13 replies to this topic

[Bennnjaminnn]

Hi all.

I am brand new to all this. Paramedic by trade. Always wanted a mini. Have some knowledge of cars and engines as I've rebuilt bike engines with my Dad in the past. But electronics are not my strong point, made worse by my lack of knowledge about components at the moment.

Bought myself a 1989 Mini Checkmate Flame edition and I can't wait to get started on some customisation. Dash needs changed though, it is bright yellow to match the go faster stripe. But it's just too much.

I currently have 3 main gauges: speedo on the left, fuel and water temperature plus full beam light in the middle, and tachometer on the right.

The new dash: I want it black carbon fibre effect, with 2 main gauges being speedo and tachometer. I want the fuel and water temperature to be amongst separate 52mm gauges on the dash on the left. But having watched videos on youtube of dash dismantling it seems as though the current 3 gauge housing is not modular. I.e: I can't just take out the fuel gauge and replace it with the tachometer in the stock housing.

Is there a work round or something I can do without buying new gauges? I like the yellow faces of my gauges as they match the strip subtly and will look great against a black dash.

Any suggestion is welcome.

Cheers folks.

Edited by Bennnjaminnn, 15 April 2020 - 08:53 PM.

[DeadSquare]

Why are you keen on the tachograph ?

[bpirie1000]

Think we need to see the mini to believe you..
Any pics?

[sonscar]

Probably tachometer.Steve..

[Bennnjaminnn]

Why are you keen on the tachograph ?

Tachometer. Apologies. Don't know why on earth I was typing tachograph

Standby for photos

Edited by Bennnjaminnn, 15 April 2020 - 07:11 PM.

[Bennnjaminnn]

Think we need to see the mini to believe you..
Any pics?

 

 

So here is a photo. Not got many at the moment. Ignore the bent steering wheel and no steering column housing. Believe it or not, 10 days after buying it and driving it all the way from London back to Glasgow some w**kstain broke in and tried to steal it. All repaired and had complimentary engine tune so runs a peach now. Just gotta change that dash...

 

https://imagizer.ima...3706/hrUGif.jpg

 

https://imagizer.ima...6459/tm7uwy.jpg

 

So as I said, I just want the speedo and tacho in its current position in a 2 gauge cluster with the water temp and fuel gauges swapped for 52mm gauges that will be installed on the left amongst other gauges. I like the yellow faces because they will match the stripe subtly. I was hoping to buy a 2 gauge cluster / mounts and put in my yellow speedo, and put the tacho where the fuel gauge would be. But from what I have watched, that doesn't look possible. 

 

Cheers fellas.

[gazza82]

Aren't the 3 gauge pods fitted with a circuit board on the rear and these power the gauges? You'd be hard pressed to make that narrower to take only the two outer gauges ...

[whistler]

 

Why are you keen on the tachograph ?

Tachometer. Apologies. Don't know why on earth I was typing tachograph

Standby for photos

 

Must have wanted to be a truck driver when you were a kid.

[Dannyboolahlah]

If I were you I'd try and get a cheap spare gauge cluster and see what you can do with it. Shouldn't need too much of the original electronics as the Speedo is cable driven and the tacho has its own connections separate to the rest of the dash.

[Bennnjaminnn]

Aren't the 3 gauge pods fitted with a circuit board on the rear and these power the gauges? You'd be hard pressed to make that narrower to take only the two outer gauges ...

 

 

If I were you I'd try and get a cheap spare gauge cluster and see what you can do with it. Shouldn't need too much of the original electronics as the Speedo is cable driven and the tacho has its own connections separate to the rest of the dash.

 

Yeah so the tachometer on the right is a separate piece that is effectively bolted to 2 gauge cluster to create a 3 gauge cluster. I thought I would just be able to remove the right gauge housing, and lift out the tachometer from said gauge housing and put it where the fuel gauge is. But it would appear that isn't the case. And so buying another 2 gauge cluster with the speedo / fuel setup won't help because that's the stock setup. 

[Bennnjaminnn]

 

 

Why are you keen on the tachograph ?

Tachometer. Apologies. Don't know why on earth I was typing tachograph

Standby for photos

 

Must have wanted to be a truck driver when you were a kid.

 

You'd think so. But I actually wanted to build guitars. Went in a completely different direction. Naturally...

[Bennnjaminnn]

I think I'm just going to have to stick with the current 3 gauge cluster or buy 2 new gauges if I want a different set up.

 

It is what it is.

 

Cheers anyway folks.

[Bobbins]

Yes you're correct in your assessment, the speedo / coolant / fuel gauges are all one combined unit and the tachometer is added onto the end so it's actually the only one you can easily remove. If it's simply additional 52mm gauges you're after to make the dash more interesting then why not look at the Sportspack dash layout as an example and maybe fit additional gauges (e.g. oil pressure, clock, volts) to what you already have.

[bpirie1000]

Top work buddy.. should be proud of yourself with that.. looks great..