6 replies to this topic

[mykweb]

So I have been fortunate that my last mini had a genuine MPi dashboard. However the new to me car I have purchased has an after market carbon effect dash. Around the top and bottom dash rails there is a gap. How can I fill this to make it more “factory”

And also is there a knack to getting the air vents in. The aftermarket dash you need to fit these before putting the dash in place or try and manipulate them into place once the dash is bolted on.

Cheers

Mike.

[grumpy2]

Oddly enough I’ve been involved with fitting 3 dashboards in the last 10 days. A standard Mpi refurbed factory one in my own car that was very easy to fit, an aftermarket copy in an spi that took a lot of fiddling to fit and a custom oak example in a carb 89 car that required a fair bit of fabrication to get right but looks wonderful. 
 

to make the aftermarket one fit better we put the wadding from an Mpi round the outside and that filled the gaps nicely. The air vents went in from the front afterwards. Bit hard to explain but, but the corrugated tubes in first then pass the eyeball vents horizontall through the holes   It’ll squash the tubes ok, then you can rotate the vent back vertically pull it forward and attract to outer locating ring. Finally manoeuvre the tubes into place through the air spaces in the vents. Quicker to do than to write up

 

hope this helps

[mykweb]

Oddly enough I’ve been involved with fitting 3 dashboards in the last 10 days. A standard Mpi refurbed factory one in my own car that was very easy to fit, an aftermarket copy in an spi that took a lot of fiddling to fit and a custom oak example in a carb 89 car that required a fair bit of fabrication to get right but looks wonderful. 
 
to make the aftermarket one fit better we put the wadding from an Mpi round the outside and that filled the gaps nicely. The air vents went in from the front afterwards. Bit hard to explain but, but the corrugated tubes in first then pass the eyeball vents horizontall through the holes   It’ll squash the tubes ok, then you can rotate the vent back vertically pull it forward and attract to outer locating ring. Finally manoeuvre the tubes into place through the air spaces in the vents. Quicker to do than to write up
 
hope this helps

I will see if I can give that a try. I know on the genuine dashboards they had little slots around the air vent to locate it into and then rotate it around. Where as the the aftermarket ones don’t


For the wadding. What alternatives can be used. I sadly don’t have a genuine mpi dash on this car. So trying to make it work.

[grumpy2]

Yes my mpi dash had the slots, the aftermarket copy doesn’t but you can still get the vents through if they’re horizontal 

 

the wadding isn’t  available any more I don’t think but I also think my pal may have a spare one from his ex spi dash. Or you could use neoprene draughty excluder from screwfix. 

[stoneface]

Google "upholstery flanged piping"

You can get different sizes and material to suit the look your after.

My dash is shown here with black piping. Not too easy to see. Can get a better photo if it helps.

https://www.theminif...-panel-problem/

 

Edited by stoneface, 12 February 2026 - 08:17 AM.

[Chris1275gt]

Have a look at this. EBay item no 402780491775.

[mykweb]

Thanks all.  I will take a look at these options and also keep my eye out for a genuine Mpi dash. 
 

there is one for sale but it’s been in a fire