10 replies to this topic

[luismx123]

Hey all, was just wondering if anyone has had a jab at one of these kits. 

 

https://www.ebay.com...a-/202198493870

Also, can any tacho/clock/oil pressure sensor/volt meter etc. be connected in a mini? i.e a smiths triumph speedo or a random speedo? (I have no knowledge whats going on behind the dials)

Thanks 

[Bat]

Hi, 

I used to run a triumph speedo in my mini, it read spot on right up to 90mph. Don't know if I got lucky with the speedo drive ratio or they're calibrated the same as the mini one.

Any rev counter for a 4 cylinder engine should work in a mini. Or one with a switch on the back to select the number of cylinders.

Voltmeter, anything that reads 10 to 16 volts will be fine.

Mechanical oil pressure gauges measure the pressure down a pipe to the engine, so if you can do the plumbing anything will work.

Cheers 

Edited by Bat, 30 July 2018 - 07:00 AM.

[Spider]

Interesting for sure, however, I gotta wonder at the price just what one might be buying - they maybe OK ??

 

I see that the font used is not the same as that used by Smiths, which I think is unique to Smiths.

 

For most gauges, they can be retrofitted to a Mini from just about any car, however, in regards in particular to mechanical speedos, in 99% of cases, they either need a gearbox or re-calibrating to match the particulars of the car they are being fitted to and this can be very very costly.

[panky]

It's a mechanical tacho which suggests it's cable driven - for a bike perhaps?

[russo]

I purchased a full set of 6 genuine smiths gauges for my Mini and they cost round 2k NZ from the UK with sender units. Sounds awfully cheap to me.

[luismx123]

I purchased a full set of 6 genuine smiths gauges for my Mini and they cost round 2k NZ from the UK with sender units. Sounds awfully cheap to me.

 oh no they're definitely cheap, but to be honest, if they work, I dont see a point in spending so much on originals. my plan is to do a 5-6 clock setup, but theyd cost me around 600pounds vs 60. Isnt is possibe to swap the insides? (i.e the faces with smiths original? im sure you can get replacements online right?)

 

 

Hi, 

I used to run a triumph speedo in my mini, it read spot on right up to 90mph. Don't know if I got lucky with the speedo drive ratio of they're calibrated the same as the mini one.

Any rev counter for a 4 cylinder engine should work in a mini. Or one with a switch on the back to select the number of cylinders.

Voltmeter, anything that reads 10 to 14 volts will be fine.

Mechanical oil pressure gauges measure the pressure down a pipe to the engine, so off you can do the plumbing anything will work.

Cheers 

ah cheers thanks. didnt think about the speedo thing.... im wondering if I should go for an original smiths speedo and then throw the rest in around it. 

 

Interesting for sure, however, I gotta wonder at the price just what one might be buying - they maybe OK ??

 

I see that the font used is not the same as that used by Smiths, which I think is unique to Smiths.

 

For most gauges, they can be retrofitted to a Mini from just about any car, however, in regards in particular to mechanical speedos, in 99% of cases, they either need a gearbox or re-calibrating to match the particulars of the car they are being fitted to and this can be very very costly.

yea the font is the real only telltale.... if the size fits, just swap the faces out with originals or print my own? should be possible...i guess :/



Anyone willing to take the bullet and buy a set and see how legit they are? if theyre good id be willing to buy them off the tester. Id buy them myself and check them out, but i have 0 experience in this, and literally picking up my first mini this weekend and need to learn about the car first before i get to electrics etc.

[Midas Mk1]

Buy cheap buy twice. Help support the actual British business and buy genuine IMO. 

[Retroman]

They really could be anything...the speedo reads backwards and has no TPM or SN numbers on the face

 

to me that makes it what...? scrap.. you would end up counting the teeth to calibrate the thing

 

They are not off a bike as the rev counter only goes to 8K but the speedo goes to 180 what the hell

 

The tacho and speedo are described as 100mm and look different sizes ??

 

A mechanical rev counter on a Mini is virtually unheard of

 

Avoid them

[Orange-Phantom]

As others have said and I'd totally agree with them, avoid them.

If you want Smiths gauges then I'd be buying Smiths gauges and not some knock off merchant ripping off a hard working British business!!

I'm building a new dash for Project 45 as the Stack dash just doesn't do it for me. I've gone and bought original genuine Smiths Chrome gauges for the Volts Oil Pressure etc, and I've had an Smiths Mgb speedo and rev counter restored for me.

Do yourself a big favour and buy or aquire genuine Smiths if that's what you want.

Also I'll decline your request to buy them to "test" them for you......

[Carlos W]

I couldn’t be doing with a speedo that read backwards.

If the mini speedo drive spins the wrong way it wouldn’t work

[nicklouse]

and an Amp meter? arrrrr death trap unless you are good with electronics and can make them safe. you dont want all the current that a modern alternator can produce going through one. a volt meter is more relevant to current builds.