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MG MGF Technical - MK1 - MK2 centre consloe

Just a quick question... I am going to upgrade my mk1 centre consloe to the mk2 version. Do I need to replace the heating controls as well as all the switch gear? Or can I leave my mk1 versions in place and fit the console over them?

Thanks, Andrew.
A McDowell

Taken from Rob Bell's site:

NB: MKI heater switches can be used although a gap will be left between the fascia and the heater board. Brest use the MKII heater back, white plastic box. Gets rid of the unsightly gap and m,akes for a plush finish!

Mk1 to MY2000 Centre Console Up-grade

The following instructions came from Russell Reeve, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, and was originally posted on the MGF General BBS in 2002.

Fitting the MK2 centre console in a MK1 MGF is almost as simple as the MK2 rear speaker modification. Their are 4 main problems but each one is easily over come.

The 5 fixing tabs that are part of the MK1 console that attach the console to the 5 blue clips in the dashboard are supplied separately by MGR as FWJ 100240 for the 3 upper fixings and FWJ 100260 and FWJ 100270 as lower fixings left and right hand side.

The heater control box is the same on both the MK1 and the MK2 MGF just the front facia has changed this can be removed by removing the 3 heater knobs and unscrewing/unclipping the front facia and swapping for the MK2 heater control box facia and avoiding the hassle of removing the entire heater control box.

The switches in the MK2 console are different and the keying on each of the MK2 rear fog lamp and rear heated screen switches prevent the switches fitting the connectors on the cars wiring harness. This is easily corrected by carefully unclipping and swapping the legends on the front of the rear fog lamp switch YUG102740 PMP with the heated rear window switch YUG102570 PMP. The switches are internally the same but now the keying on the rear of each of the switches will match the car's wiring harness.

When you come to fit the MK2 centre console you may find it will not fit, this is because the 2 lower fixings have to be modified. All that is required is the removal of the inner top corner on the 2 lower fixings.

The windows switches and the clock and oil temperature gauge are interchangeable.


Have a look on http://www,sfforever.co.uk
under rebuild and mgfcentre day 3 I think!
Rob

Thanks Rob, I am just a bit unsure what you mean about the rear window and fog lamp switch. Can you maybe explain it in very simple terms. What are legends???

Does the heater facia look alright with the mk1 binnacle instruments?

Thanks for your help, Andrew.
A McDowell

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/mk1_2_my2000_console.htm

You can re-use your existing heater box - but it needs to be spaced out forwards. Some have done this using a couple of MDF packing pieces to good effect - or you can fabricate your own metal brackets out of a strip of metal. Shouldn't be too hard, and the advantage, as you say, is that the heater control faces are consistent with the rest of the interior.

Regarding the switches, use the MY2000 switches except for the window lift controls - use your originals for this. Happily, the loom plugs for items like fogs etc are the same between models (the exception being the aforementioned window switches)
Rob Bell

Thanks Rob, I assume I could do it the other way round in that Jason in midlandMGF is talking about selling me the whole kit ie facia and heater unit, in your link it looks like that the facias just unclip or unscrew... So do you think I could take the mk2 facia of the heater unit and replace it with the mk1 version and then not need the spacers?

Still not sure about the fog light switch and what legends are... (new to wiring loom terms..!)

While you are there, thank you to you and Andy for the Scarlet Fever Forever site. It is amazing to be able to see an MGF coming apart. I have killed so meny rattles because the site showed what could be ratteling..!

Thanks, Andrew.
A McDowell

>> Still not sure about the fog light switch and what legends are... (new to wiring loom terms..!) <<

Ah - I see, sorry, I understand your confusion now.

I thought that the MY2000 switches plugged straight onto the Mk1 MGF loom - but it looks as though this is wrong:

The problem is that the loom plugs are keyed - which is to say that they'll only plug into a specific switch. Seems that on the MY2000, the keying has been swapped around between the demist and the fog lamp - so you end up with the fog lamp swtch operating the demist circuit, and vice versa.

Russell's solution was to remove the switch front (the bit with the demist or fog lamp 'logo') and swap the two around. This way the anomoly is corrected.

