Hi fellow MINI enthusiasts...

Does anyone know (has anyone here tried?) to remove the round plastic surround on the center-mounted speedo? Does it just "pop" off when pried off? Do you think the surround for the tachometer is also a separate piece that can be removed? How do I remove the top, silver plastic part of the cupholder surrounds? I don't want to break any pins underneath.

Also, can I drive around for a few weeks without the plastic downtubes? Will I have to remove the stereo and AC control/head units?

Why do I ask these wacky questions? Because I found a place that will chrome these parts, but they want to see the parts first, before giving me a price. I would have to mail them the parts.

Thanks for all your help,

Joe

If I do decide to go with this company who say they can and will be able to chrome any plastic part, I will of course detail the results and prices for all MCO members. They use a vacuum-process to chrome the plastic. Sort of the same way the shiny surface of a CD is made...a fine mist of aluminum and then a vacuum to coat the parts. Finally, a tough, yet thin, outer polymer is applied for protection.

 

you can drive for ever without the down tube if you want
and the plastic surround is removed by just pulling on the dash covers around the speedo just dont yank off the dash cover that is over the air bag that one doesnt snap off

 

minicoop78,

So the plastic downtubes don't actually support the radio/air conditioner/toggle switch units? Cool.

I know the silver (or anthracite) dash covers are removable -- I've seen some who have had them removed and painted. But in particular, is the round surround for the speedometer removable by simplying prying it off? And the connected, circular (figure 8 ) surround on the cupholder/ashtray?

Hmmm...I don't want to be the guinea pig here. Heh. Wish I had access to a totalled MINI so I could mess around with the interior parts -- either that, or if someone would publish a MINI assembly/disassembly manual!

Rock On and thanks for the advice,

Joe

 

the speedo piece is conected to the plastic around it i think but i know if you take off the top of the dash it comes loose and you can get a better look at everything that is in there thats what i would do the ash tray i dont know the pillers actually pull out of the bottom there is some styrofoam holding them in place at the bottom and screws / dash cover at the top but they pretty much just get yanked out and up really easy for those. my guess would be that there is a screw holding the (8) in place although mine is filled with change

 

To get the speedo ring off you have to take out the whole panel around it (including the vents). There are two torx (#20?) screws above the two vents and one underneath on the bottom right of the panel. The two rings around the hazard and dimmer buttons have to snap off as well. Once the screws are out, the whole panel will come snap out. I'm not sure how the actual ring comes off, I think it snaps off.

Once that piece is out, to get out the down tubes, just take out the two torx on each side and pull them up out of the lower console.

the cupholder trim does just snap out, but be careful with it. I was able to grab it by hand and snap it out, just be gentle with it. The shifter trim snaps out as well.

 

Thanks for the "been there, done that" advice, wkndracer!

May I ask why you've taken your MINI apart like this? To install mods?

Rock On,

-Joe

 

Hi,

I did the speedo and vent trim rings in my exterior EB:



and the down tubes and other formerly silver trim in an anthracite color.

There have been many posts on how to remove the downtubes, so I won't repeat those. To remove the round speedo trim rings: (the vent ones just twist off):
(this is as far as I can remember)

open the doors, and you see a cover on the side of the top dash padding. This side cover can be pried off on the front (it is hinged in back) to reveal two torx screws that secure the top of the dash cover. Undo screws on both sides and remove top dash cover (after the screws are off it just comes off by lifting / pulling towards driver).

Remove the vent trim rings, and the trim rings around light adjust and emergency flash buttons, both just pull off.

At top of speedo consoles you can see two torx screws securing speedo console, remove these.


Flip down glove box and remove the drivers side knee bolster (see posted instructions on Euro shelf install for details). The knee bolster can just be uplled out with a good yank from teh top. You now see two torx screws securing the speedo panel from the bottom. On some cars, there is only one screw, and on some there are none at the bottom. Check anyway.

The speedo cluster should now be fairly free to move.

You can move the alloy patina cover off, and usually the whole speedo cluster cover will come right along. The speedo itself will stay put, but what comes out is the alloy patina cover, plus the black base plate, as well as the speedo trim ring.

The trim ring is secured to the black base plate. On some cars it is just clipped in, on others I have seen a securing glob of heat melt glue! Either way, to get the trim ring off without damaging it it is best to pull the whole alloy patina trim and black baseplate off.

You do not necessarily need to remove the down tubes to do this, but the down tubes scratch very easily, so some find it easier to remove the down tubes first.

Install is reverse.
As always, all of this is at your own risk.

Cheers,
M.


_________________
Celeste: 03 EB/W MCS, cold, premium, sports a la carte w. W16"V, Lapis, HK, Forge coolant tank, saddlebags, interior trim in EB, euro shelf

 

>>
>>Hi fellow MINI enthusiasts...
>>
>>Do you think the surround for the tachometer is also a separate piece that can be removed?

The surround for the tach is done by lowering the steering wheel to the lowest point. There are 2 torx that hold the bracket to the steering column, remove those. Then disconnect the tach cable. Turn the tach around and remove the 2 philips head screws from the back. Lift up on the tab on the bottom and the front pops off.

>>How do I remove the top, silver plastic part of the cupholder surrounds? I don't want to break any pins underneath.

Grab it and gently pull up, there are some tabs on the bottom that hold it to the rest of the assembly.

>>Also, can I drive around for a few weeks without the plastic downtubes? Will I have to remove the stereo and AC control/head units?

They are decorative only, you can replace them, remove them, do whatever, they are only cosmetic plastic. I did when I painted mine.

>>Why do I ask these wacky questions? Because I found a place that will chrome these parts, but they want to see the parts first, before giving me a price. I would have to mail them the parts.

Be wary of places you have to mail parts to... I forget if its on here or MINI2 or roadfly about the person that mailed his to a joint in Texas and 6 weeks later hadn't received them back and the number he had had been disconnected and couldn't locate them, his pieces finally showed up on his doorstep done one day.

>>If I do decide to go with this company who say they can and will be able to chrome any plastic part, I will of course detail the results and prices for all MCO members. They use a vacuum-process to chrome the plastic. Sort of the same way the shiny surface of a CD is made...a fine mist of aluminum and then a vacuum to coat the parts. Finally, a tough, yet thin, outer polymer is applied for protection.

I'm no metalurgist, but something doesn't sound right in chinatown with this approach... Maybe it's just me but don't you end up with pieces that look like aluminum rather than chrome?

-Laclede