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MG MGF Technical - Interior Upgrades: Rover 200 BRM speaker grille covers

Hi all

Had some time today to go along to my local Rover dealership (Palmsville Rover/MG). Popped into the spares dept to pick up a couple of bits and bobs, and decided to ask about the Rover 200 BRM speaker grilles.

I am happy to report that the chap at the parts counter was extremely helpful, and found the part numbers for the tweeter covers/ interior door handle assemblies:

Part nos:

Left hand- # FVJ100250MAW
Right hand- # FVJ100240MAW

The main door speaker cover appears to be something of a problem though- it appears to be only available as a part of a whole door casing assembly!

The chap at the parts dept is going to try and find out for me- but whilst he does this, can anyone help me find out if these are available from else where as separate parts?

Cheers

Rob

PS- the reputation for BRM parts being expensive has been gloriously upheld- those tweeter grilles costs 32 quid + VAT each... gulp!
Rob Bell

I think this is something Mike Satur should look at providing. I think his current range of grilles are a wee bit OTT. So Mike are you listening/surfing Rob and I plus a few others would definitely be interested if you could produce something similar to the BRM bits ...
Gaz

Rob,

To save time ask your parts man to explain what "Fret-front door speaker - aluminium" means? Found on Fiche 4 of the Rover 200 parts slides C12 under part number
EJW 100500MDC. 5 cap screws seem to go with it under part number EYP 101380.

Rog
Roger Parker

Infinity Kappa 5.25" metal Speaker covers will fit with a little modifying. I think I got my last lot for around £5.00 the pair.
Sarah

Thanks for the hint there Rog, I shall find out and let you all know.

Sarah, what do the Kappa speaker grilles look like? I am trying to go for as close a match to the Rover BRM look as possible.

If you are looking in on this Mike, then I second Gaz's comments. Can we have subtle BRM chrome components at reasonable prices (ie not Rover Parts prices!) please?

Cheers

Rob
Rob Bell

The drilled Mike Satur ones look quite tasteful in place and not too OTT (IMO).
Tony Smith

Rob, you had a copy of an article I did on ICE a while ago, there should be a photo of a speaker cover with it. If you can't find it let me know and I will re-scan the image for you.
Sarah

Tony - i agree with you on that one, they are the favourite bit of the interior of my car. IMO look classy not OTT
Matt

I know the grilles you mention guys, and yes, they aren't bad, but still not quite my cup of tea. One of those personal things...

Okay, update time for the BRM parts.

First, a couple of confirmations.

The tweeter trims with the door handle trim assembly have turned up- so you CAN get them, and you don't need proof of BRM ownership!

Secondly, the grilles I want door do indeed appear to be sold complete with the door trim casing.

HOWEVER, the part numbers that Rog supplied do appear to be the speaker trims I/we are after. The parts chap was unsure whether these were available, but has put an order in regardless. Cost is a staggering 51 quid each... OUCH!!! Either Kappa of Mike Satur would be a far more reasonable source of grilles... but I want a very specific look.

I am delighted with the door tweeter trims- fantastic. The allen key bolt motif is very suitable for an MGF as it goes with the omnipresent 'fuel filler style'- like the Momo gera knob. Plus it is a satin silver finish as opposed to a more garish chrome.

Expensive, but worth it? I think so. (hint hint Mike!)

Cheers

Rob
Rob Bell

No Rob, you can not have your own opinion, those speaker covers ARE your cup of tea and everybody must have the same taste as me..........OK, i'll let you off this once

can somebody give a quick description of BRM speaker covers to jog my memory

cheers
Matt

Hey all,

Talking about BRM bits. Let“s throw in the vent dials. I think they look very nice. The MS once“s are just put on top of the original plastic ones and cover up half of the icons surrounding the dials (level 1-2-3-..., vent hot/cold and direction) and therefore bigger and less attractive, IMHO that is. Am I right? Is it possible to buy these BRM genuine dials without necessity of proof of BRM owenership? Probably not.

Cheers,
David
RKL856
david

Thanks for the let off Matt! LOL

The BRM grilles are satin finish aluminium (the real McCoy, not coloured plastic!). The bezel has allen headed bolts spaced evenly around their circumference- and hence the fuel filler cap reference. The mesh is a woven style. If I get a chance, I'll photograph them and post them on the web.

David- I agree with you about the heater control knobs. The BRM items look like Mike Satur's items, but being slightly smaller do not obscure the control markings.