Another way around the problem is to remove the keying from the loom plugs (easily done - especially if you have a dremel-like tool handy :o))

It's all pretty self evident when you get around to performing the conversion - but do post here if you get stuck - plenty of helpful voices :o)

>>So do you think I could take the mk2 facia of the heater unit and replace it with the mk1 version and then not need the spacers?<<

Good question! I don't know - if you try and it succeeds, please let me know (and if you have pix too, that'd be great! :o))
Rob Bell

Andrew,

Yes you can use the Mk2 heater fascia on the MK1 heater box it is just a case of swapping them and then you don't have to fit the spacers that rob mentioned although there is still a tiny gap but you have to live with that.

"Legends" I haven't got a clue what they are either- but I just cut the locating lugs on the wiring plugs off with a scalpel so that the MK2 switches fitted the original loom ( you don't have to cut the loom at all). if you look on Andy(SF's) site it is mentioned.Also you have to move the black Box that is located in the centre console out of the way as the switches will hit it and the centre console will not locate!!! Undo the two 10mm plastic nuts that hold it in place and then cable tie it to the metal frame work.

It is an easy mod but can be a mare when you are doing it for the first time - but keep at it and you will get it done !

Daz
Daz

Thanks Rob.! So I might have the fun of driving around in somthing like it was an extra in Mad Max.! While I work out how to put the facia back together.! Photos no problem, but where would I send them?

Now I know what a legend is, but a bit daft as I always knew that being a graphic designer, but couls not see where that fitted wth a wiring loom. But is a dremel not a drill..!!! How does that fit with the whole thing.! A.
A McDowell

Andrew, by email address is robert dot bell at ucl dot ac dot uk [change the 'dot's to '.' and 'at' to '@' - jeepers, the things we have to do to avoid email spammers! ]

A Dremel is one of those hand held hobby tools that and be used to sand or cut. But Daz has already indicated that you can remove the plug keying using a scalpel, so if you don't have one, all is not lost :o)
Rob Bell

Thanks, will let you know how I get on... Printing some of the Scarlet photos now....

A.
A McDowell

Thanks for the kind words re: SFforever. :-)

OK, i'm a little concerned about the wiring in Scarlet now! I had no difficulty at all connecting the Mk1 loom to the Mk2 switches - indeed i didn't realise they were keyed. The keying referred to on the SOS site is the location of the switches in the fascia (there are grooves cut into the fascia that correseond with ridges on the top of the switches meaning that they have to be positioned in a specific place). These ridges can be trimmed off with a craft knife or similar allowing you to position the switches in any of the available slots.

Looks like i'm going to have to take the fascia out again and investigate/adjust the switches if necessary. Probably means that my fog lamp switch operates the HRW and vice versa! Need to do some investigating! :-)

I think what Rob (Sheffield) is referring to is dismantling the switches and swapping the 'graphic' on the buttons (which probably means swapping the button faces) so that the HRW switch looks like the rear fog one and is connected to the rear fog loom.

Rob Bell and Daz are talking about removing the keying from the back of the switches to make them universal. Daz managed it with a scalpel, and Rob Bell used a Dremmel (which is a small rotary tool like a drill, but had numerous attachements like miniature saw blades, sanding discs etc.

-----------

The fascias to the heater boxes just clip on and off, the Mk1 fascia has a bottom plate (which is hidden behind the trinket tray housing when installed) and betrays this component's R200 origin (contains the R200 slide controls in that car). The Mk2 heater fascia doesn't have this because it fouls the switches (which are higher on the Mk2 fascia).

Basically if you use the Mk1 heater fascia you won't get the switches in and there will be a gap between the heater fascia and the main fascia. If you use the Mk2 fascia the dials will be silver and won't match the rest of the instruments and you need to swap the heater knobs for Mk2 versions as they have longer shafts.

FWIW, Scarlet is a b*sardisation of both, she has a Mk1 heater box, a Mk2 heater fascia, but i have dismantled it and retained the Mk1 dials and knobs. The result is a gap between the main Fascia and the heater fascia and a second gap between the heater fascia and the dials. Not too noticable, but apparent if you look for it (and therefore on my winter 'hit list' of projects). This is because personally i dislike the silver dials and Mk2/TF knobs so went out of my way to try to retain the Mk1 versions.

You also need a new gear gaiter - the Mk1 version is rectangular at the base and the Mk2 is circular (inside the alloy ring). Details of this are on the SOS site.

