10 replies to this topic

[leaky]

Right I need some help. My mate has an MPI. He wants to fit a different steering wheel and has said he will swap it for the one in my clubby. What work is involved with putting an MPI wheel in a non mpi mini? Its the same colour as the interior of my clubby so would look good although its not in the best of nic. I would remove the air bag from the wheel as I dont want that going off. Other than that would it fit straight on to my column?

Cheers.

[minimanclive]

I think you'll find that the steering column on an MPI mini is different, so to fit the MPI steering wheel you'll need the column too and you'll have to do some rewiring to get the MPI column stalks working too.

[leaky]

I think you'll find that the steering column on an MPI mini is different, so to fit the MPI steering wheel you'll need the column too and you'll have to do some rewiring to get the MPI column stalks working too.

Arr ok. Well I'll tell him that and see if he will swap columns as well. With the storks can you not just fit the early storks to the MPI rack? In the new mini mag some ones fitted MPI stalks to a non mpi rack so that would say to me that you could do it the other way round. No?

Sorry about all the question I just want a idea of whats involved before I start taking my car to bits.

[1984mini25]

You could try Pm’ing Bean, I’m sure she's swapped a mini column into a mid 80's mini.

[colinu]

If you're swapping the whole column then you'll also need to do a fair bit of re-wiring ('because the switch gear is different). See this thread for details... Mpi Column Wiring into Pre 96 Mini

[leaky]

Cheers for that link. Thinking about it wasnt bean putting an MPI wheel in the Van. I'll have a look now.

Thanks.

[wardyxxx]

I've done it. The instructions on the thread posted didn't work 100% for me. Took a while of just testing to see what was right and wrong.

[Timtom]

As Dan will point out soon enough - you'll have to do something about the explosive mounted in the steering wheel that you don't want randomly go off in your face (Air bag..)

T

[stevede]

I've done it on mine but you will need to swap the column, column bracket, stalks, ignition lock, cowl and of course the wheel.

The wiring is fairly straight forward as most wire colours are the same. However, once you start, you can't do half the job, you need to do the whole lot.

I can't see your friend being too happy about having to take a step back with all your older switchgear.

As for the air bag. That too is relatively straightforward to remove.

All the above from my experience doing the conversion. Others may have an alternative view

Good luck

Steve

[leaky]

Like I said above though someone in the new mini mag fitted MPI stalks to a non mpi steering column. So in theory I should be able to fit my stalks to the mpi column. Meaning I can keep my old school stalks and he can keep his MPI ones. Then I can have the nice looking black and cream wheel which will match my seats and he can have his tiny little racing wheel thing and then it should mean limited wiring for me. Or am I missing something?

And yea I know roughly how to remove the air bag. Will just need to be carful doing it.

Thanks for you help everyone.

[wardyxxx]

Securing old stalks to an mpi column will be difficult. They attach differently.