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MG TF Instrument Cowl

6K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  gavink 
#1 ·
Hi, Really require some assisatance, can anyone please help me with seperating the instrument cowl, the workshop manual shows that the cowl clips together (the clear plastic cliping onto the black backing), I have broken the original cowl trying to unclip it, only to find that it was glued.I have a replacement, this is the same as the original and appears to be glued together. How would I seperate the clear from the black backing without breaking the cowl again.

Thanks
Gavin
 
#2 ·
They are all glued. Only real way to seperate them (cant see why you would want too really) would be to heat the whole thing up to soften the glue and then very carefully prise it apart. There is still a good chance it will break though. There went really designed to be taken apart.
 
#6 ·
If you mean the clear perspex part over the speedo & rev counter then yes, it does indeed come apart - but it's really not meant to and you WILL crack it in the process however carefully you do it. This is the voice of experience speaking :lol:


I took mine apart (un-neccessarily I might add, hindsight is a great thing :rolleyes:) by really carefully unsticking it, but I still ended up with a crack in the corner just below the petrol guage.











The bezels that you've bought - are they the same as these?

If so, they can be fitted very easily by taking out the clocks and slotting them in from the back without the need for breaking the perspex and super gluing your finger to the plastic in the rectifying process :O
 
#9 ·
Instrument Cowl

Yes, they are exactly the same as yours, I thought that they look good, how would you go about inserting them from behind? I have also done a stupid thing by glueing them in and thus the reason for the help request:indiff: Just like to thank all for the imput and replies.
 
#10 ·
As with Jans above picture of her opened clock face above and between the 3 and 4 on the rev counter on the top edge you can see hole where one of the four logs fits in again above the speedo between 80 and 90mph is the other top one and there are two on the bottom edge too. these are the lugs that fit into the holes




by pushing these lugs out the speedo unit can be separated in to two parts the black front and the grey clocks very easily without cracking or needing to remove the perspex.

Once done the alloy rings can be fitted from behind as in my above pic but another word of warning is once glued in allow the glue to set overnight before putting the two parts of the unit back together. if you don't the fumes from the glue will not be able to escape the unit and will settle on any mark or fingerprint on the inside of the perspex

and the finished prouct looks like this



on another note if you are going to replace the cracked perspex be careful to get an exact one as a MK1 perspex and front black cover will not fit a MK2 as the reset button that stick out through the perspex are in different positions and most of the peripheral management lights are also in different positions too.

Again from another voice of experience this is so simple to do without removing or cracking the perspex - once you've learnt the hard way that is!!

Hope that helps

Gordon
 
#11 ·
Instrument Cowl

Thanks, as I use the car daily I had bought a MK1 from a F and fitted it to my TF, it fitted perfectly, however as I said I have now glued it onto the old cowl having craked the outer cover. I have purchased an item from ebay and waiting for it to arrive. Having glued it already any other hints on seperating the one I have purchased as I fear I can no longer remove the bezels from the original. Sorry for this one guys, once again thanks for all the help and looing at the picks of your dash i must add that it looks great and can't wait to have mine in the car. i have noticed that you have blue down lighting, have you changed the globes or just the coloured plastic film. Would really appreciate any advice on seperating the cowl that is on it's way.
 
#13 ·
Thanks, as I use the car daily I had bought a MK1 from a F and fitted it to my TF, it fitted perfectly, however as I said I have now glued it onto the old cowl having craked the outer cover. I have purchased an item from ebay and waiting for it to arrive. Having glued it already any other hints on seperating the one I have purchased as I fear I can no longer remove the bezels from the original. Sorry for this one guys, once again thanks for all the help and looing at the picks of your dash i must add that it looks great and can't wait to have mine in the car. i have noticed that you have blue down lighting, have you changed the globes or just the coloured plastic film. Would really appreciate any advice on seperating the cowl that is on it's way.
When your new item arrives give me a bell I'll talk you through it step by step - It is very easy to do without cracking anything.

The MK 1 perspex will not fit the MK 2 clocks I have a feeling you've been lucky enough to get a late F (MK2) MY2000 onwards - which does fit. The MK1 has an analogue display while the MK2 and TF have digital displays as in my pic above.

This is a MK1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-MG-MGF-C...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

and this is a MK2 and TF

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mgf-tf-instru...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Trust me!! I have a MK1 pespex on my MK2 clocks and a second hole in the perspex to prove it.

The lights are T5 LED bulbs and can be picked up for a couple of quid of ebay here's a pge to choose from

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/_W0QQ_...trksid=m270.l1313&_odkw=t5+blue+led&_osacat=0



When changing the colour you'll need to remove the orange filter or a Blue LED will look like a very dim green.

Hope that helps. PM sent with number

G
 
#17 ·
instrument cowl

Hi,

I would like to give you a call, the problem being I'm in South Africa, what I could do is forward you my email adress when it arrives, let me know to what email address I can email too. I'm sure that you right and I've been lucky to get a mk2 one, as there was very few F's shipped to South Africa I had to go with what I have been seeing on ebay, for what is the first time user on this forum (being surfing it for a while) I must say that the comms is really great, wish we had something similar and some guys here with some knowledge on topics like these, I guess in South Africa it will always be a question of "how much money you have".

Let me know the email address and I'll definatly be in touch.

Thanks
 
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