Mk3 Dash Conversion

By Steve Blakemore (Ste)

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This modification is primarily for Rover mk2 200’s and mk1 400’s.

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You will need a Dash and wiring for the glove box light from a mk3< Rover 200.

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Preparation of the MK3 dash

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Removal of the MK2 dash

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Installation of the MK3 dash

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Wiring your dash

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Dash’s can be bought for anything from £30-£80 depending on where you go and condition. Make sure you have everything, this means trim, wiring and heater vents.

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Depending on your interior, there are different colours of dash, most common is the Ash grey one. For half leather Rover interiors

This is the Ash Grey Dash

This is the Cream Dash. Ideal for Cream full leather Coupes

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Just been shown are the 2 main dash colours that can be used. ZR dashes can be used, but these are rare and expensive to purchase.

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Your dash should be clean and the wiring for the speedo removed. You should have a complete dash as shown here :-

• This is ideally everything you’ll need to fit the dash in your car. • Notice the loom still in here in the surround for the Dials

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Behind the dash there will be wires coming from the glove box. These will be a red/black and a black wire. These pair will split near to the light unit. You need to cut them off next to the surround where they go into the rest of the loom. All will be explained later.

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At this point, I must state that if you have a Haynes manual, this section will go quite quickly. Follow it to a Tee, and you won’t go wrong. For those that don’t, here’s a quick explanation

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TIP:- Find yourself a tub or pot to keep the screw or any small bits in

• First of all Remove the armrest (if fitted). Prise the front cap off with a small flat bladed screwdriver. There will be 2x 8mm bolts here, (and 2 in the arm rest if fitted). Put the gear stick in 3 rd and push backwards-up-forwards to release over the handbrake.

• Remove all 4 screws holding the centre console on, undo the gear knob and keep safe. Once these are off, push the front seats right back and pull the plastic trim off and move outside the car, keeping the screws in a pot.

• Disconnect the battery negative wire at this point. • In the engine bay, part the speedo cable. The will be different on certain models, but they’re easily recognised by a long stiff cable going from the fire wall on the left hand side (whilst looking at the front) to the gear box.

• Back in the car, remove the stereo head unit and the rubber mat on top of the shelf

• Prise off the wooden (plastic on some models) strip that the clock sits in. This is done by wrapping a large flab bladed screwdriver in a cloth and prising off from the left side of the trim, it will pop out. Remove the multiplug from the back of the clock and remove.

• Remove the fuse box cover, there are 5 phillips screws holding this on.

• Remove the steering wheel: • For none airbag models, prise off the centre cap and undo the centre bolt. Mark where the wheel was in comparison to the spindle and remove wheel • Airbag models, leave the car for 20 minutes after the keys are removed from the barrel then undo the 2x 30 size torx bolts from behind the wheel to remove the airbag. Undo multiplug on the back of the airbag unit and move airbag to a safe place • You should be at this stage :-

• Remove the screws holding the trim from around the steering column and remove both parts (they’re clipped together).

• Unplug the multiplugs from behind the control stalks and unscrew the stalks from the column. Keep safe.

• Undo the 4 screws holding the heater control panel then remove the 4 holding the lower centre panel and remove lower panel. Unplugging the cigarette lighter and bulb.

• Slacken the 2 bolts securing the dash to the transmission tunnel and remove the relay module, keep all safe as all parts are needed on fitting mk3 dash.

• Remove glove box. These are 8mm bolts either side underneath, and a single screw holding the damper on. Remove from vehicle.

• Remove door demister vents from either side of the dash and undo the bolts.

• Remove bolt behind where the digital clock used to be.

• Remove facia mount bolts next to the glove box and fuse box.

• Undo the 2 trim screws above the speedo. Using a small flat bladed screwdriver, remove the hazard, heated rear windscreen and rear fog light multiplug, and the sunroof/blanking plate on the other side.

• Using a long Phillips head screwdriver, remove the screw inside the dash holding the last bit of the trim on, Remove trim. • Undo 4 screws holding the speedo unit into the dash and pull towards you. If you’re finding this difficult – feed the speedo cable through the fire wall a bit more.

• Remove multi plugs and speedo cable from the rear of the speedo by pinching the clip. Remove speedo unit from the vehicle.

• Remove any switches from the dash I.e electric mirrors and/or fader unit.

• The Dash now should be free to move. A helping hand is best to help move the dash off the fire wall. Do so with care.

• When off the wall, pull the block connector off the glove box light and free the dash totally. By taking it into the cabin and out one of the doors.

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Before you carry on, you should notice that you now have 2 lots of wiring for the glove box, a part on the MK3 Dash, and the original mk2 loom. These 2 parts should be connected using either crimp connectors, or soldering and covering with heat shrink wraps.

• When ready for the dash to go in, remove side trim from the MK3 dash and the centre console.

