4 replies to this topic

[jeffro]

hi all

my mini

1988 mini mayfair 998cc

i hope some of you can guide me here, before i spend a fortune on a centre speedo, temp and oil gauge.

i currently have a 3 clock setup behind the steering wheel, my clocks are the older type ( i think) with glass lenses, orange needles and the speedo mph numbers are around the outside on a separate section.

i also have the little block on the back ( voltage regulator) think its called, well in the past i tryed fitting the more modern 3 clock dials with no voltage regulator on back and the fuel gauge did not read correct nor did the temp gauge.

now i really want to go for a smiths centre binnacle setup, will this work for me, does it have a voltage regulator built in like my clocks now, so all will read correct. Also will there be a problem with the clock showing 130mph , when my clocks now only show 90mph. ( i see minisport also do a 90mph, version but i may upgrade engine oneday)

are there other problems i will encounter even if the clocks work fine . ie final drive, moving from 12" down to 10".

watching the wheeler dealer programme , they just fitted it, no problems mentioned. but ive read different things on here and now im just confused. and this setup does not come cheap, so bit wary of parting with the cash.

hope you can help.

[2009poolesparky]

hi mate

i've done loads of these conversions in the past...
it looks much better in my opinion and looks more "old skool"


anyway, for a start you dont have to buy the guages new, have a look on ebay, some go for as little as a tenner! yes thats all 3 clocks!

but obviously if you want it looking mint, new is the way to go.

to change it you also have to modify the wiring loom and will need to fit a shorter speedo cable (a mission on its own)

the smiths clock will have a bracket on the back for a ballast resistor, so your one should fit straight onto it.

mini spares sell the section of the loom that fits into the clocks, but you will have to cut into the main loom and splice the wires together.

also the black plate that is screwed to the bulkhead will need to be removed for good. the easiest way to do this is to unscrew it (but keep the screws) and then carefully hacksaw a groove, so that you can remove it from the wiring loom (saves removing the whole loom)

the binacle simply bolts in where the black plate did , you might have to drill another 2 holes on the ends of the binnacle and then bolt it here again, maing sure you dont drill into anything screwed to the engine side of the bulkhead..


the speedo cable will screw on.

as for calibration you need to check how many teeth are on the speedo drive gear in the back of the gearbox if you speak to the speedo supplier they can advise you which one you need, as they are all calibrated to different settings. the 90mph one is a standard, however the 130 mph were fitted to the cooper and cooper s models...

all in all, it should take you about half a day, the most time consuming parts are changing the speedo cable followed by modifying the wiring loom.

alex

[Big_Adam]

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=115376

I'mma go eat a cake now.

[jeffro]

Thanks for the info guys,

what about the fuel gauge , will this read correct, thought i read somewhere that fuel tanks are bigger now.

ie in my 1988 mayfair.

so the fuel gauge is not setup for a bigger tank.

??

[mk1leg]

Follow that thread its a god send with all that wiring................I used it to do mine............