Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi does anyone know how to take the four dash controls off? Do they screw off? Im worried i might snap them so could do with pointing in the right direction? Thanks Ted

To answer the question it would be usefull to know what model / year Minor you have

It sounds like it's a ser III (i.e. pull start) I think these are held on by bolts from the back - under and behind the speedo. You will need to disconnect the battery (safety) and remove the glove boxes to get at them.

Going by previous posts it's a '64 traveller.

"Dash controls" fall into different categories and depend on the year of manufacture.

Always disconnect the battery. You will need to remove gloveboxes and/or speedo to gain good access.

"Toggle" light switches have a securing ring on the front of the dash. Put the switch lever into the centre to make it easy to unscrew and remove the ring. The switch is then removed from behind the dash.

Choke Cable needs to be disconnected from carb. There is then a nut behind the dash. When nut removed, cable pulls out from front of dash.

Ignition switch similar to lights above.

Pull-on switches have the knob held on by a small spring loaded pin, seen from underneath if the switch is fitted correctly. Push pin in and slide knob off. Removal then as toggle switches above.

Pull starter - disconnect cable from connector on the cabin side of the bulkhead and then treat as choke cable above.

Washer pump also has a retaining ring and comes out from behind the dash, but I can't recall how to remove the knob. No doubt someone else will....

Just like to add that it's a lot easier to see what you are doing if you remove the speedo first. This is held by crosshead screws that you loosen (not completely undo) through a hole in each glovebox liner.

Peetee wrote:Just like to add that it's a lot easier to see what you are doing if you remove the speedo first. This is held by crosshead screws that you loosen (not completely undo) through a hole in each glovebox liner.

I spent hours looking for this instruction, it's certainly not in the manual. I went straight to the garage to try it and it worked, up to a point. The speedo will move about 1/2" and then there's not enough slack in the cable to move further. Can it be done without disconnecting the other end of the speedo cable and pushing it along to get more slack? I don't want to use a lot of force until I know what I'm forcing All I want to do is replace the speedo head and maybe lube the cable a bit while I'm there.

Its a bit tight but there should be enough slack to get your hand behind the speedo head to release the cable, I assume you have slackened off both screws.

Is the speedo cable catching on something? Normally there is enough slack to let it move more than half an inch.
If it is retained under a metal tab release it first.
Get someone to look under the bonnet while you are tugging on the speedo to see what's going on, if it isn't catching then pull harder!

I spent hours looking for this instruction, it's certainly not in the manual

The instructions are given in section N.31 (page N.33) of the BMC manual, but they're not very clear.

I also had a problem trying to remove the speedo on our car, As in Darrell’s case it moved about ½” and didn’t want to come any further. After much hassling with it I found that it was just a tight fit in the dash and didn’t want to come out, but I finally persuaded it after much wiggling and a few choice expletives. I think that there may have been some rust on the chrome bezel also.

HTH, Ken

When loosening the speedo retaining screws, they need to be only "just" loose. If unscrewed too far then they foul the dash as you pull the unit out.

I have found that the difficult bit is finding the screw through the hole. It is usually easier to take the glove box liner out, at least until you have had some experience at removing the speedo.

I find the holes on the repro glove box liners don't really line up with the speedo screws so it's as Mike wrote easier to remove the liners.
Declan

mike.perry wrote:I have found that the difficult bit is finding the screw through the hole. It is usually easier to take the glove box liner out, at least until you have had some experience at removing the speedo.

I'd already had some "experience" at removing the glovebox liner, I wasn't entirely healed yet so I didn't want a return engagement

BTW, the speedo came out after I released the cable from its retaining clip. The replacement speedo I bought remains in the "parts bin" while the original, following a minor adjustment/repair, is back in the panel and working. I would recommend a new, sharp, Phillips-head screwdriver for the job. Working blind it's nice to feel a clear engagement with the screws.

simmitc wrote: Washer pump also has a retaining ring and comes out from behind the dash, but I can't recall how to remove the knob. No doubt someone else will....

Has anybody a tip on how to remove the washer pump knob?
Declan

Have you tried un-screwing it?

I tried that before and there was no movement. I didn't want to damage it. Tried again this morning and it's off-it was just very tight.
Thanks Katy.
Regards
Declan

Have a very close look all round the knob for a small circular indentation.
If you clean out the grot you may find a grub screw that needs to be undone or a flat pin that needs to be pushed in to get the knob off.

If you break it. the way it was fixed on will become obvious

If you break it. the way it was fixed on will become obvious

Can't argue with that logic.

I like it so much, I'm going to call it Marks law.

"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"

I reckon the Victorians built stuff that made a feature of how it was put together.

It went downhill from then to "it's not obvious".

Then "no user serviceable parts inside" .

To "the only way to get this apart means you have to glue it back together".

To people who make and sell spares, this is progress.