SF
Scarlet Fever

>> I think what Rob (Sheffield) is referring to is dismantling the switches and swapping the 'graphic' on the buttons.
Rob Bell and Daz are talking about removing the keying from the back of the switches to make them universal.<<

Er - nope - I was refering to both the dismantling the switches and swapping the button faces OR to re-keying the loom connectors. As you say Andy, both the switches are coded to the console position and the loom plugs coded to the respective switches. The latter is the critical problem.

I've not done this conversion myself (I actually quite like the original style fascia), so I cannot be 100% sure that the loom plugs are keyed differently on the MY2000 compared to Mk1, but this is what Russell has indicated in his article on my site. Since this has been raised - anyone able to confirm? Andy?
Rob Bell

Arggggg..! I was doing fine until Andy arived... This is turning into a bigger job than I had thought. I think I will agree with Rob for the moment.!

Andy is there any chance you could let me have a photo of this "gap"? As I might hold of until you work out how to meld mk1 and mk2.

Glad to see you have not had any fog down your way.!

Thanks, Andrew.
A McDowell

OK to clear it up!

The window switch looms are the same! Just remove the MKII switches and replace them with the MKI switches from the original fascia!

The MKII Fog light switch holding is not the same! As highlighted by one and all. However, the wiring is the same and all is required is either a little imagination with a stanley knife, as indicated by Daz, or just a little extra force to secure the loom in place! It does fit and it is safe...tested it! So quite simply, use the MKII fog light switch and MKI wiring loom and job done. The only problem you may find is that the balck heater box, situation behind all the fascia prevemnts the fog light sitting flush in the fascia. Solution is to under screw it from it's location and use tags to secure about 1cm back from it's original position (This is Daz's trick and can't take credit for it myself). Alternatively live with it as i did until I had enough time!

Hope this helps!

Rob: I have loads of pics of the conversion waiting to be developed! I'll send you some when they are done. Still on traditional film as opposed to digital....traditionalist at heart!

Good luck Andrew!

Rob

Thanks Rob, but I am going to put it on hold for a week or two anyway, I have a grill set, steering wheel and a few other jobs for this weekend as it is..! Soooo is there any chance in the meantime I could get a copy of your old fashioned pics? I would be happy to pay for a reprint of the pics.

Thanks to one and all for the advise with a dash of humour.! Pity the MGOC BB was not so lively.

A.
A McDowell

Andrew, I'll try and scan them in and then email them to you! May take upto a week, but it sounds like you have your hands full as it is....i sense the Dark Side has captured this young skywalker!

Whooooooooooo!
Rob

Thanks, Yoda.

Should keep me busy for the weekend...!

:-)



A McDowell

Cheers Rob (Bell) for the clartification :-)

------------

Andrew

I'll try to get some pix tonight and mail them to you. Look for a mail from AP1000000 'at' AOL 'dot' COM (bleedin Spammers!) :-)

SF

Scarlet Fever

Don't worry Andrew, all is not as complicated as it seems - as Rob rightly points out. Just use the, er, force ;o) LOL

Points of confusion are the switches and heater box.

Windows switches no problem - as Rob says, re-use the original Mk1

Fog and demist switches - deal with the loom plug keying with a stanley knife to sort these out.

Andrew, as you are planning to use the Mk2 heater box, complete with longer controls, you are doing something slightly different to what everyone else has done - ie your plan to swap the fascia of the MY2000 for the Mk1. SF has re-used his Mk1 heater box - albeit with a MY2000 heater fascia - and this may be the cause of the gap. The Mk1 heater box fascia will causes problems thanks to its Mk2 R200 origins - the fascia for the slider controls needs to be trimmed off in order to fit the MY2000 fascia. I wasn't aware that the Lucas 5AS imobiliser/alarm ECU would cause a problem with the switches if you re-used the Mk1 heater box - but again, seeing that you plan to use the Mk2 heater box Andrew, this ought not be a problem. Otherwise remove and relocate as Daz indicates. :o)

Rob - love as many pix as possible - you can see where the confusion starts to arise without them! :o)

Cheers
Rob Bell

Thank you all.! I am now much clearer....I think. Thanks for the photos, Andy, I will keep an eye out for them.

I will have a crack at this in a few weeks time and post my results.! After my last adventure behind the dash to fit / locate an fm modulator for an iPod and spending far too long trying to get the passanger airbag cover back on. I will wait until I have a very dry day or a garage..!

Thanks, Andrew.

A McDowell

You have mail. :-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

This thread was discussed on 25/11/2003

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.