• Feed the mk3 dash into the car through one of the doors and rest roughly on the back wall.

• Pull all the dash loom and the speedo cable through the mk3 dash and free any catching parts.

• Push on either side of the dash to get it to sit correctly. This may take a while, but be patient. While going along, check for catching wires and parts.

• Once sit correctly, mount up the relay bracket and bolt up the transmission tunnel mounts finger tight.

• Do the same for the top mount behind the clock and the side mounts. These are all your mounts for the dash. It is plenty enough to hold the dash in place for good. • Undo some of the tape holding the loom for the hazards block and move it over to the centre, this will be important for the wiring later on.

• Place the speedo unit in the aperture and plug in the speedo cable and the block connectors and push back into the dash.

• Screw up the speedo unit to the dash and replace the surround. This is mounted at the top and behind the rubber lip at the bottom. • Replace the steering column surround and control stalks • Plug up the block connectors.

• Replace the steering wheel.

• Clip up on the airbag model • Bolt up and replace front on non-airbag • On airbag models, bolt up the wheel then retrieve the airbag, plug it up and mount. Do up the 2 Torx bolts and check for loose movement.

• Before the centre console is put back on, some of the wiring loom must be sorted.

In this section, I will cover the wiring needed to be done to make the mk3 switch operative

In this section, I will cover the wiring needed to be done to make the mk3 switch operative.

Pointer:- The Hazards block connector will fit directly into the mk3 switch, so there is no need for extra wiring.

Warning :- All wiring should be made secure and safe. Remember to either use crimp connectors or solder and cover with a heat shrink wrap

•For the wiring, you will need the mk3 dash switches and the block connector and 4” of loom, as shown in the next photo :-

•As you can see, I’ve used wire cutters to take the ends off.

•For the heated rear windscreen, the wiring should be cut right next to the connector block for the back of the switch, and then each wire stripped a little except one of the earth’s as this won’t be used and will need taping up so no wire is showing.

•Wiring sequence is as follows :-

MK2 loom MK3 loom

Red/Black Black Red/Black Black Black/Orange Black/Orange Black/Green Green Orange

•Once all connected up, make sure all wires are secure and that they will not work lose as a lose wire could start a fire. Use plenty of electrical tape to secure the bundle of wires for the loom together.

•Next is the rear fog light. This is where it starts to get a little tricky. There is a way around it though.

•The rear fog light on a mk2 uses a relay in the relay module in the centre console. This is controlled by an ON-OFF switch. •The rear fog light on a MK3 is controlled by the MFU (Multi Function Unit) and has an OFF-ON OFF switch. •Briefly, this means that the mk3 switch will not working with the mk2 loom. So a front fog light switch is used as this is an ON-OFF switch

•A front fog light switch is £5.95 from Rover and is part number RYUG101680PMP.

•Using the rear fog switch from the mk3, prise the front off carefully. Do the same with the front fog light switch.

•Now the new rear fog light switch is ready.

•The problem now is that the mk3 plug for the switch won’t fit. Carefully, with a craft knife or a Stanley knife, cut away the ribs on the plug and in the back of the switch.

•The plug should now go straight into the back of the switch, if it doesn’t, keep shaving the ribs away till it does. A bit of light grease maybe used to aid the plug in.

•Chop connector block off on the mk2 dash. There are 5 wires here.

•Strip the ends of the wires off a bit apart from one black wire, as this yet again is another earth that is not needed and much be taped up.

MK2 Loom

Black

MK3 Loom

Blue/Yellow Blue/Red Red/Yellow Red/Black Red/Black Red/Yellow Black

•Once those 2 are done, then the centre console can go back on and the switches plugged in. Make sure you pull the connectors through before putting the console back, otherwise you won’t reach them.

The Digital clock is easy enough. It is wire for wire, remember to use a good solid connection, soldering and a heat shrink wrap is ideal.

• Continuing from before..

• Screw up the heater control surround and make sure it is straight.

• Feeding carefully over the gear stick, mate up the centre console with the dash and pull the switch loom through the correct holes and plug up the cigarette lighter and bulb.

• When fit correctly, screw the 4 mounting screws in and fit the gear knob.

• Install the stereo head unit and the switches.

• Re-fit your arm rest, connect the battery up again and connect the speedo cable. Check to see if all switches, lighting and dials are working correctly again.

• If you have any concerns or problems, feel free to email me at [email protected]

MK3 Dash fitted to a MK2 220 GSi Turbo

• Disclaimer – All responsibility for this modification is down to the owner of the vehicle. I therefore hold no responsibility for any damage due to poor wiring.

• If you have any concerns at all, feel free to email me – [email protected]

I would like to thank: Roverload/Rovertech members for your patience.

Mom and Dad for letting me store dash after dash in the Shed.

Chris (Smilz) for starting this mass craze.