Canadian '68's had a metal dash as did the European LHD drives into the
early 70's.
I am in the process of making the same conversion on my 68-74 BMH MGB
Body Shell.
Just yesterday I cut up a rusty 67 a club member had. I removed the dash
board cowl, the steering column mounting hub (in the firewall) and the
square cross bar that supports the speaker console. Took out the entire
speaker console -- it was faster.
I was under the impression that I could attach the dash board cowl to my
existing body shell without modifications to the existing cowl on the
body shell but that appears not to be the case.
The metal dash cowl has dash mounting bolts on the two ends that appear
to conflict with the existing body shell cowl. It appears that I will
have to cut away some of the existing body shell cowl in the corners.
But it looks like it's going to go together OK.
Looks like I'll need to get the steering rack and complete steering
column in place or almost in place before changing the hub in the fire
wall.
The 68-74 body shell has some mounting bolts in the steering column
firewall hub, but the '67 hub just has a rubber gasket. Guess I better
get a better look at a 67. What I really need is a '67 parts car.
Don Malling
Paul M. wrote:
> I have (yet another) question about the possible
> retrofitting of an early metal dashboard to a later
> MGB:
>
> I know that just fitting an early dash is a lot of
> work. I also know that home-market MGBs kept the
> metal dash longer, so in theory, fitting a later
> right-hand-drive metal dash should be less work. But
> what about later "other market" MGBs? Did MGBs from
> the early 1970's bound for, say, France or Germany
> have left hand drive metal dashboards that would bolt
> right in?
>
> Or did they just have two specification - "home
> market" and "export"?
>
> And Kevin, with all the constant resurfacing relating
> to this string, have you guys ever thought of having a
> metal dash conversion kit made? Something that would
> either allow the early metal dash to be bolted on to a
> later car, or perhaps a complete new "late" metal
> dash? I can't imagine it would be THAT expensive to
> have them made. And if a complete metal dash
> conversion could be had for under $1000 or so, I'd
> think you'd get a decent amount of takers.
>
> Or at least one :-)
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> =====
> Paul Misencik
> 1971 MGB Vintage Race Project
> Huntersville, NC USA
> www.sopwithracing.com
>
> Learn the truth at www.misleader.org
>
> __________________________________
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