Again, these items are available (sorry I do not have the parts codes), but are expensive. When someone checked this out (Paul?), the quoted price was an astronomical 32 quid EACH. Given that there are three, then close to 100 quid before VAT is enough to put anyone off. Someone might be able to confirm or refute these costings?
I have seen these heater control knobs in an MGF before (that someone worked for Rover)- and they looked fantastic. Worth getting if the price is right.

Cheers

Rob
Rob Bell

Almost there Rob, the heater controls were 41GBP + VAT each. Maybe if you buy one a month it won't seem so bad !!!

Gaz
P15VVC
Gaz

GULP! That is seriously silly money for those parts. Difficult to justify- but on a once a month basis, maybe you wouldn't notice the burden as you say! ;o)

Surely there is another, CHEAPER way of getting these original Rover parts (other than from a scrapped BRM)?

Rob
Rob Bell

Hey Rob,

If we can somehow find out the manufacturer of these controls maybe we can organise a bulk order (discount for a larger production run maybe ...). Just an idea.

Gaz
P15VVC
Gaz

I'd be interested in some if you can do a bulk but from the manufacturer.
Sarah

So am I...

I'm sure the manufacturer sells the parts to Rover for a much lower price.
Or it's maybe because of the astronomical purchase prices of the BRM trim bits that Rover has be driven to bankrupt ? LOL

BTW, if I remember well, the BRM heater knobs do not light up ... annoying at night.
Fabrice

can some one tell me :
a. what is a BRM
b. What the heater controls look like.
c: what the speaker covers are like.

Thanks
al
alastair

Alastair

BRM - 200Vi done up in nice colours, mostly interior except for a terrible orange grill outside (which quite a few people have painted silver). not sure about performance tweeks but i don't think its hugely different technically from the standard Vi. Interiro is red leather with lots of metal bits.

Heater controls are like the aluminium heater control Mike S sells, pretty sure they are pictured on his website. It would appear though the BRM ones are slightly smaller, i agree that my MS ones don't fit perfectly but still look the nuts.

Speaker covers are described by Roger above (but the drilled FX ones from MS are nicer, purely because i have them - i haven't even seen the BRM ones)
Matt

Hey guys,

Count me in for the bulk purchase for BRM control dials,

good luck,
David.
david

Just this small posting for your information and to complete the thread.
* Chrom Design do chrome surroundings for the three heater knobs. Not that eye catching, but it looks nice as a final touch.

regards,
Erik (with 11 chrom parts)
Erik


I was under the impression the knobs where unavalailbe without a BRM chassis number, maybe this has changed.
I have been toying with the idea of designing some knobs for some time as I thought the proper BRM knobs where not obtainable from dealers or they where not when I enquired over a year ago.

It gives me an idea with another item to go with the K&N cold air pipe bracket.

Tom
Tom Randell

A big vote of confidence for BRM trim parts then!!!

If we want a bulk purchase, we need to guarantee numbers, but even more importantly, identify the company that manufactured them. Does anyone know the identy of this company?

Unfortunately, I doubt that these parts will ever be truely 'cheap'- they are almost certainly low volume CNC cut parts. I they were cheap, they'd feature on MGF Mk2 interiors- which as we know, they don't (even though the black plastic grille trims are fascimilles of the aluminium BRM trims).

Anyway, MORE good news this time regarding the availability of the main door speaker trims- the part numbers that Rog supplied- EJW 100500MDC- are indeed the BRM speaker grilles, and I now have a pair sitting at home. The allen keys bolts have to be purchased at the same time because they are functional- you use them to bolt the grilles to the door panel! The bolts are not supplied with nuts however- but look to be M3 sized/pitched- I'll confirm this this evening.

For the full BRM speaker kit (tweeter and main speaker trims) you will need to order the following parts:

Tweeter and interior door handle trims:
Left hand- # FVJ100250MAW
Right hand- # FVJ100240MAW

Main door aluminium grilles:
2x EJW 100500MDC
With which, you will beed to order 2x 5 allen key bolts:
2x EYP 101380

All in price a jaw dropping 200 quid including VAT... Not one for the faint hearted.

Rob
Rob Bell

Check out page 33 of the MG World magazine today.

