I have three 2" gauges and some switches in the driver's glove box space, with a flush-fit panel, but they're all electrical, so no room for the clock .

I personally believe an ammeter is more use than a voltmeter, even if it does need fat wires. Its information is far more immediate. Also, note that a -30 / +30A range meter is more useful on a Minor than the -60 / +60A range normally recommended (even if you have an alternator), as the needle deflection is bigger, and you never exceed the 30A range.

Finally, as someone else posted on this board said ages ago:- "Fit gauges to a Minor, and wave goodbye to carefree motoring".

There have been lot of posts over what is our night so a couple of questions to answer.
The steering wheel is an aftermarket one that is very "similar" to a MOMO. It is leather and feels good in the hands and also the centre horn push from the minor fits and works.
Shaping the timber wasn't too bad, I mostly copied the original 1965 glove box surround shape.
The gauges protrude out the back of the timber into the opening of the glove box so the placement is as tight as it can get. It works a bit better with a /\/\ placing but I found the centre gauge masked by the wheel. It was not an option to cut metal on the dash as I wanted to retain the option to go back to original.
The initial reason for doing this dash was the fact that I didn't like the way that the gauge pod under the dash vibrated. The pod is much more in keeping with the character of the car but is harder to see.
It is good to be able to see them. On a previous car seeing an oil gauge go from 60psi to 0 psi causes you to stop and find out why.

That would allow you space to fit a small clock, for timing the acceleration

I have a tiny calender for that

Roni, do you have a pattern we can copy? Also are you coming to the annual get together in Rotorua in a couple of weeks?

John

I have a half made blank that didn't quite work out that could be used as a pattern maker. I'll have to dig it out as it is buried in the depths of the garage. (Filed chronologically by height) I'll see what I can do regarding a drawn pattern that could be used online.
The Rotorua gathering sounds good especially as it is just down the road but I havent yet had the time to find out any details about it. The WOF on the car was a more pressing matter but that is all done now. If you could help with some details it would be great.

I had originally intended fitting a rev counter, but when I wired it up it produced a puff of smoke and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I decided to take a much easier route of fitting a battery condition meter (which turned out to be an inspired choice 'cos it alerted me to the fact that my dynamo was overcharging ), and water temp. I only fitted 3 gauges, and the middle one is a little oblong clock which nicely offsets the other two round gauges.
The gauge panel was cut from 4mm aluminium, and sprayed to match the car interior. Not brilliant, but an improvement nonetheless.
I have an ammeter too, but I didn't fancy running heavy cables through the bulkhead....so I put it in it's own little bracket-holder and mounted it under the dash. I never wired it up, only the bulb, so that it lights up nicely with the rest at night.

Here it is:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v600/ ... CF2677.jpg

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v600/ ... CF2675.jpg

Here's the plan. Im going to fit (or have fitted) four gauges to a right hand glove box surround with a plate welded to the hole. Plate to be painted traffy blue.

The gauges will be different sizes and will be 52, 60, 60 and 52mm in that order. Volt meter, tachometer, oil pressure and water temperature. Gauges...about £150, fitting, around £100, my sanity - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard!

Watch this space for pictures of finished article!

hey grahamt7 have a look at this previous thread on the same topic

http://www.morrisminoroc.co.uk/index.ph ... highlight=

The gauges will be different sizes and will be 52, 60, 60 and 52mm in that order. Volt meter, tachometer, oil pressure and water temperature. Gauges...about £150, fitting, around £100, my sanity - priceless.

Perhaps I'm insane! Somehow I've managed to drive around since 1999 without adding any non-standard guages.

hey grahamt7 have a look at this previous thread on the same topic

http://www.morrisminoroc.co.uk/index.ph ... highlight=

Cliff, been all the way through that, looks really useful, if a little short on pictures. So many on here with very nice set-ups.

Chris Morley wrote:Perhaps I'm insane! Somehow I've managed to drive around since 1999 without adding any non-standard guages.

To each their own, I suppose. I don't feel I get enough information from the existing instruments - I have always made sure I don't rev too high before the engine is properly warm, and it's hard to do that without a revcounter or temperature gauge. I've added those gauges to modern cars before now.

As far as the standard car goes, that would be enough, but with the turbo I think oil temperature will be useful information too. I might put in oil pressure, just to get an earlier warning than the existing light provides.

If you are interested in economy(who isnt)then fit a vacuum gauge.Oil pressure is a must and water temp does it for me.

Here's the plan. Im going to fit (or have fitted) four gauges to a right hand glove box surround with a plate welded to the hole. Plate to be painted traffy blue.

Hi Graham there is a drawback with your plan.
As you are a non hands on owner you probably dont realise that the speedo is held in place by 2 screws that are only accessible though the side of the 2 glovebox areas if you have a look in the liner you will see the hole to the side of the speedo, if you weld the plate in the will make access to the screw!!!! thats why most owners have removable panels.

Or just leave the speedo screw out on that side. You don't need it.

I have the best of both worlds, a removable instrument panel and no screw

My speedo is fine - and the whole rhs glove box frame will be removable too. So no issues - hurrah!

I leave the right hand speedo screw loose as its difficult to access now, if the left hand one is tight then the speedo stays where it is, there is nothing that will try and move it...