Replacing a pillow dash with a metal dash is not easy.
You will need a 62-67 parts car.
Most gauges are different.
The steering column is different.
The transmission hump is larger on the MKII 68-74 than it is on the MKI
(steel dash 62-67). You therefore need a special speaker console that is
not available on US spec cars. The European spec cars also had the
larger transmission hump after 68 but they also had the metal dash for a
few years. You must therefore get a speaker console from a European spec
car.
To mount the metal dash, you need the dash board cowling from a MKI
62-67 (US spec OK). MKI roadster cowl is required to convert a MKII
roadster, and a MKI GT is required for a MKII GT.
The steering column is different and the mounts are different. You will
need the rectangular bar that runs under the dash from the MKI car. The
hub in the firewall which the steering column passes through is also
different. You will need to replace that with the one from the MKI.
Both the Tach and Speedo are different. The Tach can come from a US MKI
but the speedo must come from a European spec car because the 4 syncro
US transmissions don't match the old MKI 3 syncro transmissions. You may
be able to have a US spec MKI speedo recalibrated to the 4 Syncro US
spec MKII transmission. But I'm not sure about that. If not, you will
need to get a European spec MKII speedo. Perhaps Kelvin Dodd will chime
in on this one. I got most of my info from him.
I have a BMH 68-74 body shell and I plan to do a metal dash conversion
on it. I am gathering the parts. There are folks on the list who have
done it. Can't remember their names. Kelvin Dodd helped me a lot.
Here is a link on it.
http://www.theautoist.com/installing1964dash.htm
Don Malling
"Paul M." wrote:
>
> This has probably been covered ad infinitum before,
> but I have no idea how to search the archives of this
> list, or whether or not there even ARE archives...
>
> Here goes:
>
> I'm getting ready to pick up a 1971 MGB roadster I am
> in the process of buying from another lister, and one
> of the first orders of business will be to restore the
> interior. I am not a fan of the "Abingdon pillow"
> style of dashboard on the '71, and would love to
> replace it with an earlier style metal dash. I have
> two questions:
>
> 1) Is the earlier metal dashboard a direct bolt-in
> proposition on the '71? If so, does ANYTHING carry
> over? Any of the gauges or anything? Or do I have to
> replace everything?
>
> 2) If it is NOT a direct bolt-in replacement, I
> assume a swap to the 1972 dashboard (with the
> glovebox) is an easier job, correct? Does anything
> carry over is this scenario?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> - Paul
> (Soon to be 1971 MGB Roadster owner)
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