Dashboard help

[vodkakid]

Hi there, i've got a mini with a center clock and i shelf type bit either side. I was wondering if there supposed to be some sort of boarding there as its just the cloth at the mo and it sags down if you put anything on it. Cheers AC

[cooperman]

The early cars had a full metal shelf, but the latyer ones do, indeed, just have a cloth covering. My advice is to gat a sheet of thin, say 20 swg, aluminium and cut it to size and pop rivet it in place. I've always wondered why BMC/Rover did this as I can't see why it would be cheaper. Unless it was to get access to the back of the instrument cluster without removing the binnacle on the 2-dial/3-dial dashes on both LH and RH drive cars (that must be it, I guess).

[guru_1071]

cooperman said:

The early cars had a full metal shelf, but the latyer ones do, indeed, just have a cloth covering. My advice is to gat a sheet of thin, say 20 swg, aluminium and cut it to size and pop rivet it in place. I've always wondered why BMC/Rover did this as I can't see why it would be cheaper. Unless it was to get access to the back of the instrument cluster without removing the binnacle on the 2-dial/3-dial dashes on both LH and RH drive cars (that must be it, I guess).

they should have a bit of stout fibre board under the liner, these tend to go missing or tear over the years.