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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Auxiliary gauges

I'm after fitting a oil temp gauge, oil pressure and perhaps a clock in my 1500,

I was wondering if someone has a picture of a midget with auxiliary guages fitted as id like some ideas where and how to mount them.

thanks
D Tetley

Here you go DT,


I put my aftrermarket gauges on the chrom grill of the radio consel....I painted the bulbs on all my instrements lights red....well 3 coats black 1st then 3 coats red,,,as red just turns pink.....sorry the car i a mess and only decent photo...





Prop

IIRC...these gauges are 2 1/2 inches...if you go the 2 inch size they will fit better in the screen....
Prop

opps sorry...not sure where the photo went...


Prop

I mounted a voltmeter and fuel consumption gauge on the centre console. I cut the radio speaker screen out, leaving the chrome frame. I used some fancy wood to mount the gauges and the chrome frame finishes the installation. Both of the gauges are Smiths so they look factory fitted.

I think that's the best place for them. As to which gauges, I'd stay with oil pressure and oil temperature. When you're driving a Midget, who cares what time it is? The clock, after a long period of time, will also drain your battery. The other 2 won't.

Clive Reddin 76 Midget

http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-and-becky/2675569742/sizes/l/
Will Munns

Stop it will, you tease!
Nick

Will, How did you go about modifying the dash? That is the very same thing i thought of doing, apart from the extra switches, i thought about making another dash but its alot of work.

It seems the center console is the best place with little effort, mine doesn't have the radio there though so a small center console would need making.
D Tetley

The gauges take up the space currently occupied by switches for wipers, lights and dash lights.

What I did was
cut out all the current gauges
weld in a new plate of the same thickness
grind all the welds flat
make a press for the gauge holes
cut undersize holes
press the gauge holes
use a die grinder to open up the holes to 2"
Will Munns

Clive,

Can you elaborate on the fuel consumption gauge? Do you mean rate of consumption, or just quantity available?

Charley
C R Huff

I had the "pillow" dash in my US spec 73 so made up a new dash from sheet metal to mount extra gauge and new switch gear. The upper pad is made from a piece of poplar and covered in foam and vinyl.


Bill Young

is that a

*gasp*

cup holder?????
Will Munns

Yes Will, it's a "gasp" cup holder. I have succomed to some conviences in my old age and like to have my diet soda while I'm on longer trips.
Bill Young

yup, you merkins just can't do without them - the two that made me laugh the most was a autoricshaw being driven around Big bend national park and a shopping trolley outside Macys.

In the UK we just don't allow people into shops with open drinks
Will Munns

I have two cup holders in my Frog but most of the time one is holding the steering wheel and the other is holding the shift lever. I don't allow cups in the car. ;-)
Martin


I only allow D cups in my car....


Will Munns

Laugh if you must, but know that with the V6 and 5 speed on the highway there's little need for shifting and when stops are at least an hour between it's nice to have a drink of liquid now and then. I've driven in England several times and the only time I ever had that type of time between stops was on the motorway up in Scotland, everywhere else it was either stop and go traffic or a round about every few miles. Not the place for a cup at those times I understand.
Bill Young

My cup holder can hold anything up to a 2 litre bottle. She complains if they're too cold though.
Jordan Gibson

I dont allow open cups of liquids in my car....only bottled water with caps, my on personal rule I made after I got the new carpet installed


Nothing more aggervating then turning a corner and watching the (((Small))) 144 ounce big gulp from 7-11 filled with soda pop roll out its cup holder and into the floor...what a mess


have you ever noticed you cant hold a cup between your legs with out fowling the steering wheel...even if you can find a small enough cup its almost impossiable to get it out from between your legs without fighting for the streeing wheel


BACK TO GAUGES... the clock is a waste...I have one but its just to fill up a hole and I have it disconnected, as it loves to drink lots of 12volt juice, battry is good for around 3 days...I wish I could figure how to convert it to like my wall clock just 2 AA battrys and its still working almost 2 years later....tick,tick,tick,tick


prop

Prop

Hi CR Huff.

Basically it's a glorified vacuum gauge. It has different areas marked Poor, Good and not sure about the other. A heavy foot on acceleration will result in a poor reading. A light foot etc results in better fuel economy. It's more for show than anything else but looks cool.

I found mine on Evil Bay but there are US suppliers of Smiths gauges that look like the ones on our cars. They are certainly a much better choice than the prices on Evil bay. I saw a used voltmeter go for more than a new one!
Clive Reddin 76 Midget

Thanks Clive.

I have seen those dash mounted vacuum gauges, and they are pretty good for diagnostics, and they do tell you how deep you have your foot into it.

I was hoping you might have come up with an actual fuel flow rate gauge. They seem to be an easy fit on computer driven cars, but are a bit scarce or expensive for older cars. I thought they would be a nice tuning evaluation tool.

Charley
C R Huff

My dash with 2 extra 2" gauges...




Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

dean, did you do yours the same as will's?
D Tetley

Will, nice slippers, yours?
Bas Timmermans

This thread was discussed between 31/07/2008 and 01/08/2008

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