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Classic Mini DIY Guides - Make Your Own Dashboard

Chose from the guides below. If you have a guide you would like to submit, please send it to guides @ miniprojects .co. uk


Number One: Standard Dashboard With Vents (1/2 Template)

This one is simple... click here and print the template - not to scale (Remember, only half of the dashboard is shown in the template!)

These dimensions are for the later type Mini with a top and bottom padded dash rail. The dimension are taken from a non-Rover burr walnut dashboard, so the fit should be fairly reasonable on most cars. Minis are notorious for varying in size though, so it's a good idea to treat this as a rough guide, not an exact plan. Make your own dash slightly oversize then trim it to suit your particular car. The diagram includes locations for the air vent holes (if used) but it's entirely up to you where you decide to put stereo, dials, switches etc. It's also up to you how you fix the dashboard to the car. The most popular way is to attach a bolt or threaded bar to the back of the dashboard, make some steel brackets to hook behind the top and bottom rail, and secure the threaded bar through the metal bracket with wing nuts.

The diagram only shows one half of the dashboard, but the other half is obviously a mirror image. The overall width of the dashboard is 1190mm along the bottom edge and 1140mm along the top edge. Ideally, you would use 12mm thick MDF or ply to make the dash.


Number Two: Mad Scott's dashboard

This is my dashboard. I made it quite easily from a flat sheet of 9mm plywood. MDF would also do. Cut it slightly large, and then plane it to size. When the overall size is correct, fit it in and sit in the car and mark out your preferred position for gauges etc. Drill holes using a hole saw and sand it all smooth. Cover in vinyl. I used Carbon Fibre effect vinyl, bought at a mini show. Beware of using glue under the vinyl, as it may show through as ridges. I attached my dash into the car by having two long M8 threaded rods going from the dash back to the bulkhead. I then spin wing-nuts on the ends on this side of the dash. Quick release for access to wiring. A glove box can be made by fixing a strong cardboard box behind the dash to contain items placed through the glove hole. The dash board looks much better and is much cheaper than the ones you can buy.



The Measurements

Best to cut the wood slightly large and then plane/sand it to your mini's dimensions!

 
Scott Beavis

Mini DIY Guides

 

 

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