Looks like three "knobs 2 for £35 from Mike Satur ?
am i correct?
can anybody confirm.
lister

Rob, could you do a price breakdown as well please.
Sarah

Okay- the BRM bits web page is comming to a computer near you soon! ;o)
Rob Bell

Pictures and prices now online:

http://www.crosswinds.net/members/~mgfgallery/Audio/brm/grilles.htm

Cheers

Rob
Rob Bell

Rob,

nice piccies. Quite seduicing to see the doorhandles. They“re quite more stylish than my current
MKI spec onces, never liked them anyway. It probably requires some cutting work in the trim panel tot fit the new door handle surround? IMHO, the MS speaker covers match my mirror adj. better than these, but the new door handle casing, might influence my opinion. Propably the MS tweeter cover is smaller than this BRM bit. But then, prices are about double, no joke. I think for that price, I“ll stick to my old door handle and buy the MS covers. Lemme sleep on it for a week (or two) BTW, can the MKI doorhandle surround be upgraded by the MKII one???

Cheers,
Have fun installing
David
knuckled @360mm
David

Hi David

You are right- these handle trims are much larger than the originals, and will require some cutting of the trim panel to fit.

Mike Satur also sells Rover 200 handle trims with his own grilles on (I like those a lot) and are substantially cheaper than the BRM parts I have. Another option is to buy the standard front Rover 200 handle trim- which has a plastic tweeter grille. Not as nice, but much much cheaper- only about 6 quid each.

No idea if the new Mk2 handle surrounds will fit our Mk1s- I haven't looked into this carefully enough yet. Tom mentioned to me that there may be problems... A case of try it and see? Given the similarity between this Mk2 handle trim and the Rover 75 chrome item, it may be tempting to see if this would fit an MGF...

One more option, in case the Mk2 oval handle trim doesn't fit, and you don't want/need the combined tweeter trim- you could use the rear door surround from a Rover 200- same shape as the illustrated BRM trim, but without the tweeter enclosure and therefore shorter... and therefore should also fit the MGF without need to modify the trim...

Boy, am I looking forward to fitting the trims!!! :o)

Cheers

Rob
Rob Bell

One difference between the MK1 chassis and MK2 chassis is a different aperture on the doors, I am not quite sure what part it effects but as Rob mentioned I think it is the door handle.

Maybe anyone who went on the Mayflower factory visit can confirm or correct me.
I am sure with some mods it can be fitted.

Tom
Tom Randell

Like Rob I too have had thoughts about how superficially similar the new Mk2 MGF interior door handles and surrounds are to the Rover 75 chrome items, (which are very nice, along with everything else inside a 75).

Having the opportunity to sit in my local dealership for a few weeks last year while my engine was changed, I had the opportunity to look at length at both types of handle (sad i know) and although the shape appears to be very similar, the position of the screw mount is different. The position of the screw mount for the MK2 and the MK1 MGF handle and surround appears to be in the same place although the MK2 surround is an oval shape, (i.e. to the left of the surround and behind the upper part of the actual handle pull). The screw mount for the Rover 75 handle is to the right hand side of the surround when viewed from the front, about 20mm away from where the mount would be in the MGF.

Also I asked my MG technician if the connection behind to the rod was similar but he said no (but then he would).

As I remember the outer MGF handle and surround screws onto an inner chassis of the handle which then bolts onto the door innards. Therefore to fix the Rover 75 handle would need the inner chassis and connections of the 75 handle not just the outer handle and surround.

Anyway the upshot of this was i gave up because I thought it would be too expensive. I ended up buying some Chrom Design handle surrounds from Downton which catch the light and look surprisingly good, (like they should have been there all the time, beware Downton's pricing policy though)

I have however still got high hopes of getting the 75 handles when I find a 75 abandoned at the side of the road later in the year when their value drops to lower than the scrap value, or when Alchemy starts giving them away in cornflake packets.
Paul

I fitted the grilles today, and am extremely pleased with the results. Fantastic! (And so they should really... :o/)

The main speakers were easy to fit, although there isn't much spare material around the apperature to bolt the grille to, but this shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I have also fitted the Tweeter/ door handle trims- a little more fiddly to fit, and required a bit of chopping to fit (slight enlargement of the trim handle apperature, plus a new hole for the grille-end of the handle trim to slot into. No tweeters fitted yet... until the purchase of those Infinity kappa component items! :o)

Probably just psychological, but somehow the system sounds better now...

Rob

PS Pictures to follow... Cool!
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 20/04/2000 and 29/04/2000

MG MGF Technical index

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